How To Meal Prep: Strategy Guide

How To Meal Prep: Strategy Guide

What’s in this guide?
Grocery shopping
Ideas for busy nights
Crockpot meals
Grocery lists
Quick snack options
Breakfast ideas
Seasoning combos

“He who fails to plan is planning to fail.” -Winston Churchill

Who likes grocery shopping?

I know I know, grocery shopping sucks. It’s inconvenient, takes time out of your day, it’s crowded, I could go on and on. But, I think we can all agree that grocery shopping does set us up for success in regards to having access to good quality whole foods throughout the week.

Here’s an example of our grocery shopping checklist:
How many times do you want to go to the grocery store this week?
How many people are you cooking for?
Are you doing a full meal prep or just prepping for certain meals?
Meat?
Fish?
Vegetables?
Fruits?
Starches / Grains?
Fats?
Spices?
Sauces?
Drinks?
Convenience foods?
Any special recipes you want to try this week?
Traveling?
Meetings?

Lifestyle Hacks

Never go to the store hungry! Always eat something before going grocery shopping so that you’re not tempted to make impulsive buys based on cravings.
Shop with a list. It’s very easy to buy more or less than what you had intended on buying in the first place without a list.
Shop at a natural grocer if possible. Stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Sprouts, Costco, etc. all have an amazing selection of good quality foods.
Stores like Walmart, Tom Thumb, Sam’s Club, Albertsons, Kroger, etc. make it a lot harder to shop at. It’s not impossible, but the quality tends to be much worse at these stores.
Shop mostly around the outer perimeter of the store; think items that do not come in a box. The majority of the unhealthy food is found inside the aisles.
When it comes to junk food, if you buy it, you’re going to eat it. If you have an issue with self control then simply don’t buy it in the first place.
Get in and get out, grocery shopping should take less than 45 minutes.
Don’t be scared to try new foods and recipes, variety is key.
From a cost standpoint, prioritize buying high quality meat and fish over everything else.
Enjoy the journey, you will continue to become more efficient at grocery shopping with each trip you make!

Do the work. Make the investment in yourself and your family, It will be worth it!

Grocery shopping complete! From there, the cooking begins…

Once you have got the food, how do you cook it?

Bland?

No seasoning or sauces?

NO THANK YOU!

Season your foods with things like spices, fresh herbs, lemon, etc. Simple additions like these can really bring out some amazing flavors. Food should taste amazing! Eating healthy shouldn’t mean eating boring, bland, tasteless food. Healthy food is meant to taste amazing, nourish your body, and fuel your lifestyle.

Ground Meat (ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, ground bison, ground venison, etc.)

Saute
Heat stovetop to medium heat
Add 1 tbsp of oil (extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, grass fed butter, etc.)
Add seasoning of choice, fresh herbs and spices are highly recommended!
Cook the meat through to whatever your liking (8-10 min)
Drain excess liquid

Chicken Breast or thigh

Heat stovetop to medium heat
Add 1 tbsp of oil (extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, grass fed butter, etc.)
Add seasoning of choice, fresh herbs and spices are highly recommended!
Cook the meat through to whatever your liking (8-12 min)
Drain excess liquid

Crockpot

Heat up crock pot
Add chicken breast or thighs
Add favorite sauce
Slow cook on low for 4-6 hours
Drain excess liquid
Shred meat apart

Bake

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Grab a pan and line with cooking foil
Cut chicken breasts or thighs into small pieces and line the pan
Spray extra virgin olive oil lightly over the chicken breasts or thighs
Add seasoning of choice, fresh herbs and spices are highly recommended!
Cook for 15-25 minutes or until no visible pink on the inside

Fish

Saute

Heat stovetop to medium heat
Add 1 tbsp of oil (extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, grass fed butter, etc.)
Add seasoning of choice, fresh herbs and spices are highly recommended!
Cook the meat through to whatever your liking (8-10 min)
Drain excess liquid

Vegetables

Air Fry

Heat to 400 degrees
Add avocado oil spray
Add seasoning of choice, fresh herbs and spices are highly recommended!
Cook for 8-12 minutes

Bake
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cut / chop vegetables, i.e brussel sprouts in halves, diced carrots, chopped zucchini, etc.
Place vegetables on baking sheet and coat with olive oil spray or avocado oil spray
Squeeze half a lemon onto vegetables and coat evenly
Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper
Place in the oven and roast until crispy. Starchier vegetables will require more time i.e. brussels sprouts, carrots, squash, etc.

Rice

The rule of thumb is to use 2 cups of water per 1 cup of dry rice. This example will be for 2 cups of dry rice.

Place 4 cups of water into a pot or saucepan
Bring water to a boil
Once water is boiling, add 2 cups of dry rice
Bring water to a simmer and add lid to the top of pot or pan
Let rice sit in simmering water until the water is gone. This process will depend on how much rice you cook at once. 2 cups of dry rice typically takes about 10-15 minutes.
Once water is absorbed, remove the lid and add salt and lime juice and fresh cilantro for taste.

Sweet Potatoes

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Dice sweet potatoes into 1 inch cubes
Add sweet potatoes to a baking sheet and coat evenly with melted coconut oil
Season with salt and cinnamon
Roast for 50-60 minutes or until the bottom of the sweet potatoes are golden brown/crispy

Russet / Golden / Red / Fingerling Potatoes

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Dice sweet potatoes into 1 inch cubes
Add sweet potatoes to a baking sheet and coat evenly with avocado oil
Season with salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and rosemary
Roast for 50-60 minutes or until the bottom of the potatoes are golden brown/crispy

Spices

When it comes to spices, Trader Joe’s is our go to spot to buy high quality affordable spices. Honestly, just take a trip and buy 5-10 spices that look good to you. Try them out, experiment, just have fun with it!

iCoach Favorites:
Everything but the bagel seasoning
Garlic & onion powder
Himalayan pink salt
Chile & lime seasoning
Trader Joe’s 21 seasonings
Barbeque espresso rub

Sauces

When it comes to sauces, this is where you can definitely run into some trouble in terms of calories, fat, sugar, etc. going through the roof. Be sure to do your due diligence in terms of reading the back of the label and ingredient list. Be sure to check the serving size and make sure the ingredient list is minimal.

iCoach Favorites:
Primal Kitchen
Tessamae’s
G Hughes Sugar Free
Yellowbird
Cholula
Tobasco

Cookware

Small investments in your home kitchen will make you much more prone to actually love cooking, meal prepping and just being in the kitchen with your family and friends. If you have a dirty kitchen with poor quality food or no food at all then you’re going to be much less likely to cook. Make the investment in yourself and your family. It will be worth it!

iCoach Favorites:
Glass Tupperware
Copper or cast iron pots and pans
Blender
Crockpot and/or instapot
Digital food scale
Baking sheets
Cutting boards
Measuring spoons and cups
Spatula, tongs and mixing spoons
Kitchen scissors
Mixing bowls

Drinks

Obviously water should be the main drink that you’re consuming, but it’s always nice to have something that gives you a bit more flavor. Lacroix, Zevia, kombucha, Topo Chico w/ a lime, etc. can all be great alternatives to water. If you’re a soda drinker try substituting your Coca Cola for a Zevia cola and watch your calorie / sugar intake significantly reduce.

Meal Prep

Plan your week in advance
Hit the grocery store
Start cooking

How many days are you prepping for?

Which grocery store?

What day(s) are you time blocking your meal prep(s)?

If you’re new to the game, try buying 5 of everything. Buy 5 lean protein sources, 5 healthy fats and 5 carbohydrates. Start with the carbohydrates because potatoes, rice, etc. take the longest…

While that is cooking, start cooking the meat…

From there, start chopping the veggies (or buy pre cut veggies) and air fry or roast those…

Add cooked food into glass containers, let cool, and then store in the fridge for later use.

Ideas for busy nights

Option 1:

Protein: pre cooked rotisserie chicken
Carb: microwaveable rice
Color: salad kit

Option 2:

Protein: saute ground bison
Carb: air fry potatoes
Color: air fry brussel sprouts
Sauce: ketchup

Option 3:

Protein: saute ground turkey
Carb: air fry sweet potato
Color: air fry green beans
Sauce: teriyaki

Option 4:

Protein: saute lean ground beef
Carb: tortillas
Color: pre cut bell peppers + pre made pico + guacamole

Crockpot Meals

Instant Pot Green Chile Chicken Tortilla Soup

Slow Cooker Italian Greens & Chicken Soup

Kjotsupa Icelandic Lamb Soup

Slow Cooker Gumbo: Low Carb Edition

Low Carb Coconut Curry Slow Cooker Meal Prep

Slow Cooker Chicken & Quinoa Tortilla Soup

Example Grocery List

Let’s keep it simple…

Pick 5 of each to create your grocery shopping list!

Color (veggies / fruits):
-broccoli, brussel sprouts, potatoes, green beans, spinach, apples, bananas, blueberries, oranges, raspberries, etc.

Protein:
-ground beef, ground turkey, ground bison, steak, chicken (ground, breast or thigh), salmon, shrimp, greek yogurt, eggs, etc.

Fats:
-avocado oil, olive oil, avocado, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.

Carbs:
-rice, quinoa, bread, tortillas, oatmeal, etc.

Breakfast Ideas

Basic:

Protein shake w/ oatmeal, raspberries and walnuts
Greek yogurt bowl w/ almond butter, granola and blueberries
Egg white omelet w/ mushrooms, onions, peppers, cheese, tomatoes, avocado and side of potatoes

Complex:
High-Protein Breakfast Casserole
Steak & Egg Strata Frittata Muffin
Egg & Turkey Stuffed Poblano

Quick Snack Options

Protein shake
Protein bar
Greek yogurt
Jerky
Fruit
Vegetables
Hard boiled egg
Hummus
Deli meat
Cheese
Nuts
Seeds
Smoothies
Etc.

Converting Planned Meals To Macros

Log some protein at each meal:
-3 eggs at breakfast
-4 oz. of ground bison at lunch
-4 oz. of chicken at dinner

Then enter some carbs at each meal:
-60g oats + 123g berries at breakfast
-260g sweet potatoes at lunch
-280g cooked jasmine rice at dinner

Then enter some fat at each meal:
-2 slices of bacon at breakfast
-100g avocado at lunch
1 tbsp olive oil at dinner

Don’t forget the veggies:
-200g of bell peppers at breakfast
-200g zucchini at lunch
-200g broccolini at dinner

You should now have a full day planned into MyFitnessPal. Scroll to the bottom of your food diary and click nutrition. You should now see your macro totals. Make sure to select macros up top. Keep adjusting entries until numbers match up with macro goals!

Need more protein?
-increase breakfast, lunch or dinner protein portions
-add extra eggs or egg whites to breakfast
-add a protein shake, protein bar or bone broth

Need more carbs?
-fruit, veggies, rice cakes, etc.
-increase potatoes or rice at lunch and/or dinner
-incorporate beans, lentils, oats, pastas, tortilla, bread, etc.

Need more fat?
-avocado, olive oil, grass fed butter, etc.
-bacon, nuts or nut butter

Example Day (Female)

Breakfast: 39p / 67c / 29f = 689 calories

-3 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, 200g bell peppers, 60g oats, 123g raspberries

Lunch: 32p / 89c / 23f = 674 calories

-3 oz. cooked ground bison, 260g sweet potato, 75g avocado, 200g zucchini, 126g banana

Dinner: 48p / 94c / 20f = 734 calories
4 oz. grilled chicken, 280g cooked jasmine rice, 1 tbsp olive oil, 200g broccolini

Totals: 119p / 251c / 71f = 2097 calories