The No Cooking Meal Prep

 

This post is for the…

Post college-pre kid babes
Busy moms
Guys trying to eat better (or impress a new date 😉
Empty nesters
“Hate to cook crew”

…Okay fine this post is for EVERYONE! Maybe you’re in a busy phase or maybe you never officially learned how to cook and you’ve burned too many chicken breasts to try again. You KNOW eating out frequently isn’t great for you (sodium, cost, portions) but eating IN seems unattainable.

Enter in my “no cooking meal prep” strategy! This is easy. Really easy. SO easy that you may feel a little guilty spending that extra time catching up on a favorite Netflix show or getting a workout in. Follow the steps below and viola; you’ll be eating healthier, saving time, and saving money! 

Step 1: Decide how you’ll shop

Do you enjoy stocking up on a day off or are you the type that swings by the market daily? I’m neither…these days I’m ordering Instacart as I’m walking into a session with a client and chasing after my two babes #momlife

If you haven’t tried Instacart you need to! For a small fee you can get free delivery for a year on any orders over $35. The stores available depend on your area but there are generally many to choose from. I owe my life to Instacart because I no longer have to take two kiddos to Costco. Can I get an amen?!

Check out Instacart: 1 hour grocery delivery!

Here’s $10 worth of free groceries:

https://inst.cr/t/R1ya3ZvjU

Step 2: Pick a protein… 

For breakfast, lunch, and dinner (see list below). I always start my meal planning by choosing my protein first. Gluten free, vegetarian, paleo? No prob! I got you covered. 

Step 3: Choose whole grain carbohydrates

 The serving size for your carbs should be about 1/2-1c per meal. I’ve listed no cook carbs below. 

Step 4: Choose your veggies

These should make up about half your plate so choose ones you’re into so you’ll actually eat them.

Step 5: Choose dressings, sauces, and dips to mix among your meals and snacks.

Step 6: Choose snack options below

Now place that order or hit the market with your reusable bags and get after it friends!

Step 7: Plate your meal!

Choose your protein

(the size of the palm of your hand or deck of cards)

Choose your complex carb

(the size of your open palm or tennis ball)

Choose your veggies

(half of your plate or 2 cups)

Choose your sauce/dip/dressing

(one thumb size or 1-2 Tablespoons)

Shopping options:
Instacart
Amazon
Farmers Market Haul
Traditional Markets

Protein Choices:
Applegate Farms breakfast sausage (in the frozen section. It’s fully cooked so you can just heat it in the microwave or in a pan stovetop)
Hard Boiled eggs (organic is definitely better with eggs)
Pre-cooked turkey bacon (nitrate free is best)
Greek yogurt (buy plain and mix the jelly listen below)
Rotisserie chicken

Pre-cooked sausage, meatballs, patties (the trick is to grab organic ones so you know the ingredients are free of chemicals, fillers, and general bloating energy sucking ingredients)
Pre made tuna (the less ingredients the better)
Deli meat (applegate farms is a clean brand)
Frozen turkey burgers
Frozen veggies burgers (Don Lee Farms or Hilary Eats Well)
Tofu (make sure it’s just occasional and is organic and sprouted)
Frozen green peas (8g of protein in 1 c of these gems)
Frozen grass fed beef patties
Pre-cooked fish (or better yet Whole Foods will cook fish for you in store to your flavor preference)

Complex Carbohydrates (the good kind):
Frozen rice (brown rice or basmati white rice is best! Don’t cook it in the plastic. Instead pour the bag into a glass dish, cover and follow the same heating instructions)
Organic corn tortillas
Siete tortillas (these are paleo, gluten free, and delicious!)
Pre-cooked frozen quinoa
Brown rice pasta
Frozen potatoes (look for potatoes only on the ingredients)
High nutrient breads (Dave’s bread, Canyon Bakehouse, Rudi’s)
Instant oatmeal (unsweetened, add the flavor and sweetener yourself with one of the jelly options on my list below)

Veggies:
Chopped romaine
Any bagged salad (skip the dressings that are included and opt for a better one on my list below)
Armenian/Persian cucumbers (smaller and crunchier!)
Baby carrots (make sure they’re organic to avoid the chemicals)
Avocados

Baby Bell Peppers

Sugar Snap Peas

Jicama sticks (so great with Guacamole)

 

 

 

Dressings/Dips/Sauces:

Individual Guacamole packs
Primal Kitchen dressings and sauces (bbq, honey mustard, ketchup, they make it all and they’re ALL nutritionist approved real ingredients)
Hummus (HOPE brand is my family’s fav! We love the non traditional black bean flavors)
Tessemae salad dressings are amazing-even my kids love them!
Ketchup (get organic to avoid the high fructose corn syrup, etc)
Siracha (I mix ketchup with Siracha and use it to dip sweet potatoes in-SO good!)
Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
Flavored stevia drops (vanilla mixed into Greek yogurt makes the most delicious fruit dip)

Nature’s Hollow Jelly (naturally sugar free, this is made from Birch trees. It’s the best on toast or mixed into plain yogurt to cut down on sugar)

Snacks:

Nuts (unsalted, raw)
Nut butter individual packets (Rx brand or Justin’s brand)
Lillie’s chocolate sweetened with stevia or any brand 70% or more dark chocolate

Purely Elizabeth Probiotic granola

Kind granola
Fresh fruit (or pre cut options)
Bars: make sure the sugar is the same or less than the protein in grams or just eat half the bar and add in a little protein from the list above

Some of my favorite bars:

Naturally Clean Eats (on Amazon or Target)
Go Macro

Perfect Bar