Let’s face it, as much as we’d like to curate beautiful instagram or tiktok worthy meals, we don’t have the time! I’m here to show you how to take the daunting instagram worthy thoughts out of meal planning and prepping and learn a simpler way to get healthy meals on the table (or on your commute to baseball practice) easier and much faster, faster than those ready made meal kits!
Welcome to batch cooking!
We are going to cook, in bulk, a few main ingredients to create balanced meals (protein, vegetables and grain) and cook them in bulk that will last you a few days. You’re going to save so much time by doing this!
Here’s how to batch cook protein, veggies and grains:
Protein: Grab a tray of 4-5 chicken breasts and bake or grill them. If you’re vegetarian, you could grab some extra firm tofu, cut it into cubes and toss it in salt, pepper and corn starch and sauté them in coconut or avocado oil.
Protein: DONE
Veggies: While your protein is cooking, steam or saute some veggies, I like to make a big batch of steamed green beans and I’ll sauté some sweet peppers too, (all colours).
Veggies: DONE
Grains (Carbohydrates): While your veggies and proteins are cooking, cook a big batch of rice! Get some rice that cooks in 10 minutes, like jasmine or basmati. Pro tip* add a few shakes of rice vinegar to your cooked rice. Trust me, it’s a game changer (some rice vinegar has sugar added to it- check your label. While sugar isn’t bad, it will add calories to your meal).
Grain: DONE
What can you make with these few simple batch cooked foods?
By adding spices and a bit of your favourite condiments, you can create a variety of meals using
your batch cooked foods!
Here are the items we cooked above:
- Chicken, Tofu
- Green Beans, Sweet Peppers
- Jasmine Rice
Here are 5 Meal Ideas:
- Taco bowls –rice, chicken, sauteed peppers, salsa
- Big Salad –bagged lettuce, add chicken or tofu, green beans, add some grapes and salad dressing
- Simple meal- Chicken or tofu, rice, green beans
- Caesar Salad Wrap: Chicken or tofu, caesar salad kit, wrap it up
- Chicken Salad Lettuce wraps: Chicken, celery, light mayonnaise, rice mix together, serve in lettuce cups
All of these meals were created by having ready to eat main macronutrients on hand!
Each week, try a new protein, carbohydrate and vegetable and create your meals by grabbing what you already have. After a while of doing this consistently, you’ll find meal planning and prepping a whole lot easier!!!
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By, Michelle Wilson, Certified Nutrition Coach