Something I talk to my clients a lot about is meal prep, planning and organization. We all have busy lives and don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen or grocery shopping, but having fresh homemade meals on hand to make you feel your best is invaluable. Feeling light, energized and nourished makes the effort worth a hundred times over again. A little planning and organization go a long way, so here are some tips & tricks to make your time in the kitchen easier and more efficient:
Meal Plan. Organization is everything. As a mom of two running my own business I always need to think a step ahead and I feel on the days that I don’t, things seem to fall apart more easily and I get stressed more quickly. I usually meal plan two times a week for three to four days ahead. Breaking the week up this way makes it more accessible and less overwhelming, but if that still seems too daunting for you, start with planning two days ahead. Write down what meals you want to make for breakfast, lunch and dinner either in your notes on the phone or in a physical planner, whatever works for you. Research recipes in cookbooks, on Instagram or online and save recipes that you like along the way. Based on your meal planning you can write your shopping list and check for missing pantry items.
Schedule grocery shopping. Next, have set days for grocery shopping. That could be Tuesdays or Fridays or any other days that work with your schedule. That way, you ensure the produce you have on hand is always the freshest and you don’t have to run to the market or grocery store every day and it makes your food shopping much more efficient and time-saving.
Wash & prep. When you get home from grocery shopping, wash and prep your fruit and veggies right away. This will make it easy for you to have your chopped veggies on hand when cooking and keep your fridge looking organized and pretty which is so much more fun to cook with!
Make ahead. Prep your meals ahead if you know you won’t have time to cook the next day. Make lunch for Monday on Sunday night and have the veggies to cook Monday dinner prepped and ready to go in the fridge. Once you get into the groove of it, it will make your life so much easier!
