Tips for Healthy Meal Prep Process

If you are like most people, you likely have a hectic schedule, and often, you find yourself compromising your diet for the sake of convenience. When many people decide to switch to The Kaufmann Diet and take control of their health, this can be one of the hardest parts about changing your diet. In this article we will include tips to improve your meal prep process as well as some great meal prep recipes.

Most fast food chains and even casual restaurants––the places many people rely on for many of their meals––are not the most conducive to The Kaufmann Diet; most items on most menus are packed with sugar, grains, unhealthy fats and things the diet eliminates. This isn’t to say that you can’t find things to eat in these kinds of places in certain circumstances, but by and large, much of what you will find here is off the menu for The Kaufmann Diet. Similarly, most pre-packaged, processed foods are also off the menu––these too are often loaded with grains, sugar, and ingredients you should avoid on the diet. 

Ultimately, most people must switch to preparing their own food when they switch to The Kaufmann Diet. And while this requires a serious paradigm shift for many, a few strategies can go a long way towards setting yourself up for success on the diet. Notably, prepping your meals in advance can go a long way towards ensuring you stick to your diet and improve your health. 

Meal prepping requires planning, forethought and no small amount of effort. But like any other health strategy, when it becomes a habit, it makes your life a lot easier––and healthier. 

Plan Your Grocery Days, And Stay Stocked

If there’s nothing in the refrigerator, freezer, or pantry, it’s hard to have anything to cook. It can help to have a fixed list of staples for the fridge and the pantry. For some things, it can be beneficial to buy in bulk; other, more perishable foods should be bought in appropriate quantities. Regardless, having dedicated shopping days ensures you never run out of the things you need in order to prepare food. 

Plan Your Cooking/Prepping Days

Just like making plans to go to the gym or take a walk, planning your cooking days is critical to making sure you have the food needed throughout the week ready to go. These cooking days may include cooking a lot of healthy protein on the grill at once; chopping and storing fruits and vegetables in the fridge, or assembling and refrigerating or freezing meals. Setting aside time to make sure everything is ready to go throughout the week ensures you aren’t scrambling during the week to get a healthy meal… or derailing your diet for lack of something to eat. 

Have a Rotating List of Meals You Know You Like

Having a couple go-to meals you know you like for breakfast, lunch and dinner can help take the guesswork out of what you should prep. These should ideally be easy to reheat, or assemble on the spot, should keep well in the fridge, and be something you can look forward to eating. It might take some time to find things that fit all these criteria, but leaving little room for guesswork takes a lot of room for error. 

Have The Right Equipment 

If you’re going to prep a bunch of food, you need containers to store your food in. If you are taking food to work or school, it helps to have an insulated lunch box or cooler that is easy to travel with. Ideally, reusable containers will save money in the long run. Opting for glass or steel containers will prevent unwanted plastic particles leaching into your food and will last a lot longer. 

Related Recipes and Articles

Make ahead Lunches <– Multiple recipes and links in this article

How to plan a week on the Kaufmann Diet

Dougs Favorite Meal

Still have questions?

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