Food organization and preparation; making healthy convenient.

4 U Body Fitness Mobile Personal Training Specialist Kat Rotunno has put together this amazing article on food organisation and preparation. Personally with my years of experience in changing lives I believe this is fundamental in achieving results of any form so take notes or book mark this page!

 

Simple tips of how to effectively plan and create healthy meals and snacks in one session for the week ahead, must have items in the fridge and pantry and best healthy, non-processed snacks!

 

• Find recipes

Research and find recipes that you can manage making that could be easily stored/frozen and that you will enjoy. That way it won’t seem like such a chore to make, and you can make larger quantities for future lunches/dinners for the week or to put in the freezer. Make a shopping list of all you need for few different meals and your snacks!

 

• Go shopping

You may need to top up fresh fruit and veg during the week, but if you organise your meals all you should need is one shop a week. Buying non-perishable items in larger quantities saves money in the long run, and means there is always options available. (E.g. canned beans and tuna, dried fruit and nuts, brown rice) Also buy various sized Tupperware containers to divide up portions so that they’re easy to grab and avoid overating.

 

• Get planning and chopping

Work out what you need for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for the week. Chop up fresh veggies for easy veggie sticks, ready to throw together salads or to pop in the oven to roast.

 

• Cook, create!

Roast vegetables for roast vegetable salads, to throw together with eggs for an easy frittata or to have with some roast chicken you can easily pick up if in a rush one night. Make soups, curries, casseroles, stir fry’s, veggie or meat patties etc to have that night, for left over lunches, or to freeze away for a mid-week healthy grab. Make some homemade dips and/or protein balls to have during the week as healthy snacks between meals. There’s no reason why you can’t prepare food for the whole week within a few hours.

 

Top 7 things to have in the cupboard

–        Canned Tuna/Salmon

–        Canned Chickpeas/beans

–        Cruskits/rice crackers

–        Rolled Oats

–        Brown Rice

–        Nuts

–        Protein powder

Top 7 things to have in the fridge/freezer

–        Eggs

–        Milk

–        Natural Yoghurt

–        Low fat cheese (e.g. ricotta, Philadelphia)

–        Fresh Vegetables

–        Frozen Berries

–        Frozen Vegetables

 

Top 7 Healthy Snack Ideas

 

All of these are non-processed options that can be portioned or made at one time, to last the week

 

–        Fruit

Simple and convenient!

 

–        Veggie sticks with homemade dip

Chopped carrots/celery/cucumber/capsicum, hummus/tzatiki dip. All can be prepped in advance and stored

 

–        Protein Balls

Various recipes are out there, most are based on using dried fruit, nuts and protein powder

 

–        Trail Mix

Portioned nuts, seeds and dried fruit for a healthy, protein mid-morning or afternoon snack

 

–        Natural Yoghurt

Most pre packaged yoghurt tubs are full or artificial sweeteners. Try buying small containers and portioning natural yoghurt adding a bit of honey or fresh/dried fruit if you find it too bitter.

 

–        Tuna on rice crackers or cruskits

 

–        Banana smoothie

Milk and/or yoghurt, a banana, some cinnamon, honey and ice creates a delicious energy boosting, high potassium, protein drink.

 

Make smart choices and enjoy the benefits of eating clean and healthy!