Food Prep Queen...Well, I Am On My Way

Since I have changed so many things about the way that I eat, it is not an option for me to grab something quick on the go, eat processed foods, OR be unprepared for a meal. The days of flying by the seat of my pants with dinners, lunches, and even breakfast are over. It was a big adjustment at first, but looking forward at the week ahead and planning things out actually has proven to be so helpful in many ways. 

By planning out the week, I am setting myself up for food and health success. I am making sure that the food I put in my body is safe, after all, I've cut it all up and separated it all out! I am also not spending as much money running back and forth to the grocery store. If I already know exactly what I'll need for the week, I can now avoid that annoying mid-week trip to the store. 

No one has the same routine, eats the same foods, or does food prep the same way. I take a super duper basic approach and plan to add to it as I continue on my food prep journey. Here are links to a couple other people's ideas of how to do food prep:

For you beginners, CLICK HERE

For more tips of the trade, CLICK HERE

Of course, there are always lots of great food prep insight on Pinterest as well, so check that outlet out also.

Here's what I do.
Sunday is my shopping day. I know, it's stressful to make Sunday the day you venture into the store, but I've found that if I can make it in there before the after church crowd, I'm not playing bumper carts with quite as many people. I also go to the Farmer's Market on Saturdays so going to get the remainder of what I need on Sunday makes the most sense for me. Tip: Some stores have discounted, and still healthy meats on Tuesdays or Thursdays because that's when they get their shipments in, so it is always worth it to scout out your favorite grocery store to see when you can save some money here and there. I know Whole Foods here has cheaper meats on Tuesdays. Do a little homework and it could help you in the wallet!

Ok, so when I go into the grocery store, I stay on the perimeter. I know that you've probably heard that before, but it's worth listening. Notice what is in the middle isles? Junk. Processed, sugar-filled yucky stuff. I will be physically ill if I even look at those foods these days, but for all of you non-gluten free/grain-free friends, my advice is to steer clear of those scary middle isles....unless you're searching for rice, or something else that isn't actually that scary.

I get my eggs, and then loop around to the meats. I still get excited to see that grass-fed/finished meat on the shelf. Now I do try to get the meats from the Farmer's market, but the prices do vary there, so if it happens to be a week where the ground beef prices at the market were up, I grab some from the store. I'm on a budget after all! After the meats, I head to the produce. This is a tricky area. Everything looks so yummy. I also try to get as much produce as I can from the Farmer's market, but do sometimes need some from the store.
I make sure to get the items that are on the "dirty dozen" list from the organic section. It can get a little pricey if you try to buy everything organic, but chances are, you aren't going to be buying everything on the dirty list in the same week. You can start off organic on those things that you are going to be eating a lot of. For me, it's the bell peppers. I eat those almost daily in my salads, so I need to have those organic. I'll go into more depth on the "dirty dozen" and "clean fifteen" in an upcoming post!
After I get all of the things I need, it's back to the house to begin chopping up veggies and fruits. The picture at the top of the post were some of the things I cut up and prepped last week. Knowing that I had to pack 2 meals instead of one because I wouldn't be home until later was something I needed to plan for on Thursday. I made sure to have two things made for that day. Knowing that I needed to adjust  my shopping for the week because of that doubled up Thursday helped to keep the process seamless, and helped me get ready for the week ahead. Here is another amazing resource from Jen. She has put together a GROCERY GUIDE that was super helpful to me during my food journey. It's worth the look! Very helpful!

The bottom line is, being prepared will keep you healthy and on track. I know it's not easy, but the time put in is beyond worth it. I never have to worry about what I am going to eat, or if the food I am eating will make me sick. I have taken the time to ensure my health, my body reaps the benefits daily. Invest the time in your own health. No week will be the same, but that is part of the fun. Get creative! Try new things, and remember that feeding your body the right foods is vital to your health. Take care of yourselves, and happy prepping!