What I'm Loving: Meal Prep

Image from Chelsea's Messy Apron

A few weeks ago, I changed up my lunch routine. In the past, I've simply made myself a quick sandwich and tossed it in my lunch sac with either a yogurt or piece of fruit. Some days, I would have leftovers from dinner the night before. That's been my routine for years and I was getting kind of tired of it. Meal prepping has been all over the place, so I thought I would give it a try.

One session and I was hooked. Sure, you're still eating the same lunch four or five days in a row, but I find what I am eating now so much more enjoyable and filling. It's easy enough to for me to spend 30 minutes or so making a big batch recipe that will last me all week. I keep everything in a big bowl or piece of tupperware than simply dish out what I need for lunch the night before. It's so simple! And so tasty.

Image from Budget Bytes

My go to recipes so far have tended to be a mix of greens, grains or beans, another vegetable, some form of protein, and a random mix in. I've found a lot of the recipes on Pinterest and most have been fantastic. A few needed some tweaks (like more dressing) to really make them sing, but I've enjoyed experimenting with both new recipes and a new way of dining. I love how easy it is to make substitutions in these recipes to either use up pantry/fridge items or making changes to suit my taste

Here are some of the recipes I've made so far:

Spinach and Orzo Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette- I added chicken for protein
Quinoa Spinach Power Salad - I've used this recipe twice and I added chickpeas one time for extra oomph
Make Ahead Kale White Bean and Pesto Salad - I added chopped pecans because I had them in my pantry

I've pinned and saved several other recipes to try, but I would be amiss if I did not direct you to Budget Bytes. Not only does Beth share specific meal prep recipes and ideas, but many of her other recipes are meal prep ready. There are also a slew of other blogs and cookbooks about meal prepping available. I am so on board with this technique and can't wait to explore what else is out there.

Image from Project Meal Plan

I'm new to meal prepping but I'm loving it so far. I didn't need to buy any new equipment and sparing 30-45 minutes on a Sunday to cooking has been incredibly easy. Plus, it's just another time for me to listen to podcasts. Win, win!