Courtesy of Talia Walsh
Quest Studio
March is National Nutrition Month—Chamber member Talia Walsh of Quest Studio has prepared a series of member guest blogs to help other members discover new ways to keep healthy throughout the year! This blog is the second in a series.
If you “Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail”
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be hard, but it does require some commitment and a little work! Meal prepping is one of the keys to success to reach your health and fitness goals. Think of it like having a TV dinner, except you prepare it yourself, it’s healthier, and tastes better without all of the processed ingredients!
Why Meal Prep?
It saves time. Research shows that spending 2-3 hours per week meal prepping can save you more than 30 minutes of cooking daily. Use that extra time to exercise, read or spend time with family!
It saves money. How much do you spend per week on groceries, coffee, lunches and dinners? I guarantee you can plan a week’s worth of meals and snacks for less than $100/week.
You can meet your goals. Having your meals planned and stashing healthy snacks in your desk, car, purse and gym bag will help you break the temptation of going through the drive-thru, stopping at a vending machine, or ordering take-out.
Where Do I Even Start?
Start small. Prepping meals/snacks you tend to skip often or make unhealthy food choices can make the biggest impact toward reaching your goals.
Pick a day. It doesn’t have to be Sunday. Make an appointment with yourself each week that fits your schedule.
Find your recipes. Incorporate 1-2 new recipes every week that include a lean protein, complex carbohydrate, fruits, veggies and healthy fats. I love using Pinterest to search for recipes with ingredients that are in season or on sale that week.
Make a list. Include ingredients, amounts, and store locations. Buy in bulk, use coupons or buy in season to save money. Buy produce and meats already cut or cooked to save time (rotisserie chicken is a great choice!).
Store your leftovers. Store foods separately to mix and match meals throughout the week for variety.
Quest’s Kitchen Essentials
For more recipes and tips click here. Quest Studio has been a member of The Chamber since 2017.
