One Hour Meal Prep: Your Blueprint for a Successful Week

Meal prep is the foundation of any successful week. Setting aside an hour on a Sunday to prepare healthy meals takes decisions during a busy week off your plate.

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, finding time for healthy meals can sometimes be a challenge. This is where meal prepping comes in, offering a host of benefits such as saving you time, money, reducing stress, keeping you on track with your goals, and ensuring consistent energy throughout the day.

To help you reap these fantastic rewards without spending endless hours in the kitchen, we’ve put together an easy one-hour meal prep plan. In just 60 minutes, you can prepare 10 large meals plus snacks, effectively setting yourself up with lunches and dinners for an entire work week. Let’s dive into your one-hour meal prep journey:

Your One-Hour Food Prep Plan

Instant Pot Pulled Chicken + Sweet Potatoes + Roast Vegetables
Taco Ground Beef + White Rice + Roast Vegetables
Veggies and Guac

Plan Overview:

  1. Start by preparing the pulled chicken in your crockpot.
  2. While the chicken is cooking, you can roast sweet potatoes in the oven.
  3. On the stovetop, cook white rice.
  4. While everything is cooking, cook your ground beef and chop raw veggies.
  5. Once the chicken is done, shred it with two forks.
  6. Portion your meals: Use 5 Tupperware containers for 1/5 of rice and 1/5 of beef each. Use another 5 containers for 1/5 of chicken and 1 sweet potato each.
  7. Place your veggies in ziplock bags and include a portion of store-bought guacamole.
  8. As an optional extra, you can add flavor to each meal with salsa, pico de gallo, Primal Kitchen mayo, hot sauce, pesto, or hummus.

Crockpot Pulled Chicken:

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or basil (optional – use any herbs you like)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Place all ingredients in a crockpot.
  2. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
  3. Let the chicken cool slightly and then shred it with two forks.

Roasted Vegetables:

Ingredients:

  • 5 medium sweet potatoes
  • Pre-chopped broccoli and cauliflower
  • Avocado oil

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place sweet potatoes on a baking tray and bake for about 1 hour or until soft.
  3. On a second baking tray, place broccoli and cauliflower, drizzle with avocado oil, and roast for about 30 minutes or until slightly golden.

Rice:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of rice
  • 4 cups of water

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the rice to reduce starchiness (use a colander or a bowl).
  2. Place water and rice in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook covered over low heat until the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy.

Ground Beef with Taco Seasoning:

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1-2 packs taco seasoning (check the label to see how many pounds it’s suitable for, as brands vary)
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
  2. Add beef and seasoning, then break apart with a spatula. Cook until the meat is browned.

Raw Vegetables with Guacamole (Snack):

Ingredients:

  • Carrots
  • Peppers
  • Celery
  • Cucumbers
  • Individual servings of store-bought guacamole

Instructions:

  1. Chop veggies and place them in ziplock bags.
  2. Grab a guacamole and veggies each day for a snack.

Other Easy Snacks to Take to Work:

  • Protein Bars
  • Jerky or Beef Sticks
  • Fresh Fruit
  • A Handful of Raw Nuts
  • Boiled Eggs

This one-hour meal prep action plan is just a single example of how a little organization can go a long way in streamlining the process of healthy eating. To learn how to tailor a meal prep plan to your unique nutrition needs and fitness goals, schedule a FREE Consultation with one of our 4Balance Fitness Trainers today!

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