Meal Prep… Taking Fast Food to a Whole New, Healthier Level

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 This post is sponsored by Rubbermaid®; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Everything I read these days, mentions self-care and the importance of making sure we take care of ourselves. Yet for some reason, I still tend to take care of everyone else before myself because, well, I’m a Mom and that’s what Moms do, right? My days are spent running around, working long hours and making sure I’m keeping the kids fed, clean and happy. I can’t count how many times I’ve forgotten to eat a meal. If it wasn’t for my husband, I might starve. Good news is, I’ve finally found a way to make sure that I always have a healthy meal, ready to go, thanks to Rubbermaid® TakeAlongs® Meal Prep Containers.

Now that I’ve mastered the art of meal prep, I’m ready to share my secrets! If I can do it, anyone can! It’s not as scary as it sounds, I promise.

Get Meal Prep Containers

The most important part of meal prep is how you’ll be storing it. There are so many options on the market, but one that I’ve found is both cost effective and strong enough to withstand everyday life. Rubbermaid® TakeAlongs® Meal Prep Containers include a divided base tray that can hold 3.7 cups of food. Their Quik Clik Seal lids ensure secure packaging with ridges for easy stacking and storage that creates more space in your kitchen. Once they are full, they perfectly stack on top of one another in your refrigerator so it’s not taking up too much space. TakeAlongs® Meal Prep Containers are available at your local Wal-Mart or on walmart.com and you’ll be surprised just how inexpensive they really are!

Make a Shopping List

TakeAlongs® Meal Prep Containers are offered in large pack sizes so you can meal prep for the entire week. It’s definitely worth spending an hour or so one day a week, to have fresh, healthy meals all week. Once you figure out what meals you are going to make, make a list of everything you’ll need to buy.  I like to choose 3 complete meals (main dish and 2 side dishes) and make enough to double them up. I usually plan everything out and head to the grocery story on Saturday so I can cook and package everything on Sunday. An important point to remember is that they don’t have to be elaborate meals. Choose things that are easy to make and don’t be afraid to grab a frozen side like cauliflower rice.

It’s Prepping Time

When you have all your ingredients, it’s time to prep! For my three meals, I chose:

1. Cauliflower rice with crab meat and broccoli
2. Tuna fish, egg salad and sliced veggies
3. Shrimp Tacos on Romaine Lettuce with Avocado and Salsa

It took me about an hour to prep and cook all three meals. I used the same seasoning and sauce for the shrimp and the crab meat, saving me some time and ingredients. For the broccoli, I steamed it for about a minute less than I normally do, taking into consideration that I will be warming up the meal again before eating it. This way, the broccoli isn’t overcooked. Make sure that the entire container will either be cold or hot so you don’t have to worry about removing part of it to heat it up. Everything is about saving time when it comes to meal prep.

Separate into Containers

What I love about TakeAlongs® Meal Prep Containers is that they are sized perfectly for portion control so I’m not over doing it. Once everything is cooked/prepared, I separate them into my containers. Don’t forget your seasoning or extras like lime wedges, if your recipe calls for it.  Everything should be ready to go. Meal prep is all about convenience so the less you have to worry about, the better.

Once the containers are full, stack them on top of one another and put them in the refrigerator. They have a see-through lid so you can easily see what is inside.

Don’t Miss a Healthy Meal

Since it’s all prepared and ready to go, meal prep takes “fast food” to a whole new, healthier level. You can open the refrigerator and pull out the container faster than you can go through a drive-thru! It’s actually less expensive too and the options are endless. TakeAlongs® Meal Prep Containers are microwave safe and BPA-free as well as dishwasher safe which makes cleaning and reusing that much easier.

Dedicating a small amount of time to meal prep each week has been a game changer for me. Do you meal prep? If not, what’s holding you back? Comment below and let me know!

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