Well, I FINALLY went to the grocery store today. I got a head of lettuce (for salad) and some 93% hamburger for the chili recipe. I also got celery for snacks. I decided I am going to skip P1 because of my T2 diabetes and go straight to P2.
How do you prep everything for the week so you don't have to do it everyday?
It really helps to chop veggies ahead so I can grab some and go for snacks or to add to salads. I do a lot the night before, so I can get my lunch ready quickly. I also try to eat last night's leftovers for lunch or dinner, or at least cook extra of chicken breast or lean beef to have over a salad later in the week.
There certainly is a lot of cooking with this plan!
I just do it every day. We have to shop every other day anyway because we don't have a car here, and our fridge is small so it can't hold too much. Wish I had some tips for ya, but I've just been cooking as I go. Leftovers do make good lunches or dinners. We're having leftovers from Sunday for dinner tonight.
I now get up to prep my lunch when my alarm goes at 7am, rather than around 10 minutes before I need to leave the house! I am incredibly fussy about salad, no brown or mushy bits or I simply won't touch it. So I have to get it ready the morning I eat it. I've found it quite relaxing. Admittedly, I nearly had a crisis this morning when I didn't sort out brekkie (couldn't face scrambled eggs again) but luckily packed an xtra big chunk of cheese for snack, so had half for brekkie.
I look up tomorrows dinner when we get home and I'm prepping that nights food. That way I get stuff out the freezer in time, not spending extra time in the kitchen and can marinade anything that needs doing. It takes a bit of organising, but I'm finding it easy once I get used to it. It helps that I have a fresh food market 10 foot from my store!
I cook double and freeze everything left over. It's great to just be able to go to my "stash" on busy days! Meatloaf, chili, Taco Bake, Tex Mex chops all freeze well but you do have to have freezer space.
I like to do the same as Ruth, doubling the recipes and freezing one. When I have the time on the weekend, I'll often make several meals at a time to stash in the fridge or freezer for the coming week. It's so nice to be able to get home after a long day and have a healthy meal already cooked, all you have to do is reheat it and add a salad!
In addition to chopping my veggies on Sunday, I will pick up a cooked rotisserie chicken, pick all the meat off and store it in a tupperware container. Then I can just grab a chunk for my lunch or a snack whenever. Its much yummier than grilling chicken breast and lasts me the better part of the week (and the dogs love that they get to snack on the dark meat all week!)
boil eggs a dozen at a time and store in a bin in the fridge they keep about a week..
salad made for dinner involves extra so i have for lunch just add my cheese and protein and pack my dressing in a seperate cup...
cut celery and peppers and bag in advance. store with a bit of water in the bag or container and they stay crisp
make soups/chili and chicken breasts on sundays store in bags in the fridge or freezer...
preparation...
