The 90-Minute Meal Prep Plan for Busy Families

Eating healthy Monday through Friday sounds easy on Sunday.

Then Monday runs late.

Tuesday has activities.

Wednesday nobody feels like cooking.

By Thursday, takeout starts looking pretty appealing.

At Fitness Together McLean, we encourage clients to solve that problem before the week gets busy.

But that doesn't mean preparing five identical containers of food.

A much easier approach is:

Prep the ingredients. Assemble the meal later.

Step 1: Pick Two Proteins

Choose two versatile proteins your household enjoys.

For example:

Protein 1: shredded chicken

Protein 2: lean ground turkey

You could also rotate in lean beef, fish, eggs, tofu or another protein source.

Keep the flavors relatively simple during the initial prep so you aren't locked into one recipe all week.

Chicken seasoned with salsa, garlic, pepper and basic spices can later become Mexican, Mediterranean, barbecue or even a salad topping.

Step 2: Pick Two Carbohydrates

Try something like:

Rice + potatoes

Other weeks could be:

Quinoa + pasta

or

Rice + high-fiber tortillas

Having more than one carbohydrate source makes meals feel less repetitive.

Step 3: Prep Three Vegetables

Choose vegetables that can work in several meals.

Bell peppers, onions and broccoli are easy examples.

Cut them all at once.

Roast some.

Leave some raw.

Use some later in an omelet or salad.

You're doing the labor once and benefiting from it several times.

Step 4: Stock Your Flavor Options

This is one of the secrets to avoiding meal-prep boredom.

Keep several sauces and seasonings available:

• Salsa
• Taco seasoning
• BBQ sauce
• Honey mustard
• Buffalo sauce
• Pesto
• Tzatziki
• Teriyaki-style sauce
• Sweet chili sauce
• Hot sauce

Lower-sugar products such as G Hughes or similar brands can be helpful if they fit your goals and taste preferences.

The important point:

Your food doesn't have to taste the same every day just because the ingredients started the same.

Eight Meals From the Same Prep

Imagine your refrigerator contains:

• Shredded chicken
• Ground turkey
• Rice
• Roasted potatoes
• Peppers
• Onions
• Broccoli

You could make:

1. Chicken burrito bowls

Chicken + rice + peppers + avocado + salsa.

2. Turkey tacos

Turkey + taco seasoning + high-fiber tortillas + vegetables.

3. Chicken salads

Chicken + greens + vegetables + fruit + nuts + vinaigrette.

4. Stuffed peppers

Ground turkey + rice + seasoning inside peppers.

5. Turkey pasta bowls

Turkey + tomato sauce + pasta + vegetables.

6. Chicken BBQ bowls

Chicken + potatoes + broccoli + BBQ sauce.

7. Breakfast scrambles

Eggs + prepared peppers/onions + leftover turkey.

8. Tortilla pizzas

High-fiber tortilla + sauce + meat + vegetables + cheese.

That's why we prefer component prep over preparing entire meals in advance.

Nutrition Coaching Can Make This Even Easier

Knowing what to prep is step one.

Knowing how much of each food is appropriate for you is where individualized nutrition becomes valuable.

At Fitness Together McLean, nutrition coaching can help you determine portions that support your body composition, training and lifestyle goals.

Learn more about nutrition coaching in McLean, VA and inquire here.