HEALTHY RECIPES AND FOOD-PREPPING TIPS WITH ANALICIA MIRELES
Dietitian at Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan
BENEFITS OF MEAL-PREPPING • Eating more meals at home allows you to control of what is in your food (ex: less fat, less sugar). • It is cost-effective due to not eating out as much. • You’ll be less tempted to grab an unhealthy meal if you already have food ready to eat. • You can feel a sense of stress relief and accomplishment for practicing healthier living.
TIPS FOR MEAL-PREPPING • Make a plan – planning for the week helps you decide on which foods to buy at the grocery store. • Keep staple items in the house that you use frequently in your meals. • Schedule time to plan and prepare your meals. • Use appliances you have to cook multiple items at once to save time (Ex: Instant Pot, slow cooker, rice cooker, air fryer). • Portion foods out using food scales and measuring cups or spoons. • Batch cook recipes – double the recipe so you can eat one after cooking it and freeze the rest. • Use convenient products when you can like pre-cut vegetables, or frozen fruits and vegetables. • Prepare the part of the recipe that takes the most time on your meal prep day, and then on the day you plan on serving the meal, finish up the recipe. For example, you could make a homemade marinara sauce on your meal prep day, and then on the day you plan on eating the marinara sauce, boil up the whole wheat noodles. Meal prepping does not always mean cooking the food entirely; you can cook part of the recipe to titer down your overall cooking time. • Collect recipes that you like and keep them together, so you have ideas for future meals.
10 | Methodist Magazine
