Time Management Tips That Will Make You a Productivity Master

If you're anything like us, you're still having issues with getting everything done and your goals accomplished. Time management is not something that comes naturally and is definitely not something that happens over night. We get it. These Time Management Tips That Will Make You a Productivity Master

But, why though? Haven't you spent enough money buying all the products that were supposed to keep you completely managed and successful? Haven't you tried hacking your time or getting less sleep?

The answer is, that all these time management mechanisms and systems are geared to help you manage an imaginary time world out there, somewhere, that someone else lives, and you need help managing the life you actually live each day.

So much of “time management” is made up in your own imagination; in your own head. It's a mindset thing... Why is it that planning a party that you are looking forward to seems to take up no time at all? But when crunching the numbers for the end-of-the-year fiscal report, well, time drags on forever! Or so it seems.

The truth of the matter is that, of course, time neither speeds or slows for no one. The person who has not accomplished much in a day, and the one who has finished all their work and is now enjoying “happy hour” with friends, has the same 24 hours in their day.

So what’s the difference between the two?

Before looking at time management, start looking at your energy management. Are you managing your physical body well? Are you eating well? Sleeping well? How about a little bit of exercise?

Then look at your priorities and the motivation to accomplish them.

Follow yourself around for a good week and find out how you are using your time. Record everything that you do and how much time you take to do it; write it all down. By collecting data on yourself for a week, you will find out how much time was productive and how much time was completely wasted. Do this and you will have a better idea of where your time is really going.

Once you have a realistic, honest look at yourself, THEN you can go about starting to tweek those areas that need some help.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Make sure you take ample time in the morning to plan your entire day. Have a brief, but thorough meeting with yourself. Ben Franklin used to start his morning plan by asking himself, “What good shall I do this day?” This is a wonderfully positive question that sets an amazing positive tone. It is a great phrase that helps set priorities and gather motivation (remember your goals!).

In the midst of planning your work time, make sure that you plan time for interruptions and distractions. Distractions are a part of life and they will happen in the course of the day, so make sure you have time set aside for them. This way you are sure that you have productive time mapped out, distraction time planned for, as well as break time that everyone needs.

Give yourself a time block for each activity that will help you down the road to productivity. And give yourself time limits for each thing. There is ALWAYS more you could do at the end of the day, so make sure you have reasonable time limits set and have some things that can be accomplished within those parameters. Make sure that when you look back on your day, at least 50% of your time was spent on things that have produced results.

Major Key: Plan to accomplish the most difficult activities in the beginning of the day when you generally have the most energy.

Turn your notifications off on all social media and put your ringer on silent to keep distractions to a minimum. You can get back to these later. During your main work blocks, let others know you need uninterrupted time when you absolutely HAVE to get things done. Don’t always give people your attention when you are working just because they happen to come by your work area (unless it’s the Boss with an emergency!). Save socializing for those planned break times.

At the end of the day, take some time to look back on your day and see how you did. Again, Ben Franklin famously asked, “What good have I done today?”. Acknowledge the things you did well and celebrate your success. There is always time to adjust those things that didn’t work and need to be improved upon.

How have you incorporated time management into your meal prep routine? We would love to hear about how you have done it!

8 Effective Time Management Tips

1. Start with Energy Management

So much of “time management” is made up in your own imagination; in your own head. Are you managing your physical body well? Are you eating well? Sleeping well? How about a little bit of exercise?

2. Know Your Priorities

“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.” ― Zig Ziglar Make sure to identify the main tasts that NEED to be accomplished

3. Set a Benchmark

Follow yourself around for a good week and find out how you are using your time. Record everything that you do and how much time you take to do it; write it all down.

4. Write a To-Do list

Have a brief, but thorough meeting with yourself. Ben Franklin used to start his morning plan by asking himself, “What good shall I do this day?”

Pro Tip: Make sure that you plan time for interruptions and distractions

5. Set Time Limits

There is ALWAYS more you could do at the end of the day, so make sure you have reasonable time limits set and have some things that can be accomplished within those parameters

6. Turn off Notifications

During your main work blocks, let others know you need uninterrupted time when you absolutely HAVE to get things done.

7. Evaluate Your Day

Acknowledge the things you did well and celebrate your success. There is always time to adjust those things that didn’t work and need to be improved upon.

8. Meal Prep

Duh! What, did you think we wouldn't include meal prepping in here?! C'mon -- Believe it or not, meal prepping is a major time management hack. Using steps 2-5 you should be able to plan and prep your meals for an entire week, in just a couple hours. Here is what that would look like:

• Know your macros - Why are you eating what you're eating?
• How did you do last week? Which meals do you want to prep this week?
• Find recipes HERE and plan your shopping list
• Once you have your recipes, add up the cook times and set your meal prep time limit
• Then all you have to do is get cooking

If you have any favorite Time Management Tips, let us know in the comments below.

Meal Prep TikToks That Will Stop Your Scroll

Fact: TikTok will change the way your social media works—even if you’re actively avoiding it.

That's because TikTok, the app that lets you make and share short videos, is eveverywhere now. Even if you're NOT using it on purpose, chances are someone's showing you a TikTok. Or maybe they're getting reposted in your Instagram feed. Or maybe something else is happening. Seriously, this app feels unavoidable. So, you might as well figure out the best ways to use it.

Why, you ask? That's because if you're deep into this meal prep thang, TikTok is your friend. It's constantly showing us great kitchen hacks. Creators on TikTok love sharing their kitchen shenanigans and insights. It makes meal prep a lot more fun, too, which proves that TikTok is actually more than just people dancing around. Or acting like goofballs. Not there's anything wrong with that.

First! Let's get a little bit of insight into how all this works.

READ MORE: We're on TikTok, too! Follow Meal Prep on Fleek on TikTok

A Quick Primer on TikTok

Video creators have tons of tools at their disposal to make them come together quickly and easily. And you don't need to be a tech wizard to use them. Also, filters are always popular. Personalize your video by adding music or other audio. Users are also strongly encouraged to engage with other users because that makes the algorithm happy. (This is true of other social media platforms, too). On TikTok, however, that engagement looks like “response” videos or by means of “duets." These are when users duplicate videos and add themselves alongside. Oh, the magic of editing!

How Do Hashtags Work on TikTok?

Hashtags play a surprisingly large role on TikTok. They first became popular when Twitter launched. BUt that platform hoped its users might use them to follow and engage in conversations, or search trending topics. However, it didn't take long for hashtags to morph into personal expressions and catchphrases. On TikTok, they go beyond providing the ability to search for content. TikTok uses hashtags in a more nuanced way. Here, hashtags distinguish things such as different kinds of “challenges,” jokes, or repeating formats. Or, let's face it, any other kind of activity yet to be invented that'll need a clever hashtag.

And so, because sharing is caring, here are our favorite top meal prep videos.

Famous TikTok Meal Prep Videos

There is nothing complicated about frying an egg, but when it's on, it's on!! Right? Check this out: When your eggs are straight fire:

For when you're on that Keto life, you want this Keto BLT wrap:

Who doesn't need more Sheet Pan inspo?! How about Sheet Pan Fajitas? Yes please!

@mealpreponfleek Sheet pan fajitas #mealprep #mealpreponfleek #mealprepweightloss #mealprepping #mealpreprecipes ♬ Ultimate life hacks - Kelly - The Life Bath

Because if you're on TikTok, it's kind of a rule that you have to dance, too! Steamed Veggies for Lunch:

Making dinner can be a snap with these Sheet Pan Veggies with Steak:

Pizza Chicken Meal Prep. So good. Get the full recipe HERE!

Vegan Meal Prep on TikTok. All the vegan meal prep recipes are right HERE!

READ MORE: If you haven't had enough, try these 25 Quick Healthy Meal Preps!

Summer is quickly approaching and that means it's time to start working on those summer bodies. Even though we are all about intuitive eating, during this time of year we like to arm ourselves with a few macro-friendly recipes that both allow us to eat intuitively and still reach our goals. Heck, even if it's not summer, these 35 macro friendly recipes are still some of our go-to meals to make!

35 Macro Friendly Meal Prep Recipes 

Jump to:

• Macro Friendly Breakfast Recipes
• Macro Friendly Lunch Recipes
• Macro Friendly Dinner Recipes
• Macro Friendly Snack Recipes

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Meal Prep Mondays - Nick (@mealprepmondays) on May 9, 2020 at 7:06am PDT

The key to these recipes is having a good balance of all three macronutrients: Carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein, with the focus being on higher protein options. Carbohydrates will help keep your energy up during workouts and throughout the day, healthy fats will help keep you satiated, and protein will both help you stay feeling full longer and repair those hard working muscles! 

One thing to keep in mind is that everyone's nutrition needs will vary. If you aren't an intuitive eater and want to know approximately how many calories (and a macro breakdown) you need each day, head HERE. From here you can adjust the portions of the recipes you choose below as needed. 

For our intuitive eating friends, just do you! Listen to those hunger and fullness cues. Eat what sounds good. Drink plenty of water. Get your movement in and don't forget to practice self-care! Yes, these pro tips apply to our macro counters, too! 

You can mix and match any of the recipes below; breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack. But, if you're looking for a more structured meal plan ideas then we would recommend checking these out! 

Breakfast

Whole30 Breakfast Boxes

 Per Serving: 17g Protein | 41g Carbs | 20g Fat | 403 Calories

Egg White Scramble and Sweet Potato Hash

1 serving: 20g Protein | 20g Carbs | 5g Fat | 217 calories

Breakfast Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

 Per Serving: 17g Protein | 44g Carbs | 19g Fat | 405 Calories 

Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos

1 burrito: 23g Protein | 28g Carbs | 23g Fat | 412 Calories

Pizza Frittata Meal Prep

 Per Serving (not including sweet potatoes): 28g Protein | 3g Carbs | 25g Fat | 349 Calories 

Low Carb Vanilla Protein Waffles

Per serving: 29g Protein | 11g Carbs | 32g fat | 439 calories 

Butternut Squash and Cranberry Skillet

Per Serving: 19g Protein | 21g Carbs | 21g Carbs | 349 Calories 

Mexican Breakfast Bowls

Per serving: 34g Protein | 14g Carbs | 25g Fat | 406 Calories

Sausage Lover's Hashbrown Casserole

Per Serving: 23g Protein | 13g Carbs | 13g Fat | 258 Calories 

Keto Overnight Oats

Per serving*: 11g Protein | 9g Carbs | 27g Fat | 327 Calories

*increase the protein by adding a scoop of your favorite protein powder or collagen powder

Lunch

Air Fryer Chicken Parm

Per serving: 32g Protein | 28g Carbs | 18g Fat | 385 Calories 

Green Chili Chicken Bake

Per Serving: 40g Protein | 14g Carbs | 5g Fat | 240 Calories 

Low Carb Hamburger Helper

Per serving: 40g Protein | 11g Carbs | 20g Fat | 390 Calories 

Instant Pot Pork Ragu

Per Serving (does not include sides): 28g Protein | 23g Carbs | 3g Fat | 219 Calories

Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs and Zoodles

Per serving: 22g Protein | 14g carbs | 35g Fat | 442 Calories

Fajita Cauliflower Rice Bowls

Per Serving: 28g Protein | 16g Carbs | 11g Fat | 288 Calories 

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Per Serving: 24g Protein | 13g Carbs | 13g Fat | 265 Calories 

High Protein Instant Pot Chicken Pasta

Per Serving: 25g Protein | 29g Carbs | 5g Fat | 303 Calories

Salmon Cobb Salad

Per Serving: 25g Protein | 12g Carbs | 30g Fat | 430 Calories

Cauliflower Rice Salmon Poke Bowl

Per Serving: 24g Protein | 16g Carb | 20g Fat | 334 Calories 

Dinner

Sheet Pan Bruschetta Chicken

Per Serving: 48g Protein | 20g Carbs | 27g Fat | 490 Calories 

Carnitas Tostadas

Per Serving: 38g Protein | 49g Carbs | 13g Fat| 463 Calories 

Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas

Per Serving: 32g Protein | 23g Carbs | 10fg Fat | 246 Calories 

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast

Per Serving: 50g Protein | 2g Carbs | 8g Fat | 300 Calories 

Sheet Pan Greek Chicken and Vegetables

Per Serving: 34g Protein | 31g Carbs | 21g Fat | 454 Calories 

Lasagna Roll Ups

Per Serving: 16g Protein | 24g Carbs | 7g Fat | 230 Calories 

Korean Beef Bowls

Per Serving: 32g Protein | 33g Carbs | 14g Fat | 390 Calories

Sheet Pan Thyme Pork Chops and Marinated Salad 

Per Serving: 23g Protein | 6g Carbs | 28g Fat | 372 Calories

Paleo Casserole With Chicken

Per Serving: 25g Protein | 14g Carbs, 20g Fat | 321 Calories

Zucchini Beef Enchiladas

Per Serving: 28g Protein | 15g Carbs | 30g Fat | 444 Calories

Snacks

DIY Snack Boxes

Per Snack Box: 9g Protein | 11g Carbs | 25g Fat | 284 Calories

Antipasto Skewer Snack Boxes

Per Snack Box: 19g Protein | 3g Carbs | 22g fat | 295 Calories 

Turkey Bacon Ranch Pinwheel Snack Boxes

Per Snack Box: 16g Protein | 4g Carbs | 18g Fat | 284 Calories 

Bacon Jalapeno Poppers

Per Serving: 14g Protein | 4g Carbs | 24g Fat | 321 Calories 

Funfetti Puppy Chow

Per Serving: 8g Protein | 22g Carbs | 8g Fat | 182 Calories 

Your Meal Prep Playlist is Here!

Don't stop prepping chicken and broccoli just yet, this Spotify playlist compilation will make your Sunday night meal prep 300 percent better! Whether you're procrastinating on homework or shakin and bakin, everything is better with music. So turn that speaker on, press play, and start dancooking (that's dancing + cooking). LOL. Credit to Spoon University for coming up with "daancooking"

This is a hand crafted collection of electronic dance music (EDM) meant to get your moving in the kitchen. If you would like us to craft a playlist for your favorite type of music, let us know what you listen to in the comments below.

[bctt tweet="YASSS! This is the best meal prep playlist ever! Check it out here" username="mealpreponfleek"]

Meal Prep Mega Mix on Spotify

With thousands of kitchen gadgets, devices, machines, and doodads, it can become overwhelming when deciding what kitchen appliances are worth it.  We totally know what that can feel like, so we here at Meal Prep on Fleek are here to help you with what we have found. After testing hundreds of various products, we found time and time again these three kitchen appliances to be among the top for every meal prepper. These kitchen appliances save time and stress, while significantly enhancing your meal prepping lifestyle.

• These 3 kitchen appliances will save time and stress.
• This is for anyone that wants to meal prep.
• In this post, we’ll explain what these 3 appliances are, why they are important, explain basic use instructions, and provide 3 meal suggestions if you’re new to these appliances. 

What are the 3 Best Kitchen Appliances, and Why Does it Matter?

After years of cooking, consulting with people from all walks of life from grandmothers to chefs, from working parents to holiday house parties, anyone and everyone that wants to meal prep, these three appliances repeatedly showed up in people’s top-three kitchen appliance lists. There are other fantastic kitchen tools and appliances that we also love, but these specific top three are what make meal prepping the easiest, and we know they are going to significantly help you! 

1. Slow Cooker
   
2. Pressure Cooker
   
3. Air Fryer 

First on the list: Slow cookers are a must-have, not only for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas gatherings, but also for your daily meal prepping. With a slow cooker you can put your ingredients in, leave for the day, and come back to a delightfully smelling home and several meals for the week. Not only do slow cookers help cooking in bulk, but they also enhance the flavors of many stews, chilies, soups, and roasts for a more enjoyable eating experience. Plus, there is less cleaning required with a slow cooker since it is one large bowl to be washed as opposed to two or three different pots and pans. Each of these amazing benefits of a slow cooker help save time and stress. 

Pressure cookers are our second on the list. With a pressure cooker, we can cook things up to 70% faster than standard cookware. When we do not have enough time for a slow cooker, or we don’t want to leave the slow cooker on all day, a pressure cooker is the next best appliance. Chilies, beans, broths, stews, and more can be cooked in far less time with these. Even more exciting is the opportunity to use a pressure cooker for canning things in jars, which surely comes in handy for meal prepping. 

Third on our list of top-three kitchen appliances is the air fryer. These are such time and money savers because they cook items relatively quickly with a fantastic desired crunch, and without use of additional oil that a deep fryer requires. Since no oil is required to air fry, it starts saving money instantly when compared to traditional methods. Air fryers can assist those that want to consume fried foods without the added calories. Of course, we have also used an air fryer to reheat leftovers, such as our favorite fried foods like fried chicken or fried potatoes. 

How to Use:

Slow Cookers

For slow cookers, the instructions are easy. First, we cut up all of the meat(s) and vegetables that we would like to use. Next, we add the listed recipe ingredients into the slow cooker, put the lid on, and set the temperature and timer according to the recipe. Then, we walk away. Easy-peasy. Once it is done cooking, the large cooking bowl is easily removed for either using as food storage or to empty out and be cleaned. 

Pressure Cookers

Pressure cookers are about as easy to use as slow cookers. Simply put the listed ingredients in the cooker and close the lid. Be sure to follow all precautions such as allowing the steam release to function properly. Once the pressure cooker begins whistling like a steam engine or a loud tea kettle, it is ready to be checked. How long each thing is to be cooked in a pressure cooker varies, so be sure to follow the cooking instructions as to not overcook. If you are interested in learning how to preserve your food by canning them with a pressure cooker, check out this link.

Air Fryers

Air fryers are also very user-friendly. Put the items you wish to “fry” in the air fryer, close it, select the temperature and cooking time, and begin. Once it is done frying, it will chime. We love how easy these are to use to reheat those French fries, or to get an extra crisp texture on those leftovers, within the amount of time it might take you to microwave it. Except that air fryers make things taste better than microwaves can. Meal prepping air fried vegetables or potatoes is extremely convenient with the air fryer.

3 Recipe Suggestions

If you are new to cooking with our top three kitchen appliances, here are three easy and tasty meals to try at home: 

1. For the slow cooker, we recommend trying our: Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
   
2. For the pressure cooker, try our: BBQ Pulled Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Say that three times fast! Phew...
   
3. For the air fryer, we suggest trying our: Air Fried Baby Potatoes

Meal prepping becomes so much easier as we discover the methods and tools that help us. With these three super-easy-to-use kitchen appliances, meal prepping and cooking in general can become so much more enjoyable. Each of the listed kitchen appliances help save time and stress from being stuck at the stove or cleaning dishes. Be sure to check out more recipes for cooking with slow cookers, pressure cookers, or air fryers on MealPreponFleek.com

We get it. You love food as much as you love fitness... That's not a bad thing. In fact, that's what makes you a normal human being. Because your squad is on fleek, here is the definitive gift guide for your fit foodie friends.

Fitness and Food Lovers Gift Guide

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Pizza Socks - $12.99

Pizza Bell Flowy Scoop Muscle Tank - Black - $40

Donuts Yoga Pants - $69.95

In the Treat of the Moment Yoga Mat - $39.99

Shop Pizza Phone Cases on Amazon - From $8.99

Hitting up your gym partner like... Cheeseburger Phone - $9

Pancake Stack Hoodie - $69.95

Dat Mat Yoga Mat - $39.99

Duh... Peanut Butter - $12.99

Decisions decisions... Gym or Tacos shirt - $22

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Hitting those ropes too hard? You'll need Bacon Bandages - $7.79

Taco Bout Awesome Water Bottle - $26.10

Pizza Phone Charger - $39.99

Buttermilk Mancakes - $26.99

Ice Cream Gym Bag - $35

Pancakes with Abs Tank - $25

Ice Cream Workout Pants - $69.95

Custom Spoons with all the feels - $18

Dry off after you killed your workout with a Bacon Towel - $9.99

Donuts Sweatband - $15.99

French Fries Cell Phone Case - $6.60

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The Ultimate Fitness and Food Lovers Gift Guide

Which is your favorite? Leave a comment below

Did You Know, The Power To Portion Control Is In The Palm Of Your Hand?

Once you understand what a portion should look like you will be on your way to creating a healthy, balanced and perfectly portioned meal prep every day of the week! The power to portion control is literally in the palm of your hand!

Most of us are very familiar with 'portion control' via kitchen tools such as measuring cups, measuring spoons, food scales, etc. But, unless you are diligent with measuring out your macros, using these tools to measure out each item for every meal of the week can become tedious and stressful. After only a few days this habit normally gets tossed in the trash and our portions go out of control.

But we are here to show you that there is an easier way to measure portions without all those kitchen tools!

Have you started to catch on to what the secret may be? Portion Control. The Power Is In Your Hand. 

Hand! Yes! Your hand/palm are all you need to create that perfect meal prep! Whether you have been a long time kitchen scale and measuring cup user or not, learning these simple portion sizes will allow you to create quick, easy and healthy meals at home and when dining out!

Use the palm of your hand to measure protein.

The amount of protein you need (men vs women) will vary. A portion will be anywhere from 3-6 ounces, depending on your size. Our 'go-to' options include grass-fed beef, chicken breast, turkey, salmon, cod, and eggs. Vegetarian options would be lentils, black beans, tempeh, tofu and edamame.

Use your fist to measure vegetables.

Vegetables should make up ⅓ to ½ of your meal prep container. A serving equates to about ½-1 cup. Think things like leafy greens, broccoli, spinach, kale, swiss chard, brussels sprouts, asparagus, arugula, green beans or snap peas.

Use one cupped hand to measure your carbohydrates.

The carbohydrate/starch should make up about ¼ of your meal prep. A serving (cooked) is one fist or about ½ - 1 cup. Some top choices would be quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole grain pasta, and legumes (lentils & black beans).

Use your thumb to measure fat.

Healthy fats should help enhance the flavor and nutrient profile of your meal prep. A serving is one thumb which equates to about 1 oz or 1 tablespoon. Foods such as nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc), seeds (chia seeds, pumpkin seeds), cheese, oils and nut butters would fall into this category.

So, what does it look like when you put it all together?

This meal prep contains:

4oz protein: wild caught coho salmon (which is also a source of fat)

½ cup vegetable: steamed broccoli

½ cup starch: steamed lentils (which is also a protein and excellent source of fiber)

1 tbs fat: ghee was used as a flavor enhancer on the fish when cooked

And there you have it! Portion Control. It is as simple as that! All the power you need is in the palm of your (right & left) hand!

Make sure to print out or pin this handy reference guide for future use!

*Please note that each person has different nutrient needs. This article is meant to be a basic resource. If you require more or less food based on age, height, weight or medical conditions, please follow all direction from your health professional. 

Let us know in the comments, how this Portion Control guide worked for you!

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Buffet Style Meal Prepping. The gluten-free way. Save time, money, and still eat nutritious and delicious with this simple to make buffet-style meal prep. 

New to buffet-style meal prepping or meal prepping in general? If so, start by reading our Buffet Style Meal Prepping 101 post. This will give you call the tips, tricks, and tools you need to be successful at any kind of meal prepping. Once you have completed that, we recommend calculating your macros to get your base caloric starting point. 

If you are pretty familiar with meal prepping and don't care about macros (hello intuitive eating friends!), then dive right into this blog post and get cooking! The rest of your Sunday is waiting for you! 

Buffet Style Meal Prepping: Gluten Free Ingredient List

Produce 

• 2lb Strawberries 
• 1pint blueberries 
• 1 pint blackberries 
• 3 oranges 
• 1 head of broccoli 
• 4 bell peppers (assorted colors) 
• 1 large red onion 
• 1 large white onion 
• 2 shallots 
• 1 zucchini 
• 8oz tub baby spinach 
• 2 avocados (not included in haul shot) 
• 1 English cucumber 
• 3 Roma tomatoes 
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley 
• 2 lemons 
• 1 head of garlic 
• 3 large sweet potatoes 
• 1lb baby potatoes 

Protein & Dairy 

• 1 dozen eggs 
• 1 lb ground beef (grass-fed, 90% lean) 
• 6 oz Salmon 
• 1.5 lb chicken breast (skinless, boneless) 
• 17.6 oz tub Non-fat, plain Greek yogurt 

Dry Goods/Mixes 

• 1 lb brown Basmati rice 
• 1 (8oz) box chickpea pasta 
• 1 (16oz) box gluten-free pancake & waffle mix 
• 1 (12oz) bag gluten-free granola 

Miscellaneous Items

• Fresh pico de gallo 
• Ketchup 
• Dairy-free chocolate chips 
• Pure maple syrup 
• Gluten-free Balsamic vinaigrette 
• Gluten-free Marinara sauce 

Items To Prepare:

PRODUCE 

• Strawberries, Blackberries, and Blueberries
• Oranges
• Roasted Broccoli
• Red, green & yellow bell peppers
• onions & zucchini sauté
• Baked whole sweet potatoes
• Fresh baby spinach
• Marinated cucumbers & tomato salad

 STARCH 

• Brown rice
• Gluten-Free pasta
• Portable chocolate chip pancakes
• Oven-roasted potatoes 
• Store-bought gluten-free granola

PROTEIN

• Baked eggs
• Beef patties 
• Baked salmon
• Baked chicken breast

SAUCES & EXTRAS

• Balsamic vinaigrette
• Pasta sauce
• Maple syrup

Meal Ideas

These are just some of the combinations that we put together with this grocery list and prepared items list. Feel free to get creative and create your own fun, easy, and delicious combos with the items above or by adding your own ingredients! 

Total Meal Prep Time: 90 minutes

Total Grocery Cost: $110.00*

Total Meals: 15

Cost Per Meal: $7.33*

*This is total grocery cost. However, there were extras of certain items leftover that were used for snacks and meals on the weekend. In reality, the cost per meal was probably closer to $5.25 per meal. 

Breakfast Ideas:

Hash waffle & berries (waffle made with roasted potatoes smashed and mixed with eggs and a handful of baby spinach, cooked in the waffle maker): waffle in 2c section (cut in wedges), ketchup in a condiment container (2tb capacity), berries in 1c section.

Portable chocolate chip pancakes, strawberries, syrup: pancakes and syrup (using a condiment clear container 2tb capacity) in the 2c section, strawberries in 1c section. 

Mashed sweet potatoes with yogurt, granola & berries: sweet potatoes in 1c section, berries, and yogurt lined in a striped pattern in the 2c section, granola in a clear condiment container (2tb capacity)

Bun-less egg sandwich (2 eggs & a beef patty), orange & oven-roasted potatoes: potatoes and egg sandwich in 2c section (sandwich half wrapped in parchment paper nestled in with the potatoes. Oranges cut in wedges in 1 cup section.

Yogurt with granola & berries: yogurt 1c section, berries 2c section, granola nestled in with the berries.

Lunch Ideas:

Salad: fresh baby spinach topped with sliced strawberries and oranges with balsamic vinaigrette (in a condiment container 2tb capacity) in the 2c section, Chicken sliced in 1c section and the potatoes in the other 1c section.

Brown rice and beef patties in 2c section, peppers onions & zucchini sauté in 1c section, avocado, and lemon slices in the other 1c section.

Sweet potatoes sliced in rounds and 2 eggs in 2c section, avocado with pico de gallo in 1c section and strawberries in the other 1c section.

Pasta salad: gluten-free pasta, marinated salad, chopped baked chicken… tossed together, broccoli & oranges on the side: Pasta Salad in 2c section, broccoli in one of the 1c sections and oranges in the other one.

Brown rice, chicken, pico de gallo, marinated veggies & strawberries: rice, sliced chicken topped with pico in the 2c section, marinated veggies in one of the 1c sections, strawberries in the other one.

Dinner Ideas:

Salmon, lemon slices, spinach, marinated salad & roasted potatoes: a bed of spinach topped with salmon and lemon slices in 2c section, marinated salad in 1c section, potatoes in the other one.

Mashed sweet potatoes, peppers, onions & zucchini beef patties, avocado and pico. Peppers, onions & zucchini topped with patties in 2c section, sweet potatoes in one 1c section, avocado, and pico in the other 1c section.

Chicken, brown rice, peppers, onions & zucchini sauté, avocado, pico de gallo. Rice and sliced chicken in 2c section, peppers, onions, and zucchini in 1c section and “guacamole” (avocado mashed, with pico) in the other 1c section.

Chicken, roasted broccoli, rice salad (brown rice, marinated salad). Rice salad in 2c section, chicken sliced in 1c section, roasted broccoli in the other 1c section.

Pasta, beef patties (cut up), peppers, onions & zucchini sauté, pasta sauce & broccoli. Pasta with sauce and patties on top in 2c section, peppers and onions in one of the 1c sections, broccoli in the other 1c section.

Here's how we put together each day:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Do you really know what you’re eating?

Picture yourself walking through the grocery store, headed towards the packaged meats. You get to the bacon, pick up a package, flip it over and you see...

What the fudge does this all mean?!

For the most part, when you first pick up a package, there are usually five main mandatory elements on a food nutrition label, unless a food producer is exempted from labeling their product. These elements are:

• statement of identity,
• the product’s net weight,
• manufacturer’s address,
• nutrition facts, and
• ingredients list

However, exceptions apply here as well. For example, if you are producing a single-ingredient food product, such as honey, you don’t need to include an ingredients list. There are exceptions to this as well. If you produce honey, but add sweeteners or some other ingredients, then you do need to include that information on your honey label. This is only a small example of how complex labeling regulations can be and how carefully you need to inform yourself in order to accurately present your product to the consumers.

In order to decipher these complicated labels an hone in on what's important, here is...

What to look for on Food Nutrition Labels

1. Look at serving size - packages often contain more than one serving, meaning you have to multiply all of the amounts of nutrients to estimate what you are actually consuming if it is more than one serving.

2. Check calorie count - pay attention to how many calories are in the packaged food in comparison to your daily total intake in order to prevent consuming a food that will make up the majority of your daily caloric needs.

3. Avoid bad fats - look for nutrition labels with 0 g trans-fat, and limit saturated fat and hydrogenated oils.

4. Not all fats are bad fats - the majority of the fats you consume should be polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that are found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

5. Limit sodium intake - the recommended daily limit on sodium is 2,300 mg, which is about 1 teaspoon of salt; packaged foods are typically high in sodium to increase shelf life.

6. Choose food items with short ingredient lists - ingredients are listed in order by weight, the 1st item on the list makes up the majority of that food; look for ingredients you recognize, can pronounce, and that belong in food.

7. Be cautious of hidden sugars - sugar is found in many processed foods, but sometimes it may be difficult to recognize as it is often listed as another name; for example: dextrose, glucose, lactose, galactose, maltose, sucrose, mannitol, xylitol, sorbitol, beet sugar, cane sugar, corn sugar, high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrins, maple sugar, all essentially mean the same thing – sugar! Choose yogurts with 7 grams or less, and condiments/sauces/dressings with 3 grams or less.

Common Labeling Terms and What they Mean:

• Fat-free: contain less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving.
• Calorie-free: < 5 calories for a given amount
• % fat-free: contains 3 grams or less of total fat for a given amount
• Saturated fat-free: • Low-fat: 3 grams or less of total fat for a given amount
• Low-calorie: < 40 calories for a given amount
• Low-sodium: < 140 milligrams of sodium per serving
• High-fiber: at least 5 grams of fiber per serving

10 Ways to Get To Know Your Food Better:

1. Go Organic!

2. Look for the "9" on fresh produce labels to make sure you're safe.
If you see a 5 digit PLU sticker that starts with an "8"... it's genetically modified

3. Be Informed
As of Sept 2013, these are the only US crops grown commercially from GMO seed: alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton, Hawaiian papaya, soy, sugar beets, yellow summer “crook-neck” squash and zucchini.

4. Eat Your Fruits and Veggies
Most fresh produce is non-GMO; sweet corn, Hawaiian papaya, edamame, zucchini and yellow summer squash are the only produce items currently grown commercially from GMO seed*.

5. Consider the Additives
The five most prevalent GMO crops of corn, canola, soy, cotton and sugar beets end up as additives in all kinds of packaged foods as corn syrup, oil, sugar, flavoring agents, thickeners and other additives. Over 70% of packaged food products in North America contain GMOs. Choose organic or Non-GMO Project Verified.

6. Check the Source on Meat and Dairy
Milk, cheese, eggs, beef, chicken and pork could all be from animals that were fed GMO feed. Choose organic or Non-GMO Project Verified.

7. Go Wild
Some farmed fish eat GMO feed. Choose wild-caught seafood or farmed oysters, mussels and clams (they aren’t given supplemental feed).

8. Feel Good About Frozen Food
Most frozen fruits and vegetables are non-GMO. Frozen fruits and vegetables without additives are good non-GMO choices unless from one of these five high-risk crops: sweet corn, Hawaiian papaya, edamame, zucchini and yellow summer squash.

10. Drink Responsibly
All wine and beer labeled either "organic" or "made with organic"  must use non-GMO yeast. Wine grapes and the grains used to make beer are not typically GMO.

*Some GMO versions of apples and other crops are being tested but are not currently approved to be planted for commercial production. GMO versions of tomatoes and potatoes have been approved for planting, but are not currently in commercial production.

You have the right to know what’s in your food!

Want to know how to get the most out of your next farmers market trip? Here's how to make shopping at the farmers market more productive!

Let’s just get this out there first … Benjamin Franklin said it best, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” This is the case with LIFE! I know it hurts, but try taking a few minutes out of your day to think through what you want to make in the days ahead. Also, the more information you have, the better decisions you can make.

Shopping at farmers markets could be the best thing you do all week...or a total waste of time. Yes, it is the easiest way to eat locally, but if you're not smart about shopping you'll end up with a bunch of local produce that gets tossed in the trash. You wouldn't be the first shopper to get home with bags of produce that go uneaten. Just saying... A bit of planning can keep weekly shopping for produce fun and make cooking a snap all week long.

Here are 13 Expert Tips for smarter shopping the farmers market:

1.Know the Seasons

There are so many benefits to eating with the seasons, like; getting the most nutrition density, tons more flavor, decreasing food waste, and supporting your local economy. If you know a bit of what to expect in the Winter, Fall, Spring, and Summer, when you get to the farmers market, making decisions at each stall is much easier. The Spruce put together an A-Z list of what in season, but keep in mind that this list may vary based on your geographic location. So take some steps to learn more about the items grown locally to you.

2. Plan your meals (literally bring a list)

Now that you know what you're likely to find at the farmers market, you can do a bit of meal planning and shop accordingly. For example, if local asparagus has just come into season and you can't get enough, you may want to think about combos that include asparagus, like this salmon, quinoa, egg and asparagus meal prep.

Here are a couple helpful shopping list resources 

Happy Hump Day Meal Preppers! ???? Here's a little sneak peak into what we are eating for lunch today! . People often say that meal prepping is hard, but this is a great example of one of the easiest preps! Bonus: it took us less than 18 minutes to cook and create all four containers! . Here's how we did it: - boiled 4 large eggs then sliced them -boiled 2 bags of quinoa (we used success brand boil in a bag tri-color quinoa) - roasted @melissasproduce asparagus in the oven at 425 for 12 minutes - @sizzlefishfit slow roasted smoked salmon (no cooking required! #score!) -Divide all ingredients between 4 containers . Total Macro Breakdown: 29g protein, 30g carbs, 13g fat . . . . . . . #mealpreponfleek #eatclean #healthyeating #healthyfood #mealprep #foodprep #foodforfuel #whole30 #cleaneating

A post shared by ???? Meal Prep On Fleek (@mealpreponfleek) on Jun 21, 2017 at 11:55am PDT

3. …But still be flexible

While planning is still a major key, think about these two situations:

1. Leave a bit of wiggle room for those Harry's Berries you didn't know would be at market so early, or the tropical fruits you've never tried before. Trying new things is part of the fun of going to farmers markets.
2. Have healthy swaps in mind, just in case Mother Nature throws a curve ball and wipes out an entire crop or leafy greens. I've seen it happen with extreme heat or unusual rain fall.

4. Take a lap

Take a lap around the market and notice the prices/quality for things you want. You will often find better deals/quality further along. If you don’t go back to the first stand.

5. Think about timing

Be conscious about what you want these items for. Do you want them for eating now or will you cook them in a few days? This will determine the level of ripeness you want to look for. For example, if you are looking for something to eat today, look for a tomato that is fragrant when you pick it up, plump, gives a little to gentle pressure, and has good color. If you plan on cooking that tomato in a few days, you might take one that is a bit more firm, may still be transitioning in color from green to red, and needs a day or so in the kitchen window sill. Same goes for almost all fruit.

Pro Tip: Smell is the best way to tell if a fruit is ripe. It will give off a natural fragrance when it's ready to be eaten

6. Go early (or go late)

There are two different trains of thought here. You could get there early before things get picked over. As an added bonus, you'll have smaller crowds to fight through. Also, the best goods go first. and the more popular-but-limited items will sell out before the day is done. It's pretty straight forward.

If you're looking to save a buck and don't mind "ugly produce" it is worthwhile to come late. A lot of produce will then be offered much cheaper (strawberries that are not likely to look so well on Monday for example) and you can save a lot of money by buying late and then freezing or preserving the produce.

There are obviously exceptions to every rule, so try going to your market at different times to figure out the best time for you.

7. Bring big bags & small change

Some farmers market vendors offer bags, but they tend to be thin and flimsy plastic ones that groan under the pressure of any substantial produce purchase. Make sure everything gets home from the farmers market without crashing onto the sidewalk or spilling onto the floor of your car by bringing your own sturdy canvas or nylon bags. A backpack can make the hauling easier, especially for weighty or bulky items. I love RuMe bags because they fold small and carry tons. Although vendors will make change, purchases will go easier and faster if you have exact (or close to exact) change. At some farmers markets "small change" means dimes and nickels. In larger urban areas many products at farmers markets are sold in dollar or fifty-cent increments.

8. Know what you eat the most of... buy in bulk

The best deals at the farmers market are had when you buy in bulk. You'll enjoy the best flavors and the best prices when you buy lots of whatever is at its harvest peak. How to use it all up? Try new recipes with favorite vegetables or learn the lost art of preserving food. Freezing, canning, and drying are just some of the ways you can save seasonal tastes you find at the farmers market for later in the year.

9. Meet the growers

Have a good relationship with your supplier and good things will come out of it. He knows you, he knows what he has, he knows what you want and will pay, he will give you good product so you come back next time.

If you find a vegetable that’s new to you at the farmers market and want to give it a try, ask the farmer how to prepare it. For the best tips ask how they like to eat it.

10. Set a budget

This is just another way to win at life. If you don’t know what competitive pries are, you will overpay almost all the time. Know how much a bunch of carrots costs at the store (usually about $.89 for a bunch) and know how much of that you will eat in the coming days to avoid throwing food out.

11. Invest in wheels

If you buy a lot every week, consider acquiring a wheeled cart or wagon (strollers make wonderful conveyances for fruits and vegetables) to get your haul from the farmers market home in one trip. (But please, oh please, pay extra attention to fellow shoppers and the stalls as you push or pull your wheels through the farmers market!)

12. Step up your produce knowledge

The tastiest and most nutritious fruits and vegetables are not necessarily the biggest or best looking. Plant breeders often develop new varieties based on considerations like yield, ease of transportation, or consistent ripening at the expense of taste and nutrition. Smaller, heritage varieties with minor blemishes because they have been left to ripen longer before being harvested, and which have been quickly transported to market to preserve freshness are my favorite.

13. Make friends

Because that's what life is all about. Enjoying conversation sharing food, and creating relationships. Love ya