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Chicken Carnitas Nachos

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We're making chicken carnitas nachos healthy again! Our Chicken Carnitas Nachos lunch meal prep recipe is a unique and flavorful meal that can be enjoyed guilt-free. We made chicken carnitas nachos Whole30 compliant by swapping out tortilla chips for sweet potato chips. The creative replacement adds depth to the flavor profiles of this meal while making it nutritious.

Chicken Carnitas Nachos

This Whole30 compliant nacho recipe uses baked sweet potato chips instead of tortilla chips and instant pot carnitas-style chicken, for a protein-rich meal that satisfies!

How long will Chicken Carnitas Nachos last for?

Chicken carnitas will last for 3 to 5 days. To optimize the time of freshness, store chicken carnitas in a shallow airtight container or gallon bag. Be sure to let all of the air out of the bag before sealing and storing it in the refrigerator.

Can Chicken Carnitas Nachos be frozen?

Absolutely! You can freeze chicken carnitas for up to 3 months. The sweet potato chips can be frozen as well. Store them in a quart-sized freezer bag, letting out all the air before sealing and storing. This entire meal can be frozen, but we recommend making fresh pico de gallo.

Chicken Carnitas Nachos

Chicken Carnitas Nachos Ingredients:

For Carnitas

  • 1 ½ lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle powder or smoked paprika
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

And Pico De Gallo

  • 1 cup chopped tomato
  • ⅓ cup chopped red onion
  • ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For Sweet Potato Chips

  • 1 lb. sweet potatoes, thinly sliced to ⅛ inch
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
Chicken Carnitas Nachos

How do you make Chicken Carnitas Nachos?

Chicken Carnitas Nachos is a pretty simple lunch meal prep recipe that's done in an hour. The meal takes just 10 minutes to prep and your instant pot and oven do all of the work for you.

Take care of the easiest part first. Makes sense, right? Make your pico de gallo and separate it into 4 plastic sauce cups. Refrigerate the pico de gallo portions until the rest of your meal is ready. Next, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Get your sliced sweet potato pieces and place them on the baking sheet. You'll need to make the chips in two batches and flip them halfway through baking.

Chicken Carnitas Nachos

While your sweet potato chips are baking, make the chicken carnitas. For the carnitas, grab your instant pot and carnitas ingredients. Combine the ingredients and put them in the instant pot. Lock the lid, close the pressure valve, and cook using the chicken setting for 15 minutes.

Once the instant pot timer goes off, let the pot depressurize. Then open the pressure valve and shred chicken with two forks. Transfer shredded chicken to the baking sheet and pour the remaining liquid from the pot onto your chicken carnitas. Lastly, boil the carnitas on the middle oven rack for 6-7 minutes until the chicken is crispy. We're so excited for you!

Chicken Carnitas Nachos

How to portion Chicken Carnitas Nachos?

Portioning is easy since you're doing it as you cook. Your pico de gallo is already divided into 4 plastic cups, right? So all you need now is 4 dual-compartment meal prep containers, sweet potato chips, and chicken carnitas. Place your chicken carnitas and pico de gallo in the bigger part of the container and the sweet potato chips in the smaller part. Cover, store, and enjoy for lunch!

More Carnitas meal prep recipes:

Did you enjoy this lunch meal prep recipe? Then try our Mushroom Carnitas Burrito Bowls and Slow Cooker Keto Pork Carnitas Bowls.

We also have 16 Keto Crock-Pot Recipes for Easy Low-Carb Meals.

Chicken Carnitas Nachos

Other tips for making Chicken Carnitas Nachos:

  • Make yourself extra chicken carnitas for a deliciously fun Taco Tuesday.
  • Use fresh lime juice in your carnitas for extra flavor. Also, try cilantro or ground coriander.
  • Taste your food as you go. Every good chef does!
  • Carnitas is a versatile dish. You can use chicken, pork, or go vegan. See our other carnitas meal prep recipes above.
  • Allow your shredded chicken to sit its juices for an additional 20-30 minutes for extra juicy chicken carnitas!
Chicken Carnitas Nachos
Chicken Carnitas Nachos

Chicken Carnitas Sweet Potato Nachos

This Whole30 compliant nacho recipe uses baked sweet potato chips instead of tortilla chips and instant pot carnitas-style chicken, for a protein-rich meal that satisfies!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 51 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 1 minute
Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: Chicken, gluten free, instant pot, low calorie, paleo, whole30
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 325kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

For Carnitas

  • 1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle powder or smoked paprika
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

For Pico De Gallo

  • 1 cup chopped tomato
  • ⅓ cup chopped red onion
  • ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For Sweet Potato Chips

  • 1 lb. sweet potatoes thinly sliced to ⅛ inch
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  • Stir together ingredients for pico de gallo and divide between 4 small sauce cups. Refrigerate until assembling meal prep containers.
  • Preheat oven to 400ºF and place a wire cooling rack on top of a medium baking sheet. Working in two batches, spread sweet potato slices on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Carefully flip sweet potatoes and bake an additional 10-12 minutes, or until edges of sweet potatoes are curled. Repeat with remaining sweet potatoes. Sprinkle baked sweet potato chips with sea salt and transfer to the 1 cup compartments of 4 MPOF teal containers.
  • While sweet potato chips bake, combine ingredients for carnitas in an instant pot. Lock lid and close pressure valve. Press chicken setting for 15 minutes.
  • Once the timer goes off, allow the instant pot to depressurize and open the pressure valve.
  • Shred the chicken with 2 forks and transfer to a baking sheet. Pour liquid from the instant pot over shredded chicken and broil on center rack of the oven for 3 to 4 minutes to crisp chicken lightly.
  • Evenly divide carnitas between 4 large compartments of teal containers and place a cup for pico de gallo next to carnitas.

Notes

WW Smart Points= Green:6  Blue:3  Purple:0

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 1122mg | Potassium: 1216mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 16395IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Hate Running? Try These 5 Treadmill Exercises Instead

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Treadmill exercises go beyond walking, jogging, and running. Read on for more ideas!

Table of Contents

Most of us know that regular exercise can help us maintain our weight, boost our energy, relieve our stress, and make us feel healthier and more confident. Even so, some forms of physical fitness may feel… well, boring. It's tough to get excited about exercise when you face a monotonous hour running in place on the treadmill. The thought might be enough to convince you to cancel your trip to the gym.

Of course, the treadmill can be a great option for runners, especially in the wintertime. And in 2017, there were nearly 52.97 million treadmill users throughout the United States. Clearly, a lot of people are using this device to up their fitness level. However, even if the only piece of exercise equipment you own is a traditional treadmill, fear not. You aren't stuck with walking, jogging, or running as your trio of workout options. 

Elliptical in Modern gym interior with equipment. Row of training exercise bikes wheel detail, backlight. Healthy lifestyle concept

In fact, there are numerous exercises you can easily do with help from your treadmill that don't involve running at all. This piece of equipment might be a lot more versatile than you thought. By using your treadmill a bit more creatively, you can fit in a whole-body workout without having to sprint. Here are five ideas that will allow you to put your treadmill to good use -- no running required.

Side Shuffle

Walking or running on the treadmill while facing forward is simply too ordinary. But if you turn yourself to the side and switch up your leg movements, you'll be able to fit in some cardio in a way that's anything but mundane.

Start by setting your treadmill speed low (around four miles per hour) and walk forward on the belt as you normally would. Then, put your left hand on the treadmill's front handle and your right hand on its right railing. Slowly step forward with your left foot and turn your whole body (including both feet) towards the right side of the treadmill. This will place you in the correct position to execute this exercise.

Start your side shuffle by taking a large side step with your left foot toward the front of the treadmill, with your right foot following suit. You'll need to press your palms down on the handle and rail to obtain the proper hopping motion. When you land on your right foot, repeat this exercise for up to a minute. Then, go through the process again to switch to the left side and perform the exercise for up to a minute. Voila! A more amusing way to fit in your cardio.

Pull-Ups and Push-Ups

If you thought your treadmill was just for cardio exercises, you're dead wrong. You can actually use this type of exercise equipment to increase your overall strength and tone. Your treadmill will be turned off for these exercises, allowing you to utilize the actual structure of the machine to aid in your workout.

You don't necessarily need a hanging bar in your home gym to do pull-ups; the side railings on your treadmill will do just fine. Start by sitting down on the center of the belt with your back towards the front of the treadmill. Your knees should be bent, and the soles of your feet should be on the belt. Place one hand on each side railing with your palms facing inwards. Then, press your weight into your heels and lift yourself up off the belt.

Make sure to engage your core and your buttocks to keep the belt from moving. Your chest should be parallel to the ground, so lean back a bit if you need to readjust. You'll then want to bend your elbows to bring your chest towards the middle of the railings (be careful not to drop your hips!). Slowly release your arms with control so they're extended. Repeat this last section until you've completed 10 reps. You can do up to three sets of these reps in total.

Did you know you can do push-ups on your treadmill, too? You can do them on a bit of an incline using the main body of the treadmill (where the monitor and handles are) as leverage. Start by placing your palms on the front handle(s) of the treadmill and taking a few steps backward on the belt. Then, bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the front bar. While doing this, your body should be in a straight line, and your core should be engaged. Then, press up through your palms and extend your elbows. Repeat this last section until you've completed 10 reps. Just like with the pull-ups, you can do up to three sets of these reps in total.

Plank Crawls

Planks are a great way to engage the core and build muscle. While you can do them just about anywhere, the structure of your treadmill can make it easier to be innovative with your planks.

For instance, you can try a backward plank crawl. In this exercise, you'll keep your treadmill turned off-but you'll actually end up moving the belt manually. Start standing with your back facing the front of the treadmill. Get into the plank position from there, with your feet on the front part of the machine and your hands facing down on the belt. While you keep your legs extended, use your palms to push the belt forward. As you do this, lift one hand at a time and place it under its corresponding shoulder. Essentially, you'll be walking your hands backward while you push the belt forward at a consistent pace.

Alternatively, you can do this same exercise with your feet on the floor while you're facing the front of the treadmill. If you feel your treadmill won't provide the stability you need while facing backward, you can do your plank this way and have only your hands on the treadmill belt.

Lunges

If you thought you could only do lunges while standing still, think again. This exercise has become quite popular for toning one's derriere, and there are loads of inventive ways to get your squat on.

If you liked doing the side shuffle, you might enjoy doing lunges this way, too. Your treadmill should be set to a low speed (around 0.5 miles per hour). Start by walking forward, placing your left hand on the front handle and your right hand on the right side railing. Step forward with your left foot and turn so your whole body is facing the right side of the treadmill. Start by bending your left knee into a side lunge.

Your left knee should be positioned straight over the toes of your left foot, with your right leg straight. Press down into your left heel while you step your right foot over your left foot. Then, step out your left foot towards the front of the treadmill to bring you back to your initial position. Repeat this process for 30 seconds and then reposition yourself towards the treadmill's right side to do the sequence on the other side.

You can do lunges on the treadmill without the moving belt, too. You can do a basic lunge while standing on a powered-off treadmill with your arms reaching back for a deep stretch. For those who would rather do their lunges on solid ground, you can use your treadmill in another way. Stand on the ground below your treadmill, facing away from it. Place one foot on the belt of the treadmill and push it backward to move the belt until you reach a full lunge. Then, slide your foot back towards you and come to a standing position. Repeat on the other side.

Leg Lifts

Another excellent way to engage your core during exercise is to do some knee raises or leg lifts. The structure of your treadmill can help here, as well.

You can use those side railings again by doing some cross-legged knee raises. With the treadmill powered off, stand on the belt with your back facing the front of the machine. Place one hand on each railing and press into your palms to lift yourself off the ground by extending your elbows. Keep your ankles crossed but open your knees out towards the sides. With your ankles still crossed, engage your core to bring your knees in towards your chest. Slowly lower your knees to complete the rep and repeat until you've done 10 reps.

Another version of this same exercise can allow you to lift your legs entirely so that you're supporting yourself in a lifted sitting position. You'll be facing backward with the treadmill off for this one, too. Keep your hands on the treadmill railings and straighten your elbows until you're in a raised position. Then, lift your legs (keeping them straight) until they are parallel to the ground. Hold this position until you're fatigued.

You can expand on the above exercise by maintaining that held position and drawing both knees to your chest in a set of reps. Your body should be suspended the entire time, and your feet should not touch the belt until the last rep has been completed.

As you can see, the treadmill can be used for so much more than running or walking. If you're a non-runner who previously saw no value in owning this piece of exercise equipment, you may want to rethink your fitness strategy. In many ways, a treadmill can actually replace the need for several other, less versatile workout tools. Subsequently, it's a good investment that can quickly become your go-to to achieve your fitness goals.

Remember, working out is just a way to burn energy. If you're not pairing a solid exercise routine with a balanced diet, you're fighting an uphill battle. I would suggest pairing a weekly meal plan with your exercise routine to maximize your results and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Related Fitness Articles:

3 Exercises That Burn 200 Calories in Less Than 3 Minutes
Lower body workout
7 Band Exercises You Can Literally Do Anywhere
5 Agility Exercises That Make Working Out More Fun

Simple Meal Prep Lunch Container

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Sometimes you don't need a recipe. You need ideas for a simple lunch prep container. We've got you covered!

Consider this an adult Lunchable! No cooking is required and it's a fun grab-and-go meal that's endlessly customizable. And that's because sometimes a recipe is not what you need: You need an uncomplicated combination of lunch ingredients that taste great. This simple lunch meal prep idea is just that!

Ingredients for Simple Meal Prep Lunch Container

The key here is to use some common foods you likely have on hand. We're using grapes, hard-boiled eggs, cooked chopped chicken, sliced cucumber, a bell pepper, and chopped up string cheese.

Simple Lunch Container

What to Put in My Lunch Prep Container?

Ok, so maybe you don't have all of those ingredients, but take a look at what we've got here and use your imagination.

Protein: egg, cheese, hummus (plant-based), and chicken

Veggie: cucumber, peppers

Fruit: grapes

The idea is to pack yourself a little bit of everything across the major macros/food groups. But an easier way to think about it beyond those three types of food involves color! What colors can you eat today? Because eating colorful real foods, as we know, usually means we are eating healthy foods!

Simple Lunch Container

Substitutions and Alterations

Sometimes we just need ideas, and the more, the better. If you end up putting together this simple lunch container as we've described it, awesome. If you wanna work with what you've got on hand, even better. Of course, your own dietary needs might be different if you eat carbs (we don't really have any included here), higher-sugar fruits (like bananas), and so forth. Feel free to customize this to your liking.

Other fun additions include marinated veggies, olives, pickles, and so forth.

Veggie swaps: The sliced peppers and cukes are great for dipping into the hummus, but feel free to use carrot or celery sticks if you like instead, or slice zucchini in a similar stick-like manner, lengthwise.

Grape tomatoes are good, but so are chopped broccoli and cauliflower florets. Baby spinach or arugula is great too if you're aiming for more of a green-veg kind of vibe.

Fruit swaps: Apple or pear slices; orange, tangerine, or clementine segments; blueberries, strawberries, raspberries or blackberries; pomegranate arils (seeds); sliced bananas, mangos, pineapple.

Plant-based swaps: cooked tofu or edamame; peanut, almond or cashew butter; other kinds of hummus; cubed avocado, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts; sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Animal protein swaps: cooked steak, pork, or shrimp are great. Canned tuna, salmon, or chicken also comes in handy in a pinch and requires no cooking, just seasoning. (Maybe a little bit of mayo, plain yogurt, some salt, pepper, and mustard?)

Dairy: chunks of cheddar, Havarti, or Monterey jack; plain regular or Greek yogurt.

Simple Lunch Container

Tips for Simple Lunch Container Prep

If you stock your pantry and your fridge with a variety of these foods, you'll never be bored. Sometimes you don't need a whole big production for lunch.

We joke that this is like an adult Lunchable, but there's no reason why you can't have your kids assemble their own versions! You likely know the mass-produced ones are typically loaded with preservatives and more salt than you might want in your diet. Any parent who's watched their child do something for themselves for the first time has likely witnessed that kind of "aha" moment of satisfaction in their child. Prepping food is no different. That sense of empowerment will likely excite them-even if it's just for a couple of days and they go back to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Hey, it's a start.

Need container ideas? Check out our guide to the Best Plastic Meal Prep Containers!

Here are a few more basic lunch meal prep ideas:

Simple Lunch Container

Simple Lunch Container

Sometimes a recipe is not what you need... just a simple combination of lunch ingredients that taste great. This simple lunch meal prep idea is just that!
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Lunch Box
Servings: 4 Meals
Calories: 324kcal
Author: Meal Prep Mondays

Ingredients

  • 4 ea hard-boiled eggs
  • 1 ea bell pepper
  • ½ lb Pre Cooked Chicken Fajita
  • 1 ea cucumber
  • 1 cup grapes
  • 4 ea string cheese chopped
  • 1 cup hummus

Instructions

  • Grab your meal prep container and get ready to fill it!
  • First, cut up the cucumber, bell pepper, and string cheese into slices, then add to the container.
  • Add the grapes, chicken, and hard-boiled egg (this may need to be cut into half for space).
  • Fill the smaller part of your container with your favorite hummus.

Video

Notes

This makes four meals.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 244mg | Sodium: 325mg | Potassium: 407mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1354IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Buffet Style Meal Prepping 101

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Think you don't have time to meal prep? We are here to bust that myth and show you the template to our latest meal prep trick, buffet-style meal prepping. 

Table of Contents

What is buffet style meal prepping?

Buffet style meal prepping is an approach to meal prepping that is a mix and match of simple ingredients, food combinations, and your favorite dishes. Not only does it save you time (and money in most instances), but it allows you to keep your meals feeling like something new each day. No more repeat meals every week. Hallelujah! 

How does buffet style meal prepping work?

Instead of planning out the exact meals that you will each day, you will prepare a selection of your favorite foods and then mix and match combinations throughout the week. 

For example, your items to prepare list may look like this:

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 

PROTEIN

SAUCES & EXTRAS

  • Balsamic vinaigrette
  • Pasta sauce
  • Maple syrup

Once you have all of your ingredients, you will then prepare each item individually (or using the recipes you selected). After your ingredients are prepared, place each item in its own container rather than creating combos right away. 

Then, throughout the week you will create combinations that sound delicious to you! Here are some easy and satisfying combinations we created based on the items above. (Please note that each day, after work, we combined new ingredients for the next day based on our schedules and cravings.)

Here is a week worth of meals, prepped Buffet Style:

Day 1 (Monday)

BREAKFAST: (Teal Container) 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.

LUNCH: (Top Right Container) 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.

DINNER: (Top Left Container) 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.

Day 2 (Tuesday)

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

LUNCH: (Top LEFT Container) 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.

DINNER: (Top RIGHT Container) 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.

Day 3 (Wednesday)

BREAKFAST: (Teal Container) 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)

LUNCH: (Top RIGHT Container) Brown rice and beef patties in 2c section, peppers onions & zucchini sauté in 1c section, avocado, and lemon slices in the other 1c section.

DINNER: (Top LEFT Container) 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.

Day 4 (Thursday)

BREAKFAST: (Teal Container)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.

LUNCH: (Top LEFT Container) 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: (Top RIGHT Container) 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.

Day 5 (Friday)

BREAKFAST: (Teal Container) Yogurt with granola & berries: yogurt 1c section, berries 2c section, granola nestled in with the berries.

LUNCH: (Top RIGHT Container) 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.

DINNER: (Top LEFT Container) 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.

Gluten-Free Buffet Meal Prep

Whole30 Buffet Meal Prep

Vegetarian Meal Prep

Omnivore Buffet Prep

I don't want to meal prep dinner...

Not a problem! If you have the time to cook dinner at home each night, then we say, GO FOR IT! Nothing will ever compare to a fresh-made meal. Instead, you could prepare either a morning and afternoon snack or both. We know that many of you are up early and need a mid-working bite to eat and something to help you get over that mid-afternoon slump. 

Pro Tips.

  1. KEEP IT SIMPLE. Simple is key when it comes to buffet style meal prepping and saving extra time. Pick out just a few recipes (2-3) and then let the rest of the items come together on their own. By that, we mean, buy pre-cooked items such as rice, pre-cut/chopped veggies, chicken or salmon that can just cook on a baking sheet and don't require work, etc. 
  2. HAVE A PLAN. Be strategic with your ingredient choices. For example, food such as seafood is best eaten in the earlier part of the week. Plan to enjoy those meals M/T/Wed, so they still taste fresh! 
  3. VARIETY. Don't fall into the trap of eating the same items/recipes every week (unless that's your jam). Instead, try adding in a new fruit, vegetable, or protein each week. This is an easy way to change things up without overhauling your entire meal prep plan. 
  4. HAVE FUN! Nothing is worse than feeling like meal prepping is a chore. Instead, throw on some jams, grab a new recipe that excites you, and get cooking! Remember, at the end of the day, your mindset is one of the biggest things standing between you and achieving your goals. 

Find the complete grocery list for this buffet style meal prep below:

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 

Still, confused about where to start with meal prepping? 

If so, don't fret! We've got you covered! Start taking control of your food choices, loving your body, and creating your own success story with the help of our Meal Prep Master Course! Not only will we make you feel more confident in the kitchen, but you will also learn how to save time, save money, and create a meal plan that will help you achieve your personal goals! From macros to custom recipe plans, to kitchen essentials, you will learn it all! 

Buffet Style Meal Prep Pinterest

The Best Low Carb Keto Recipes of 2024

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The ketogenic diet or the keto diet is an eating plan that involves you eating foods that provide a lot of healthy fats, a moderate amount of protein, and very little to no carbohydrates.  This is what you want to look for in keto and low carb recipes.

The keto diet works by using up the body's sugar reserves so that it will start to break down fat and use it as energy. However, the reduction in carbs puts your body in a metabolic state that is called ketosis.

And when your body is in this state, it becomes an expert at burning fat for energy. So, it is no secret that when the body burns fats, it leads to weight loss.  More on keto weight loss that here.

keto-meal-prep-book-banner-2

These insanely good Keto recipes are super tasty and easy to make!  Over 30 EASY and delicious keto recipes that take less than 20 minutes to make, including something to kick start your first day! We broke this post down by meals, so scroll through for:

  1. Keto Breakfast Ideas
  2. Keto Lunch / Dinner Ideas
  3. Keto Snack Ideas

Keto Breakfast Recipes:

Overnight Oats

Keto Overnight Oats - Meal Prep Recipe

Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage

AIP Breakfast Sausage

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

Keto Cinnamon Roll Muffins

Nutty Keto Pancakes

Nutty Keto Pancake Meal Prep

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bowls

Keto Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Breakfast Bowls

Cajun Breakfast Scramble

Keto Cajun Sausage Breakfast Scramble

Prosciutto Egg Cups

Keto Prosciutto Egg Cups

Greek Egg Bake

greek egg bake recipe

Cheesy Keto Egg Bites

cheesy keto egg bites

More reading... Top 10 Keto Ingredient Swaps

Top 10 Keto Ingredient Swaps

Keto Lunch Recipes and Keto Dinner Recipes:

Hawaiian Pizza Chicken

Hawaiian Pizza Chicken Meal Prep

Low Carb Hamburger Helper

Low Carb Hamburger Helper

Parmesan Chicken Patties

Keto Parmesan Chicken Patties

Cajun Stuffed Peppers

Cajun Stuffed Peppers

Spiralized Zucchini and Meatballs

zucchini-spaghetti-and-meatballs-recipe-3

Pork Cauliflower Fried Rice

Pork Fried Cauliflower Rice

Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa

Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa 

Coconut Shrimp

Air Fryer Keto Coconut Shrimp Single Container

Low Carb Gumbo

Crockpot-Gumbo-Meal-Prep

Italian Sub Lettuce Wrap

Keto-Italian-Sub-Lettuce-Wraps-Meal-Prep_-6

Pulled Pork Lettuce Wrap

Keto Pulled Pork Lettuce Wrap Meal Prep

(More Keto Lunches and Dinner Ideas here)

Keto Snack Recipes:

Everything Bagel Cashews

Everything Bagel Cashews

Keto Crackers

Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos

Bacon Jalapeno Poppers

Almond Butter Cups

protein-almond-butter-cups

Turkey Bacon Pinwheels

Turkey Bacon Ranch Pinwheel Snack Boxes

Almond Butter Bark

Keto Chocolate Almond Butter Bark

Keto Cheese Chips

cheesy crisps
Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

These easy keto crackers are made with just 4 ingredients and take about 5 minutes to prepare and put in the oven. Watch them closely as almond flour burns faster than wheat flour. Serve these crackers with cheese and veggies or nuts for a healthy on-the-go keto snack or light meal.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: keto, Meal Prep
Servings: 4 snacks
Calories: 388kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

For the crackers

  • 1 ¼ cup almond flour not almond meal
  • 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 3 tablespoon Water

For serving

  • 4 baby bell cheese
  • ½ cup macadamia nuts or almonds
  • ½ cup cucumbers optional
  • ½ cup Cherry Tomatoes optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Mix together all ingredients except water. Add the water, and mix to combine into a dough. If the dough seems too sticky, add a little extra almond flour.
    Keto Cracker Snack Boxes
  • Use a large piece of parchment and place the dough on one side, and fold the other side onto the top. Use a rolling pin to spread the dough out into a thin sheet.
    Keto Cracker Snack Boxes
  • Peel the top layer of parchment off, and use a large knife to cut crackers into 1-inch squares.
  • Carefully slide the crackers still on parchment onto a baking tray.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, carefully watching toward the end to prevent over-browning.
  • Allow crackers to cool for 30 minutes, and then break into individual pieces
  • Pack boxes with cheese, veggies, or nuts.
    Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

Video

Notes

Nutrition for 1 out of 4 servings (not including cucumbers and tomatoes) 14g Protein | 10.5g Carbs | 35.3g Fat | 5.8g Fiber | 388 Calories *Vegetables are optional based on your total carb needs for the day

Nutrition

Serving: 1snack box | Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 10.5g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 35.3g | Fiber: 5.8g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

(More Keto Snack Ideas)

Watercress Pesto Spaghetti

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Watercress stands in for basil in this herby pesto full of fresh garlic, heart-healthy walnuts, and Vitamin-K rich watercress!

One thing we love around here is sauces! They can transform an ordinarily bland meal into something magical in minutes! Plus, they are usually very versatile. Take for example this watercress pesto. Yes, that's right! We said watercress pesto! We paired the pesto with a simple pasta meal prep idea, but it would also work nicely on chicken, fish, atop of eggs for breakfast, etc. In a matter of a few minutes, this nutrient-packed recipe will change the flavor game on almost anything! 

Watercress Pesto Spaghetti

Ok, so we know you are wondering why we used watercress in this recipe instead of traditional basil. If you've been hanging around here for a while then you know how much we love simple and vitamin-packed recipes! But more than that, we love creative flavors! That's where the watercress comes into play. 

Watercress Pesto Spaghetti

What is watercress?

If you aren't familiar with watercress, it is a green leafy vegetable that is rich in vitamins and minerals. It is part of the broccoli and kale family. You have probably seen it used as a garnish on a soup or salad at a restaurant. It has a slightly peppery taste that adds such a nice depth of flavor to dishes! 

Health benefits of watercress.

Watercress also has a ton of health benefits! We talked about 6 of our favorite health benefits here. Did you catch them? We bet if you did then you are very interested in learning how to incorporate more watercress into your meals. If you missed them, head over and check them out and then meet us back here! You aren't going to want to miss this easy recipe idea! 

Over the last few years, watercress is becoming more prominent in the health community. It is going from being a simple garnish to the main star of the dish! Here are 6 delicious ways to eat watercress:

  1. On top of a pizza
  2. In smoothies
  3. In Soups
  4. Layered in sandwiches
  5. In pesto
  6. In a stirfry

But, the fun doesn't stop with these 6 ideas! As you will see over the next few months, the ways to incorporate watercress are endless! 

BONUS!

Not only is watercress full of nutrients and delicious, but it's very low in calories and contains almost no carbs. One cup of watercress has only 0.4g of carbs and 4 calories making it a great choice for any dietary type; vegan, vegetarian, whole30, paleo, keto, low carb, gluten-free, etc. Despite its low-calorie count, watercress still manages to pack in 21% of your Vitamin A and 24% of your Vitamin C for the day. Now that is a nutrient win! 

Watercress Pesto Spaghetti Ingredients: 

For Pesto

  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 2 cups loosely packed watercress
  • ¼ cup walnuts
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For Serving

  • 8 oz. gluten free spaghetti
  • 4 (4 oz.) boneless/skinless chicken breasts
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup watercress (for top)
Watercress Pesto Spaghetti

Simple ingredients. Bold flavors. 

Watercress Pesto Spaghetti

Start by making your pesto with that beautiful watercress. 

Watercress Pesto Spaghetti

Then serve it atop cooking gluten-free pasta and grilled chicken for a balanced meal of protein, carbs, and healthy fats! If you're looking for even more ways to use Watercress today, head over to B & W Quality Growers for an endless list of meal prep friendly ideas! 

Watercress Pesto Spaghetti

Watercress Pesto Spaghetti

Watercress stands in for basil in this herby pesto full of fresh garlic, heart-healthy walnuts, and Vitamin-K rich watercress!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 26 minutes
Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: Chicken
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 537kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

For Pesto

  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 2 cups loosely packed watercress
  • ¼ cup walnuts
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For Serving

  • 8 oz. gluten free spaghetti
  • 1 lb boneless/skinless chicken breasts 4-4 ounces breasts
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup watercress for topping

Instructions

  • Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
  • While spaghetti cooks, heat a cast iron grill pan over medium heat and lightly grease with olive oil.
  • Season chicken breasts with sea salt and black pepper and place onto grill.
  • Grill 8 minutes on each side. Place on cutting board and slice chicken.
  • Combine ingredients for the pesto in a food processor and pulse until thoroughly combined.
    Watercress Pesto Spaghetti
  • Drain pasta and toss with ½ of the pesto.
  • Divide between 4 MPOF black containers and top with watercress and sliced chicken.
  • Spoon remaining pesto over chicken and Enjoy!
    Watercress Pesto Spaghetti

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.3g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 28g | Fiber: 5.6g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

The 25 Best Asian Meal Prep Recipes

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Table of Contents

Looking for the Best Asian Meal Prep Recipes? Look no further, we have 25 that will satisfy your cravings.

Asian Food is an incredibly diverse cuisine option-it just encompasses so many countries. You might want a healthy meal prep that's Chinese dim sum or Japanese sushi. Thai food offers pad Thai, lovely noodle dishes, and Vietnamese food includes banh mis and pho; the list goes on! There are so many tasty options that it can be overwhelming to know where to start. These are our 25 best Asian meal prep ideas. They ought to keep you busy for a while!

Meal Prep Lunches and Dinners with Asian flavors

Asian Style Slow Cooker Pot Roast

There's no limit to how you can serve this slow cooker pot roast. It really is one of the best Asian meals we've had in a while.
(Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 49g, Fat: 19g)

Slow Cooker Asian Beef Stew

Another vote for the slow cooker and Asian beef dishes. Set it and forget it, and dinner is ready.
(Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 20g)

Crunch Buddha Bowl

Crunchy veggies are so satisfying, and so is this dipping sauce that goes with!
(Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 21g)

Asian Turkey Meatballs

Meatballs are universally beloved, regardless of the cuisine. Serve with rice or noodles.
(Carbohydrates: 73g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 20g)

Air Fryer Salmon 

Yes! You can make amazing salmon in the air fryer. Another Asian meal prep recipe you'll want to make again and again.
(Carbohydrates: 57g; Protein: 37g; Fat: 21g)

Sheet Pan Asian Chicken

You know we love a good sheet pan recipe and this Asian meal prep with chicken doesn't disappoint!
(Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 43g, Fat: 10g)

Chicken Pad Thai Zoodles

Add more veggies for a twist on one of the best Asian meal preps-pad Thai!
(Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 21g)

Egg Rolls

These egg rolls make for a great snack or appetizer Asian meal prep. Seek out those sugar snap peas, they make the dish, but green beans would work instead.
(Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 24g)

Korean Chicken Thighs

Bring home the flavors of Korean BBQ with this chicken thigh Asian meal prep recipe.
(Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 17g)

Easy Beef and Vegetable Fried Rice

You knew there had to be some fried rice in here, right? Beef is great, but feel free to swap chicken or pork, or even shrimp or tofu instead.
(Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 11g)

Orange Chicken

Chicken and orange are perfect pairs for this Asian meal prep.
(Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 52g, Fat: 19g)

Kung Pao Chicken 

No need to order takeout with this easy Kung Pao Chicken that delivers Asian flavor with nutty-spicy flavors in a low-glycemic sauce. 
(Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 59g, Fat: 16g)

Mongolian Beef Meatballs

This meal prep is the jackpot: AIP, paleo, keto, Whole30 compliant, gluten free. Yum!
(Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 25g)

Sheet Pan Spicy Peanut Tempeh and Sesame Vegetables

Skip the meat and make this spicy peanut sheet pan Asian meal prep with tempeh. Or tofu.
(Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 24g)

Sweet and Sour Mushrooms

A delicious umami experience, this sweet and sour mushroom is great for a vegetarian meal. Or add shrimp or tofu to make it higher in protein.
(Carbohydrates: 77g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 9g)

Thai Chicken Tenders with Creamy Almond Dipping Sauce

Asian-inspired more than anything, these chicken tenders will please adults and kids alike.
(Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 49g, Fat: 22g)

Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetables

Better than takeout! Chicken teriyaki is sweet and savory.
(Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 7g)

Korean Beef Bowls

Bowl meals are so helpful and this Korean-flavored one is a keeper.
(Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 14g)

Orange Sesame Tofu and Snap Peas

Orange, sesame and tofu are so delicious together in a great Asian meal prep.
(Carbohydrates: 68g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 16g)

Chicken Ramen

The trick to meal prepping ramen? Separate the broth from everything and assemble right before it's time to eat.
(Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 14g)

Sheet Pan Crispy Tofu and Broccoli

Asian meal prep gets the sheet pan treatment with tofu and broccoli.
(Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 14g)

Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli

Garlic anything in an Asian meal prep is a classic. Swap out for chicken if you want, or beef!
(Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 49g, Fat: 15g)

Thai Yellow Curry

Don't be intimdated by the ingredients! Making your own curry isn't hard, and you'll find ways to make this meal prep again and again.

(Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 40g; Fat: 15g)

Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Bites

Thesse bites make for a stellar side to any of these Asian meal preps.
(Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 7g)

Paleo Thai Almond Butter Turkey Meatballs

You can make these easily and either freeze them or cook them right away. Succulent!
(Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 19g)

15 Best Healthy Valentine's Day Desserts

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These healthy Valentine's Day desserts prove that you never need to totally forgo dessert in order to keep your eating goals on track.

Love is in the air, along with the aroma of baking cakes and melting chocolate. Something about sharing a dessert with your Valentine is even more romantic on this special day. Dessert doesn't have to be unhealthy to taste delicious though. You can enjoy dessert and know you're eating something healthy for you, too! That is what Meal Prep on Fleek is all about! You should be able to have your cake and eat it too, at least in this case. So, dig in and enjoy all 15 of our favorite Valentine's Day dessert recipes. 

Vegan Triple Chocolate Brownie Cake

This velvety, silky smooth, chocolate cake is a vegan treat anyone will enjoy. Pair it with red wine-that's always a hit! 

(Carbohydrate: 24g, Protein: 8g, -Fat: 23g)

Snowball Cookies 

If you're looking to try something new together, these bite-sized cookies are perfect! Great for keto and low-carb diets, they are also filling fat bombs of delicious flavor.

(Carbohydrate: 8g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 12g)

Almond Joy Cookies

Turn the classic candy bar into a healthy Valentine's Day dessert for two. These cookies are the ideal small indulgences.

(Carbohydrate: 11g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 27g)

Keto Raspberry Cheesecake

You'd never guess this healthy Valentine's Day dessert is keto! So creamy and flavorful. Serve with your favorite fresh berries.

(Carbohydrate: 25g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 47g)

AB&J Fat Bombs

We love this innovative take on the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Just like love, it's always the simple things that mean the most.

(Carbohydrate: 4g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 23g)

Easy Gluten-Free Brownies

Is your Valentine sensitive to gluten? Make these gluten-free brownies for a healthy Valentine's day dessert. So decadent!

(Carbohydrate: 43g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 13g)

Strawberry Chocolate Almond Granola Squares

If chocolate-covered strawberries and granola bars had a baby, this would be their love child, just in time for a healthy Valentine's Day dessert.

(Carbohydrate: 36g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 19g)

Tasty Churros

Take Valentine's Day in a crispy, cinnamon-laden direction with these tasty churros!

(Carbohydrate: 45g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 22g)

Chocolate Glazed Donuts

Baked chocolate donuts topped with chocolate fudge, with a glass of plant-based milk sounds like a perfect morning treat. And don't be afraid to get creative with the toppings!

(Carbohydrate: 27g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 10g)

No Bake Collagen Brownie Cups 

Out of time and energy but still need a good hit of chocolate? Put together these no-bake brownie cups!

(Carbohydrate: 20g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 10g)

Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

Start your Valentine's day off right with this cinnamon roll coffee cake, get them coffee, and start their day off smitten.

(Carbohydrate: 46g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 21g)

Keto Chocolate Almond Butter Bark 

With four simple ingredients and one hour of your time, you can have this healthy Valentine's day dessert. No real labor is involved!

(Carbohydrate: 27g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 29g)

Cashew Cheesecake Bites

Lower on the carb scale, these keto cashew cheesecake bites are perfect with tea, coffee, or milk. They're a nutty and creamy delight.

(Carbohydrate: 6g- Protein: 5g - Fat: 17g)

Chocolate Gingerbread Pumpkin Bars

Rich in flavor and aroma, these bars create a sense of warmth for you and your Valentine. Every chocolate chewy nibble offers sweetness and a delicate spiciness.  

(Carbohydrate: 18g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 13g)

Pecan Pie Bars

Pecan pie isn't just for the holidays! Serve these sweet bites for a healthy Valentine's Day dessert with our favorite: fresh berries. These bars are the perfect size and not nearly as sweet as their pie counterparts!

(Carbohydrate: 13g, Protein: 6g, -Fat: 28g )

Apple Walnut Toffee Crisp

Meal Prep Menu 2024: Week 5

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Meal Prep Menu 2024, Week 5! Bring on the planning and break out your pots and pans, we've got what you need to make this week's eating a breeze.

Get your weekly meal prep recipes done in no time with this week's delicious and easy meal prep menu. Put the taste of dessert first with some carrot cake pancakes and plan for a warming bowl of chicken curry for dinner. Enjoy some tasty snacks with these gluten-free (yes!) pretzel bites. Every recipe requires fresh, whole ingredients-just the way we like it-and can be customized to fit your dietary needs.

NOTE: These menus give you meal ideas, by design. We aren't telling you how many calories to eat per day. Please make sure to calculate your macros HERE and then adjust the menu items' portion sizes as needed. 

Don't forget to leave a comment on each recipe to let us know how you liked them! We love seeing your photos in the Meal Prep Facebook group too! 

This week's recipes:

How to customize:

  • Carrot Cake Pancakes
    • This recipe is already vegan. 
    • If gluten-free, sub the whole wheat flour with a 1:1 GF replacement. 
    • Any milk can be used. 
  • Popcorn Chicken with Rice Noodles
    • Make this vegan by swapping the chicken for diced tofu or tempeh. 
  • Vegan Chickpea Curry
    • The chickpeas can be subbed with diced chicken breast if desired. Make sure to cook the chicken all the way through.
  • Pretzel Bites
    • Swap the milk for a dairy-free version, the egg whites for Just Egg, and the cheese and butter for dairy-free versions to make this vegan. 
  • Sweet Potato Wedges with Tahini
    • This recipe is vegan. Woo hoo!
    • Any potato can be used, but we love the combo of sweet potatoes and tahini. 

If you have any questions or need ideas for alternate swaps, head over to our Facebook Group to ask or email me at [email protected]! 

How to alter the macros:

  • Carrot Cake Pancakes
    • To reduce carbs, omit the raisins. 
    • Serve with yogurt, cottage cheese, or eggs to increase the protein. 
  • Popcorn Chicken
    • To reduce the carbs, swap the rice noodles for riced cauliflower. 
    • Reduce the fat by baking the chicken instead of frying it. (An air fryer is best!)
  • Chickpea Curry
    • Increase the protein by swapping the chickpeas for chicken, which also reduces the carbs by about 25g per serving. 
  • Pretzel Bites
    • Increase the protein by serving with hard-boiled eggs. 
  • Sweet Potato Wedges with Tahini
    • You can increase the protein by serving these with plain Greek yogurt. 

*Please note that any changes to ingredients will alter the macros on each recipe. 

The Complete Pros and Cons Of A Keto Diet

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In the midst of all these diet and meal plans today, the ketogenic diet may have come to your attention. After all, there are thousands of people who follow it and claim the many health benefits, including weight loss! With this extremely low-carb diet and effective results, you may have wanted to try it out and see for yourself. But before you do that, there are some things you'll need to know, namely the good and bad things it can do for your body. Yes, the diet can do so much more than simply burn fat!

Pros and Cons of a keto diet

When on an extremely low-carb diet like this, your body will be facing a ton of changes. Unfortunately, not all of them can be the best for you! What exactly will you experience with this diet? Here are its pros and cons:

The Good

  1. Weight Loss

This is one of the most popular benefits of the diet. It can quicken weight loss for the long-term. Not only can it help you burn the fat you consume, but it also helps diminish hunger, having you eat fewer calories that result in more pounds shed. Your satiety increases because of the consumption of high fat and moderate protein foods.

  1. Reduces The Risk Of Type II Diabetes

Not only does the low consumption of carbs help you lose weight, but it can also help control insulin sensitivity and the release of certain hormones (insulin), which are a vital role in the development of diabetes. Through eliminating carbs from one's diet, you prevent an overload of insulin release, resulting in balances blood sugar levels. This can reverse your insulin resistance, which is what causes symptoms in those with diabetes.

  1. Reduces The Risk Of Heart Disease

You might think that a high-fat diet can lead to the risk of heart disease, but that's the complete opposite! It can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly in those who are obese and have high cholesterol. A study shows that those who follow the ketogenic diet have experienced decreased levels of blood glucose and LDL cholesterol.

  1. May Be A Protection Against Cancer

Did you know that a diet high in sugar can actually lead to the growth of cancer cells? Through eradicating sugar from your diet, it may actually "starve" the body's cancer cells as it won't be able to use fat for energy. There have been a few studies that show how this diet can be a treatment for cancer and other sicknesses.

  1. Can Fight Brain Disorders

There have been many studies proving that the keto diet can help treat and reverse neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. This is because the high-fat consumption improves the mitochondrial function and creates a neuroprotective effect. It can also help treat schizophrenic patients, normalizing their thoughts and reducing delusions or hallucinations.

  1. Increases Your Good Cholesterol

This is ironic, but the intake of healthier fats can help increase your levels of good cholesterol while decreasing the bad ones (LDL cholesterol). It improves your cholesterol patterns, which are also a huge factor in reducing the risk of heart diseases. By lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing HDL cholesterol, you can maintain a healthy heart.

  1. Helps With Your Metabolism

Besides controlling your appetite, this diet can help improve your metabolism, known as an effective treatment for metabolic syndrome. This syndrome can affect your weight, blood pressure, sugar levels, and cholesterol. But with a low-carb diet, you are able to improve all of those and maintain the levels without the adverse side effects.

  1. Better Mental Performance and Mood

Thanks to the consumption of healthy fats with omega-3 fatty acids, you will enjoy better mental performance and clarity. One can experience improved focus and memory because of DHA, found in fatty acids. A diet high in healthy fats can also improve your mood and keep it stabilized. For those who struggle with mood disorders, you will feel relaxed and level-headed thanks to less consumption of carbs.

As our body begins to burn ketones instead of carbs from our diet, our brain will do the same! And did you know that ketones have the ability to fuel up to 75% of our brain's energy needs? Because of this, ketones are a great alternative energy which maintains our brain cells' metabolism, thus protecting it and having us think better.

  1. Better Blood Pressure

Many studies show that following a low-carb diet can help decrease blood pressure levels in those who are overweight or have type II diabetes. Through lowering your blood pressure, you will be able to lessen your risk from various conditions like strokes or kidney diseases.

  1. Helps Prevent Seizures From Epilepsy

For people who suffer from epilepsy, low-carb diets can reduce the symptoms of this condition, particularly seizures. This is because your brain will depend on ketones instead of glucose for energy, which lessens the chances of seizures in children. Studies show that 56% of patients (from Blue Cross Blue Shield) experienced a drop in seizures by half or more.

The Bad

  1. Only Works For Short-Term

The keto diet is only used for short-term, only as much as 12 weeks. This is because prolonged deprivation of carbohydrates can lead to your body losing a lot of muscle and energy, eventually entering starvation mode without the required carbs it needs! And once your body enters starvation mode, it can actually be harder to shed the pounds. That means it isn't healthy to follow for the long run and can only be a short solution rather than a full lifestyle change.

  1. No Benefits For Athletic Performance

Like mentioned, you will experience muscle loss and fatigue as you continue the keto diet. With that being said, it can also take a toll on your athletic performance. Those who take sports with high anaerobic energy components like basketball and soccer won't have enough energy required for maximum performance. Because of this, you won't be able to reach your goals as quickly as you would compare to other diets.

Some people turn to MCT Oils to add the extra umpf to your keto diet. Read more:  https://www.ketogenicsupplementreviews.com/best-mct-oils-and-powders/

  1. The Adaptation Process May Be Uncomfortable (KETO FLU!)

It will take about one or two weeks before you reach the state of ketosis and your diet begins to help you lose weight. Not only will the transition and diet be a bit uncomfortable, but many people experience the "keto flu," where dieters would experience a few symptoms like:

  • Headaches
  • Fatigue
  • Bad breath
  • Muscle weakness
  • Lack of quality sleep
  • Moodiness
  • Brain fog
  • Constipation or nausea

While these subside within two weeks, it certainly doesn't do much to encourage you in reaching your weight loss goals!

  1. Limited Foods Allowed

Let's face it. While you'll be allowed to eat very fatty foods like bacon and a lot of butter, the restriction from your favorite pastries or grains may end up leaving you with limited choices, especially when eating out. It requires a lot of restraint or constant meal planning, making it difficult to eat out or attend parties with high-carb foods or drinks (unless you're willing to pack your own food!).

Another con is that most of the food you ARE allowed to eat isn't as healthy as you expect food from a diet should be. Sure, there are avocados and salmon, but some people prefer juicy steaks, coffee with butter, or the infamous bacon.

  1. High Fat Raises Blood Cholesterol

When on the low-carb diet, there will be times you'll be eating food very high in saturated fats. While studies show that the diet can level out your cholesterol levels, following this diet for the long-term can result in higher blood cholesterol, which can do you more harm than good, particularly in your heart.

If you are pregnant, have high cholesterol levels or blood pressure, then it is best to consult a doctor beforehand to see if you are allowed to follow the keto diet.

Before You Begin The Keto Diet

Do you feel like this diet is right for you? Then that's awesome! But wait. Before you do take on the lifestyle change, you should take a few precautions to avoid shocking your body. Here are some things you may want to follow before you start your diet:

  • Remember the risks of the diet and follow doctor's advice, especially when following a long-term dietary change to avoid erratic changes in your body.
  • Prepare yourself for the "keto flu," or at least, fatigue. This is normal and temporary. I recommend that you get enough sleep and avoid sugar for energy spikes (which is not allowed in the diet!).
  • Transitioning to a keto diet may be difficult, especially if you are used to a high intake of carbs and sugar. I recommend that you first lower down your intake of carbs slowly rather than to shock your body. The proper macro adjustment to lose weight during the keto diet would be consuming: 70% fats, 25% protein, and 5% of carbohydrates.
  • ALWAYS count your macros. This is more important than your calorie intake in this diet if you want to reach ketosis. Focus more on fat and check protein intake, making sure that you are only eating a moderate amount to avoid disrupting ketosis.
  • Because you won't be taking in a lot of carbs, you'll have some micronutrient deficiencies, namely in magnesium, iron, potassium, and thiamin. Besides getting a proper amount of fiber in your diet, I also recommend that you take multivitamins and supplements to keep your health in check.
  • Bacon and oil aren't the only things you can consume! There are many healthier options, such as avocados, berries, salmon, eggs, or green leafy vegetables.
  • The keto diet may only take around 12 weeks, but three months is still a long period of time that may come with a lot of ups and downs. Stay determined and stick to the plan but know your limits. If you ever feel extreme discomfort or pain because of your intake, then seek medical help and stop your diet immediately.
  • Once you have finished your 12 weeks of the ketogenic diet, slowly transition back to a "normal" diet and increase your carb intake little by little rather than consuming too much of it on the first day.

Wrapping It Up

And there you have it! With the proper knowledge of what the ketogenic diet can do for your body, you'll be able to see if it's fit for your weight loss and fitness goals. As long as you seek advice from medical professionals and manage any conditions while on a diet, then you can reap many of its health benefits.

I hope that this comprehensive guide to the pros and cons of a keto diet informed you of what you need to be aware of before taking on the change! So don't wait any longer and start your journey today.

If you have any questions or would like to share your tips and experiences when on a keto diet, then comment down below. I would love to hear what you have to think.

 

--

Author's Bio:

My name is Layla and I'm a writer at Howtonight.com - lifestyle blog which mostly focuses on health and nutrition but we also publish articles related to pets, travel, and entertainment.

 

 

Meal Prep Breakfast Sandwich - Freezer Friendly

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Breakfast sandwiches make the morning so much easier, especially with these freezer-friendly meal preps!

These meal prep breakfast sandwiches are made with baked eggs, onion, bell pepper, sausage, and kale. It's all piled onto an English muffin and can be made ahead of time. Score! Mornings are getting easier and healthier by the minute.

How to Store Breakfast Sandwich Meal Prep

We love prepping these for the week and you can totally keep them in the fridge for a few days with no issues. However, If you are freezing them, wrap them individually in wax paper, parchment paper, or aluminum foil and place them in a freezer-safe resealable bag. Freeze for up to 1 month.

How to Serve Breakfast Sandwiches

Heat your oven to 350 degrees and warm up the sandwiches for about 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve as they are, or with a side of hash browns. But honestly, this is a pretty hearty meal on its own. You just might not need anything else to go with it.

Breakfast Sandwich

Substitutions and Alterations

  • Make this vegan by using egg replacers and vegan cheese.
  • Use any kind of sausage you like.
  • Add some chopped tomatoes.
  • Fresh herbs are amazing with eggs, such as basil, parsley, tarragon, chives, and thyme. Dried ones will work great in a pinch; start at ½ teaspoon and add more as you tweak the recipe.
  • Change the kale to spinach, Swiss chard, or arugula if desired.

Tips for Breakfast Sandwiches

  • We love sprouted grain English muffins. They're hearty, have whole grains, and often, more protein and fiber. Look for them in the freezer section.
  • Don't forget salt and pepper. A bit of cayenne or red pepper flakes perks up eggs really well, too.

More Easy Breakfast Ideas:

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And say "YES" to more new recipes, consistent meal planning, money saving and homecooked meals! Sigh Up for our Meal Planning Program with WWL HERE (Free Trial)

Breakfast Sandwich

Breakfast Sandwich

Freezer friendly meal prep breakfast sandwiches are a great breakfast go-to
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Egg, sandwich
Servings: 4 Meals
Calories: 692kcal
Author: Meal Prep Mondays

Ingredients

  • 12 eggs
  • 1 bell pepper
  • ¼ white onion
  • 4 chopped breakfast chicken sausage links
  • 4 cups chopped kale
  • 4 breakfast sandwich buns
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350° and spray a 9x9 cooking pan with avocado spray.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped kale, sausage and diced onion and bell pepper.
  • Then, add all 12 eggs in a separate mixing bowl (plus salt & pepper as preferred) and stir together until fully mixed.
  • Pour the mixed eggs into the large mixing bowl with the other ingredients and mix together until everything is fully covered in the eggs.
  • Pour ingredients into the cooking pan and place in the oven.
  • Cook approximately 45 minutes or until the eggs have completely cooked.
  • After it has cooked, take it out of the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
  • While that is cooling, place the breakfast buns into the toaster.
  • Slice the egg pan mixture into four pieces and place on the buns.
  • Distribute into meal prep containers and enjoy!

Video

Notes

This makes four meals.
Option to add cheese slices to each sandwich. Macros not included for cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Meal | Calories: 692kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 551mg | Sodium: 1645mg | Potassium: 690mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 8638IU | Vitamin C: 120mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!
Breakfast Sandwich

23 Best College Dorm Recipes

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College dorm recipes don't need to come out of the microwave! With a few appliances and healthy meal prep recipes, you can cook easily away from home.

You may have heard of the "Freshman 15." College students are thrown into their studies away from home and don't do a whole lot of cooking typically, which results in weight gain. College dorm recipes often involve the microwave, if anything at all. Lots of the most accessible food choices aren't always the healthiest or consumed at regular intervals, which can throw off the metabolism.

Thankfully, with proper meal prep planning, it's possible to have healthy college dorm recipes. Chances are once you start cooking things, you'll have a lot of new friends, really quick, who are very interested in your culinary activities. We have put together our top 23 recipes with dorm room college or university students in mind. May your air fryer, electric egg cooker, and slow cooker be your battle weapons, and dried vegetable seasonings and spices go into battle with you!

Keto 'Overnight' Oats

Set it and forget it is always a winner with us, whether it's the slow cooker or overnight oats. We love this college dorm recipe because it's so nourishing.
(Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 22g)

Breakfast Parfait

You don't even need to cook this one. Just prep out yogurt, fruit, and granola and you can take this to go, and eat it in class!
(Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 6g)

Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage

Hard-boiled eggs can be cooked fast and easily, and stored in your room mini-fridge. An air fryer makes short work of sausage. Done!
(Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 26g)

DIY Fruit & Protein Snack

Cheese, nuts, and fruit are the way to get through a study session or a mid-afternoon slump.
(Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 25g)

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Breakfast Bowls 

Oh, everyone will wanna know what you're up to with this fancy-looking breakfast, lunch, or dinner! If you can cook bacon, you can put this together.
(Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 19g)

Low Carb Sun Dried Tomato Egg Cups

A quick turn through the oven makes egg cups for a snack, breakfast, lunch, or dinner. We love 'em.
(Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 10g)

Avocado Egg Salad

Once you've prepped those hard-boiled eggs, you can make this avocado and egg salad and keep it on hand for lunch or snacking.
(Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 61g)

Chicken Caesar Wraps

With a few ingredients (and croutons that are packed separately!) this college dorm recipe is yours in a hurry.
(Carbohydrates: 62g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 11g)

Crockpot Sweet Potatoes

If you've got a sweet potato prepped, you've got a great shortcut. Stuff them with black beans, scrambled eggs, other veggies, or just top it with some cheese.
(Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 4g)

Airfryer Firecracker Chicken

This college dorm recipe will bring people into the lounge wondering what you're up to. You've been warned!
(Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 51g, Fat: 11g)

Spicy Airfry Shrimp

Or, yet again, maybe this spicy shrimp will draw crowds. Might want to buy two bags of shrimp for this one!
(Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 7g)

Airfried Parmesan Broccoli 

Broccoli in the air fryer! It's an amazing transformation. Parmesan cheese is so welcome and easy to keep on hand.
(Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g)

Air Fryer Baby Potatoes

There's nothing wrong with having college dorm recipes for veggies all prepped and on hand. You can reheat them easily, too. And pair with hard-boiled eggs.
(Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 3g, Fat: .5g) 

Airfryer Frozen Fish Sticks

Are you sensing a college dorm recipe trend here? Yes, the air fryer! Prep these with rice and some cole slaw.
(Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 9g)

Italian Sub Lettuce Wrap

Skip the bread and turn your "sandwich" into a keto-loving wrap.
(Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 40g)

Chicken Salad

There's nothing like a good old-fashioned chicken salad. Grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and you're halfway there with this college dorm recipe.
(Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 29g)

Cilantro Lime Rice

Meal prep some green veggies and toss them with this easy rice, or use some of that leftover rotisserie chicken and mix it up. Easy!
(Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 1g)

Air-Fried Apple Chips

This is just a fun snack, not quite a whole dorm recipe per se.
(Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 5g)

Bacon Jalapeno Poppers

The little bit of work this recipe requires is worth it! Prep them for a long study session.
(Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 24g)

Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Chickpeas

There is so much protein in this snack, it's amazing. Cheese, nuts, chorizo, chickpeas. Sweet, salty, crunchy, creamy: this college dorm recipe has all of it!
(Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 5g)

Antipasto Skewer Snack Boxes

Snacks are so key when you're in college and doing work at weird hours. This'll keep you fueled.
(Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 22g)

Turkey Bacon Ranch Pinwheel Snack

A lot of these ingredients you can buy already prepped, so it's not so much a dorm recipe as it is an assembly.
(Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 19g)

Cranberry Turkey Pinwheel Snack

This college dorm recipe is a good excuse to get nostalgic and buy a can of cranberry sauce! Wrap it up with turkey and some grapes and chips and take it to class with you.
(Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 16g)

More health resources for teens:

Save these Quotes for a Positive Mindset

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Quotes for a positive mindset will move you forward when you're feeling stuck or lost. We all need a little pick me up now and then, right?

I truly believe in positive energy, and that your positive mindset gives you a more hopeful outlook, and believing that you can do something great means you WILL do something great. We collected some of our favorite quotes for a positive mindset. They can help encourage and empower you to do something great. Despite all the best intentions, getting started can be hard.

In my experience, repetition has been key. It's why mantras are so helpful, and seeing an image repeatedly can reinforce consistent positive thoughts and self-talk. Plus, it's why productive routines have the ability to make a big impact in our lives; they have with me. Whether it's meal prep inspiration, weight loss, working on a positive body image, creating a vision board, or setting and reaching goals-they are all impacted by positive reinforcement. Maybe you've had this experience yourself.

We'd love for you to see these quotes for a positive mindset every day. Right-click and save them as your desktop, or if you're on your phone, save them as the background on your phone. Or head over to our motivational Pinterest board and repin them for yourself.  Make sure you are being positively impacted every day. You can't lose! 

Here is to making progress! We're doing this together.

Quotes for a Positive Mindset

"I don't care what program you're engaging in, make vegetables the basis of your diet. They are one of the healthiest things you can eat." - Mark Sisson

seven days without exercise makes one weak

"Seven Days Without Exercise Makes One Weak"

Motivational Quotes for a Positive mindset

"In two weeks you'll feel it. In four weeks you'll see it. In eight weeks, you'll hear it." - Unknown

Positive Mindset Quotes - Meal Prep On Fleek

"I am grateful for all my victories, but I am especially grateful for my losses, because they only made me work harder." -Muhammad Ali (Soul of A Butterfly)

Positive Mindset Quotes - Meal Prep On Fleek

"Surround yourself with people more interested in your progress than your past." - Unknown

Positive Mindset Quotes - Meal Prep On Fleek

"Less Sugar, More Fruit. Less Soda, More Water. Less Driving, More Walking. Less Worry, More Sleep. Less Words, More Action." - Unknown

Positive Mindset Quotes - Meal Prep On Fleek

"The secret to getting ahead is getting started. Today is the day for new beginnings." - Unknown

Positive Mindset Quotes - Meal Prep On Fleek

"Without a goal, You can't score." - Unknown

What do you think? Which one of these quotes resonates with you? Or maybe you have one of your own favorites? We'd love to know. Please share some thoughts in the comments!

15 Best Super Bowl Meal Prep Recipes

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These 15 Best Super Bowl Meal Prep Appetizers make party planning really easy. They're all crowd-pleasers, perfect for watching the big game.

If you're planning on an amazing Super Bowl party filled with delicious appetizers for your family and guests, you've come to the right place. According to research at Premio Foods, Super Bowl Sunday is America's 2nd largest food holiday, and the top foods are usually pizza, chicken wings, chips, guacamole, burgers, sausages, and hotdogs. Despite the fact that it falls in the winter in North America, Super Bowl Sunday is also the 2nd biggest grilling day in America, outmatched only by the 4th of July. 

With that in mind, Super Bowl parties are all about the food and the company. Make appetizers that everyone will love and remember. We've put together our favorite 15 Super Bowl Mel prep appetizers so your party gets off on the right foot!

How to Super Bowl Meal Prep

It might seem odd to meal prep your apps for a party, but this is where the skills come in super handy. You can think it all through and do a lot of this ahead of time--after all, Super Bowl appetizers need variety and shouldn't be messy (we've kept those considerations in mind).

Offer a selection of savory, salty, spicy, and bold flavors with a strong sweet finish--this covers all the bases.

How to Serve Your Super Bowl Appetizers

You don't have to have a fancy football-shaped platter or a giant wooden charcuterie board, but they may help. Be sure to have plenty of plates and napkins, and if you can acquire a large tray, this will reduce the amount of clean-up afterward. It also makes for a nice presentation, is easily picked up by your guests, and encourages a welcoming environment where they can eat all that is available. What's not eaten or taken with guests can easily be stored for meals throughout the week. 

Tasty Super Bowl Meal Prep Appetizers

Bacon Jalapeno Poppers

Flavorful bacon wrapped around spicy jalapenos filled with cream cheese and topped with cheddar cheese, these appetizers are a perfect balance of spice and creamy goodness. 

(Carbs: 4g - Protein: 14g - Fat: 24g)

Bacon Jalapeno Poppers

Sweet Potato Wedges with Tahini

These sweet potato wedges are so much better than store-bought frozen wedges. They are delicately seasoned and perfect for dipping. Sea salt and garlic can be added for additional flavor.  

(Carbs: 44g - Protein: 6g - Fat: 12g)

Sweet Potato Wedges With Tahini

Zesty Gluten-Free Chex Mix 

Do not be surprised if these are completely gone before the game ends. This gluten-free Chex mix recipe will surely shine as an optimal Super Bowl appetizer that anyone can enjoy! 

(Carbs: 34g - Protein: 6g - Fat: 18g)

Zesty Gluten-free Chex Mix

Pretzel Bites

It is estimated that around 4 million pounds of pretzels are consumed on Super Bowl Sunday in the US. After you make these you may quickly realize why!

(Carbs: 37g - Protein: 10g - Fat: 12g)

Pretzel Bites

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Everyone needs a good dip as a Super Bowl appetizer, and most people love spinach artichoke dip! Creamy, delicate, healthy, and guilt-free: this is one of the very best spinach artichoke dips around.

(Carbs: 8g - Protein: 3g - Fat: 25g)

Paleo Spinach Artichoke Dip

Mexican Street Corn Dip

A popular Mexican street food goes appetizer, just in time for your Super Bowl meal prep! Perfect for dipping your favorite tortilla chips. 

(Carbs: 24g - Protein: 4g - Fat: 20g)

Mexican Street Corn Dip

Bacon-Wrapped Potato Wedges

Super Bowl classic appetizer right here, but with added flavors and a personal touch. If you're looking to score cool points with your guests, these are a must. You'll love dipping these in your favorite queso, ranch dressing, or even guacamole. 

(Carbs: 20g - Protein: 5g - Fat: 23g)

Buffalo Chicken Dip

(Carb: 1g - Protein: 11g - Fat: 8g)

Bacon Sausage Meatballs

Bacon makes everything better. Whether your guests are on a low-carb or keto diet, or they just love bite-sized foods, these bacon sausage meatballs are some of the best.

(Carbs: 2g - Protein: 12g - Fat: 7g)

Keto Bacon Sausage Meatballs

Chicken Carnitas Nachos

Everyone loves nachos for Super Bowl Sunday, and with this dish, you can make nachos they will never forget! With a mix of chicken and spices, your fans will be craving more. Hard to go wrong with this meal prep appetizer!

(Carbs: 29g - Protein: 57g - Fat: 2g)

Chicken Carnitas Nachos

Garlic Parmesan Wings

Crispy, garlicky, and a punch of flavor, these wings will be quickly tackled and taken out by your eager guests. Offer ranch, blue cheese, or guacamole for dipping these Super Bowl appetizers.

(Carbs: 28g - Protein: 39g - Fat: 37g)

Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Don't be surprised if you stop buying store ranch dressing after making this. Easy to make, healthy, cost-effective, and much more flavorful than store-brand ranch dressing, this is the dip every Super Bowl party needs.

(Carbs: 4g - Protein: 6g - Fat: 1g)

DIY Healthy Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe

Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken

Quick and easy to make, and easy to share. We love anything popcorn that comes out of an air fryer. A must-make Super Bowl appetizer: winner-winner, bite-sized chicken dinner!

(Carbs: 27g - Protein: 30g - Fat: 32g)

Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken with Coleslaw

Buffalo Chicken Mini Bell Peppers

Vibrant, slightly spicy, succulent bites of chicken and bell pepper, this appetizer is not going to last the whole game. You might need to make a double batch.

(Carbs: 8g - Protein: 15g - Fat: 22g)

Low Carb Buffalo Chicken Mini Bell Peppers

Tasty Churros 

With every Super Bowl party, there should be a sweet appetizer that makes a great final impression. These churros are up to the task.

(Carbs: 45g - Protein: 2g - Fat: 22g)

Churro Meal Prep

Candied Pecans 

It's always nice to have something sweet that people can munch on throughout the big game, and these candied pecans are that perfect gameplay. Plus, the protein!

(Carbs: 8g - Protein: 14g - Fat: 16g)

Candied Pecans

Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers (AIP friendly)

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Table of Contents

Looking for a healthy, delicious, and easy-to-make meal prep recipe? Look no further! These AIP-friendly (Autoimmune Protocol) Chicken Poppers with shredded sweet potatoes and broccoli are perfect for anyone following the AIP diet or simply seeking a nutrient-packed meal.

With just a few simple ingredients, you'll have four meals ready to go, and they're perfect for lunch or dinner. Plus, at only 337 calories per meal, they fit seamlessly into a balanced meal plan.

Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers

These sweet potato and chicken poppers are adult and kid-approved! Sweet potatoes sneak in a dose of fiber and beta carotene while herby cassava powder keeps the recipe paleo-friendly. They bake up golden brown in under 30 minutes with plenty of servings to last through the week.  

Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers

Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. lean ground chicken  
  • 2 cups shredded sweet potato  
  • ¼ cup Paleo Powder Cassava + AIP Powder 
  • 2 tablespoon finely chopped chives  
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil  
  • 4 cups broccoli florets, steamed 
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt  
  • ½ cup paleo compliant ketchup  
Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers

Instructions

  1. Preheat the Oven:
    Preheat your oven to 400ºF and lightly grease a medium baking sheet with cooking oil or line it with parchment paper.
  2. Prepare the Chicken Mixture:
    In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, shredded sweet potato, Paleo Powder, chopped chives, and olive oil. Stir well to combine until evenly mixed.
  3. Form the Chicken Poppers:
    Scoop 2 tablespoons of the mixture into your hand and form it into a ball. Gently press to create a small patty (this recipe makes about 16 poppers). Place the patties on the prepared baking sheet about ½ inch apart.
  4. Bake:
    Bake the chicken poppers in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until they are fully cooked and lightly golden on the outside.
  5. Assemble the Meal Prep Containers:
    Divide the steamed broccoli between the smaller compartments of your 4 Meal Prep on Fleek containers. Add four chicken poppers to each large compartment and include a small cup of paleo-compliant ketchup for dipping.
  6. Store:
    Let the meals cool down before placing the lids on the containers and storing them in the refrigerator. These meals can be stored for up to 4 days.
Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers

Commonly Asked Questions About the AIP Diet

1. What is the AIP Diet?
The AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) diet is a modified version of the paleo diet designed to reduce inflammation and help heal the gut in people with autoimmune diseases. It eliminates foods that may trigger inflammation, such as grains, legumes, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, nightshade vegetables, and refined sugar. The diet focuses on nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods to promote healing. Read more here

Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers

2. Can I eat sweet potatoes on the AIP diet?
Yes! Sweet potatoes are a great source of complex carbohydrates and are fully compliant with the AIP diet. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals, making them a nutritious addition to your meals.

3. What is Paleo Powder, and why is it AIP-friendly?
Paleo Powder is a blend of AIP-compliant seasonings that add flavor and texture to meals. The "Cassava + AIP Powder" used in this recipe is specifically formulated to avoid common allergens and irritants while offering a versatile coating for meats and vegetables. It's free of grains, gluten, dairy, nightshades, and nuts.

Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers

4. What are the health benefits of following the AIP diet?
The AIP diet is designed to reduce inflammation and support overall gut health. People who follow this diet often report improvements in autoimmune symptoms, reduced joint pain, better digestion, and increased energy levels. It can also help with food sensitivities and allergies.

5. Can I eat ketchup on the AIP diet?
Yes, but it must be paleo-compliant ketchup. Most store-bought ketchups contain added sugars and nightshades (like tomatoes), which are not AIP-compliant. Paleo ketchup, often made with ingredients like beets or carrots, is free of these common irritants and suitable for those on the AIP diet.

6. What are some alternatives to broccoli for AIP meal prep?
If you're looking for alternatives to steamed broccoli, try AIP-friendly vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, asparagus, or leafy greens like kale and Swiss chard. These vegetables are nutrient-dense and pair well with the flavors in this recipe.

Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers

How to Store

  • Refrigeration: Store the meal prep containers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make sure the chicken poppers and broccoli are cooled completely before sealing to prevent condensation and sogginess.
  • Freezing: You can freeze the chicken poppers for longer storage. Place them on a baking sheet to freeze individually, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. The broccoli, however, does not freeze as well and may become soggy after reheating.

How to Reheat

  • Microwave: Reheat the chicken poppers and broccoli in the microwave for 2-3 minutes on medium heat, or until heated through. Make sure to stir halfway through to ensure even heating.
  • Stovetop: For crispier poppers, you can reheat the chicken poppers in a skillet with a bit of oil for 2-3 minutes on each side. The broccoli can also be reheated in a pan or quickly steamed again.
  • Oven: Place the chicken poppers on a baking sheet and reheat in a preheated 350ºF oven for 8-10 minutes or until heated through.

This Chicken Poppers with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli meal prep is a delicious and AIP-friendly option for anyone looking to make healthy, flavorful meals in advance. The combination of lean ground chicken, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, paired with a paleo ketchup dip, makes it a satisfying lunch or dinner that aligns perfectly with the AIP diet. Plus, it's easy to make and packed with nutrients!

Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers

Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers

These sweet potato and chicken poppers are adult and kid-approved! Sweet potatoes sneak in a dose of fiber and beta carotene while herby cassava powder keeps the recipe paleo-friendly. They bake up golden brown in under 30 minutes with plenty of servings to last through the week.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chicken, dinner, gluten free, low calorie, low carb, lunch, paleo
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 337kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. lean ground chicken
  • 2 cups shredded sweet potato
  • ¼ cup Paleo Powder Cassava + AIP Powder
  • 2 tablespoon finely chopped chives
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cups broccoli florets steamed
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ cup paleo compliant ketchup

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400ºF and lightly grease a medium baking sheet with cooking oil or line with parchment paper. Combine ground chicken, shredded sweet potato, Paleo Powder, chives, and olive oil in a medium mixing bowl and stir well to combine.
  • Scoop 2 tablespoons of mixture into hand and form into a ball then gently press to create a small patty (16 total). Place on baking sheet ½ inch apart. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  • Divide steamed broccoli between small compartments of 4 teal MPOF containers. Add 4 chicken poppers to each large compartment and a small cup of ketchup for dipping.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 16g | Fiber: 2g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Easy Low Carb Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

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Table of Contents

This low-carb beef and broccoli stir fry meal prep is cooked in a savory sauce with tender broccoli. An easy, 15-minute meal that's better for you than takeout.  

Let's be straight. Who doesn't love take-out? It's quick and definitely convenient, but in most cases, not very healthy. We thought it was time to change all of that and bring you this healthy twist on take-out; Low Carb Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry Meal Prep. Dare we say, it's very 'on fleek' 😉

If you've got these ingredients on hand, you can make your very own version of low-carb beef and broccoli stir fry. It's a meal prep you'll turn to time and time again, especially if you or your family loves Asian food! Plus, you'll feel good knowing it's not loaded with tons of salt and sugar.

 

Low Carb Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry Meal Prep

Our version is made with whole, nutrient-dense ingredients including round roast, broccoli, and ghee to give you a recipe that is full of protein and vitamins-with only 11 grams of carbs. Additionally, this stir fry dish is gluten-free, high-protein and keto. It makes the fastest Sunday meal prep for people who hate cooking or are short on time or a quick weeknight meal.

Low Carb Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry Meal Prep Ingredients

For the Main . . . 

And for the marinade . . . 

  • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 
  • 2 tsp. tapioca flour 
  • 2 tbsp. coconut aminos 
  • Salt & pepper to taste 
Low Carb Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry Meal Prep

How to Make Low-Carb Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry Meal Prep

Bring together the marinade ingredients in a bowl, and those just consist of olive oil, tapioca flour, coconut aminos (instead of soy sauce) and, of course, some salt and pepper. Let the beef marinate in the bowl for at least 10 minutes (but several hours is ok, too). 

Get your large deep skillet nice and hot and add the ghee, garlic, and ginger. Cook quickly, and then add the beef and marinade right to the pan. Cook for five minutes or so, and then add the broccoli, and keep cooking until that's tender. That's it. So easy.

When it's time to serve, simply garnish it with sliced green onions. Dig in!

How to Store Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

This meal serves four, like many of our recipes, so you can serve it immediately or portion it out and prep it for the week. If desired you can prep and freeze this meal, too. It will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Substitutions and Alterations

If you're following a low-carb diet, there's not a ton of wiggle room in this recipe. You can use any kind of cut of beef that works for you instead of stew beef or round roast. Swap out the broccoli for cauliflower or use a combination of both. Up the garlic and/or ginger if desired. 

However, if your diet isn't low-carb but you like the looks of this, by all means serve with regular white or brown rice, or cauliflower rice. 

READ MORE: Stir fry to the rescue! Low Carb Pork Fried Rice Meal Prep!

Here are five more Asian Inspired Meal Prep ideas:

Low Carb Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry Meal Prep

Low Carb Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry Meal Prep

This juicy beef stir-fry is an easy 15-minute meal in a savory sauce with tender broccoli. Low-carb, and better for you than takeout!  
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Beef, Meal Prep
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 332kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 1 pound stew beef, round roast or chuck roast
  • 3 cups broccoli florets
  • 2 tablespoon ghee
  • 2 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoon minced ginger
  • green onions sliced, for garnish

Marinade

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon tapioca flour
  • 2 tablespoon coconut aminos
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • In a bowl, mix together the ingredients for the marinade. Add the beef to the bowl and let it sit 10 minutes.
  • Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the ghee, garlic, and ginger in the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
  • Add the beef and marinade to the pan. Cook 5-7 minutes until desired tenderness. The marinade will thicken in the pan as it cooks.
  • Add the broccoli to the pan, cooking another 7 minutes until broccoli is tender.
  • Serve immediately garnished with green onions, or portion into four meal prep containers.

Notes

Nutrition for 1 out of 4 servings:
27g Protein || 20g Fat || 11g Carbs

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 20g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Meal Prep Menu 2024, Week 1

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It's time to get planning and break out your pots and pans! We've got what you need to make this week's eating easy and delicious meal prep menu 2024, week 1!

This week, we have a great variety. Eggs are always a winner and when combined with turmeric you'll wonder why you never tried it before! If you're pressed for time try these two super fast recipes: 10-Minute Brownies and 20-Minute Thai Almond Meatballs. Lighter Mango Chicken with Sticky Rice surpasses takeout, and is less sweet, too! Finally, prep and snack on Beet Hummus and Veggie dippers throughout the week.

Every recipe requires fresh, whole ingredients-just the way we like it!-and can be customized to fit your dietary needs.

NOTE: This Meal Prep Menu (2024!) for week 1 will give you ideas. We aren't about to tell you how many calories you should consume every day. (In fact, we don't really like the word "should.") Please calculate your macros HERE and then adjust the menu items' portion sizes as needed. 

Our weekly meal prep menus are the perfect solution for busy individuals looking to eat healthy, delicious meals without the hassle of cooking every day. Every week, we offer a selection of nourishing dishes made with fresh, whole ingredients for a healthy email prep. Each menu targets the calorie range between 1800-2000 calories.

Recipes for Meal Prep Week 1:

Don't forget to leave a comment on each recipe to let us know how you liked them! We love seeing your photos in the Meal Prep Facebook group too! 

How to customize:

  • Turmeric Scrambled Eggs
    • Make this vegan/vegetarian by swapping the eggs for Just Egg or scrambled tofu and the sausages for a plant-based version. 
    • The turmeric is optional. 
    • Serve with your favorite veggies.
    • The sausage can be pork, chicken, or turkey. 
  • 20 Minute Thai Almond Meatballs
    • Make this vegan by swapping the ground turkey for ground meat replacement such as Impossible. 
    • The almond butter can be swapped for peanut butter. 
    • The ground turkey can be subbed with beef or pork.
  • Lighter Mango Chicken with Sticky Rice
    • Make this vegan by swapping the chicken for a vegan chicken replacement or tofu cubes. 
  • 10 Minute Brownies
    • This recipe is already vegan. 
  • Beet Hummus & Veggie Dippers 
    • This recipe is already vegan. 
    • Serve with veggies of choice. 

If you have any questions or need ideas for alternate swaps, head over to our Facebook Group to ask or email me at [email protected]! 

How to alter the macros:

  • Turmeric Scrambled Eggs
    • To reduce the fat, serve with half eggs and half egg whites or use a lean sausage. 
    • Increase the carbs by serving with potatoes or fruit such as a banana or mango. 
    • You can increase the protein by adding in egg whites to the scramble. 
  • 20 Minute Thai Almond Meatballs
    • Reduce the fat by swapping the almond butter for powdered peanut butter (mixed with water to equal the same amount) and/or by using ground turkey breast. 
    • To increase the carbs, serve with rice (if not paleo) and a veggie such as carrots.
  • Lighter Mango Chicken with Sticky Rice
    • Reduce the carbs by swapping the rice for cauliflower rice. 
    • Increase the protein by using more chicken. 
  • 10 Minute Brownies
    • Increase the protein by serving with yogurt. 
    • Carbs and fat can't be changed in this recipe unless you cut the brownies into 8 squares instead of 6. 
  • Beet Hummus & Veggie Dippers 
    • To reduce the fat, make 6-8 portions instead of 5. 

*Please note that any changes to ingredients will alter the macros on each recipe. 

8 Ways to Get Fit This January

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Table of Contents

January is the typical month to reevaluate your exercise routine. Everyone is doing it this time of year. Especially if the inches or pounds have encroached upon your frame, we generally take this time to revisit our plan to see if there are some things that need to be revised for the upcoming year. Here are 8 suggestions to think about as you seek to get fit this January:

1.Stay hydrated before meals.

One of the best ways to get fit is to make sure that you maintaining optimal hydration. It is important during exercise, of course, but it is equally so throughout the normal course of the day.

Water is essential to your body to make sure your metabolism and digestive system is running at optimal levels. Like gas is necessary to make a car run efficiently, water is the fuel that is necessary for all the cells of your body to do their jobs well.

Drinking eight, 8 oz. glasses of water daily is suggested, but make it a habit to drink one of those glasses before each meal. Our bodies have a hard time making a distinction between hunger and thirst. Having a nice, cold glass of water can make you feel fuller before a meal so it's easier to avoid overeating.

What is dehydration and how to avoid it

2. Don't skip breakfast.

Make sure to meal prep something for busy weekday mornings so you have no excuses for being famished and grabbing something, shall we say, less than advantageous, on the way to work. If you are hungry in the morning, EAT! If you are running out the door, at least have a glass of water (see previous suggestion). If you prefer not to sit down to the good breakfast that you have prepped at home, bring it with you to have once you get to work. This will keep you satisfied and alert as you start your day.

3. Find a Trainer.

If you have never invested in having a trainer to help you put together a fitness plan, January may be the time to give this a try. You might be able to find some holiday special to experiment with this time of year-just another way to take advantage of this resolution-making season.

This might be someone that you want with you every step of the way. Or maybe you just need someone that you can engage to help you get together an initial plan and you take it from there. There are plans to fit every financial situation. It just takes some fortitude to go looking for the deal that will best fit you and your lifestyle. This is a wise investment to get the most time-saving benefit on the road to a fitter YOU.

4. Grab a friend.

Making plans that you will be more apt to stick to, is always easier if you have a partner to keep you on track. There is no way to overemphasize the benefits of having a friend along to motivate, encourage, and hold you accountable. Plus, let's be honest, it definitely makes it more fun! Take a look at what Pablo Diaz says about working out with a friend, HERE.

5. Purchase a foam roller.

Or if money isn't an issue for you, get a regular massage. Either way, your body will thank you to spend some time on myofascial release after a good, hard workout. How will this help? Either a few good rolls with a foam roller or massage helps to speed recovery from any aches or pains and ease muscle soreness. You will more likely look forward to your next exercise session if you indulge yourself to recover with foam rolling and/or a session with a trained masseuse..

Foam Roller Exercises

6. Strengthen your core.

What is the benefit of a tightened core? Your core muscles are the muscles around your abdomen, pelvis, and lower back. It is necessary for all sports and exercise to have strong core muscles to help with flexibility, balance, and should be a vital part of any exercise program. One of the easiest core exercises is "The Plank". It does not require any special equipment and can even be done in front of the television.

7. Make good use of downtime.

These days, most of us have more things that are pulling at our time than ever. Finding time to fit in a well-organized fitness program at times seems almost impossible. Look for those extra minutes to just keep moving if you haven't been able to fit your normal routine in. Just don't give up! Or maybe you have had several workouts this week and it is time for a rest day. Instead, use your downtime to do some foam rolling. Little minutes add up!

8. Dance for 15 minutes.

During the winter months, especially if you live in the snow regions, there can be lots of indoor time. For some of us, there tend to be lots of family time; time spent watching movies or just being together. This is a good thing!

This is also a great time to put on some good music and have a little dance party. Children love this too and they never seem to run out of energy! But children or partners are not required. This can be done any ol' time. Just keep moving and those calories will burn!

How are you keeping fit this January? We would love to hear about it. The options are limitless.

What are some of your favorite ideas?

How To Kick The Yearly Weight Loss - Weight Gain Cycle

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Table of Contents

It goes by a few names: Yo-yo dieting. Weight cycling. Crash dieting. But they all mean the same thing. It is the typical dieting sequence that happens throughout the calendar year for so many. And it never works. The problem is not just that the cycling effect is demoralizing, but that there is a very real problem of what this weight loss-weight gain does to our metabolic system. It alters our metabolism, making the weight harder to lose each time we rebound diet. And more bad news-frequently we have even MORE weight to lose than before. Why is this?

Studies have shown that cycling through times of extreme weight loss/gain increases metabolic hormones (insulin) and also sex hormone (estrogen) that not only puts on more unwanted weight, but also has far more drastic health consequences such as high blood pressure linked to heart disease, and insulin resistance linked to diabetes. All things no one wants to play around with! But what is the answer? How can the cycle be broken?

The first one is not new advice on this website:

Stop dieting.

That's right you heard it here. Just stop it! We here at MPOF are about LIFESTYLE changing, not dieting. We have said it before, dieting is just plain hard work. Dieting is drudgery. It takes so much effort and the rewards are temporary or worse, non-existent. In fact, as we stated before, you might be in a more daunting situation because of it. Never start a diet again.

Common Diet Myths Busted

Get educated.

Become your own nutritional expert. There is so much information on this website (and the internet!) about nutrition that there is no reason why, with a little effort, you can't become quite knowledgeable about what to eat and when to maximize your efforts to stabilize your metabolism and lose weight at a steady and sane pace.

Make a lifestyle change.

Do not consider a trimmer you to be a temporary goal. Consider it to be the "new you"-all the time! Once you are educated on what to eat, resolve to eat that way a majority of your life; at least 80% of your life. If you are staying the course 80% or the time, there is room for error and you don't then need to berate yourself for having a little splurge now and then. Or temporarily "going off the rails" as all we humans tend to do from time to time.

Set a new goal.

There will always be those occasions that you want to fit into some special outfit or look good in shorts or whatever it is for you, but no longer make those short-range desires be your goal. You want your goal to be a fully orbed healthier you. Start with what you are eating daily and then move onto exercise.

Start simply.

You don't have to be a complete expert all at once. If you have been weight cycling (like the majority of the western world) likely your confidence has taken a hit and that can tempt you to give up before you have barely begun. Don't put that pressure on yourself! Learn what you need to do and enjoy the process.

Track your progress.

Nothing motivates us to push forward more than seeing progress. So don't deny yourself that pleasure. But, on the other hand, don't obsess about small setbacks to your onward progression. By tracking your progress, you allow yourself grace to see where you need to adjust and roll with it, realizing life has its ups as well as its downs.

How to track fitness progress

Meal Prep.

One of the best ways to keep yourself in control of your food intake is in meal prepping. No surprise that a website called "Meal Prep On Fleek" would be endorsing this course of action, eh? If you are new to meal prep, this is an excellent place to start to introduce you to this easy concept. Not only will meal prepping help you to be in charge of eating in a healthy way, but it will also help you come to understand portion control as well, which is key.

Do yourself a favor and resolve to never diet again.

Make this year a year to make a resolution to change your lifestyle instead. Start yourself on the road to a healthier way of living. We would love to be a part of your journey and we have many ideas, recipes, and articles to help you on your way!

One Pan Beef Stroganoff (Paleo,GF)

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One Pan Paleo Beef Stroganoff is an easy dinner recipe for anyone. Tender chunks of grass-fed beef, hearty portobello mushrooms, and a creamy sauce are served over spaghetti squash to make this traditional dish paleo and gluten-free. 

One Pan Paleo Beef Stroganoff - 1

Beef Stroganoff holds a special place in my (Sarah's) heart. As a kid, I remember my dad always called it Beef Strogan-AWFUL because it was basically a bunch of cheap ingredients tossed together to make a meal when he was younger. When you didn't have money you made do with what you had. But, my grandmother made a killer recipe. Hearty, filling and full of flavor. But, also full of ingredients, I try to avoid (can we say canned cream of mushroom soup).

Because of that, it has been years since I have enjoyed this recipe. But, I was determined to make a version just as good as my grandmothers, but with paleo friendly ingredients. Oh, and that could be made in one dish because those are my favorite. Well, it took me a few tries since her recipe said, "A pinch of this, A dash of that." But, I got it.

One Pan Paleo Beef Stroganoff - 1

One Pan paleo Beef Stroganoff would (traditionally) be served over egg noodles, but since those are a 'no-n' in the paleo world, I opted for one of my favorite spaghetti alternatives, spaghetti squash. You could also go with zoodles or cauliflower rice. Any of those would be great!

You will also see that I have listed a few alternatives. This recipe, as written, is high in protein and moderate in fat. But, you can swap the dairy free yogurt (if not paleo) for Greek yogurt or even traditional sour cream. Also, if you like a thicker sauce you can increase the amount of flour used.

If you aren't a fan of beef, go ahead and try this with chicken! I would love to know how it turns out. Also, tofu, for my vegan/vegetarian friends would work perfectly! Just be sure to switch the broth to vegetable.

One Pan Paleo Beef Stroganoff Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, grass-fed strip steak
1 medium onion
8 ounces portobello mushrooms
¾ cup plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt
½ cup beef broth (paleo friendly)
1-2 tbs tapioca flour
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper, as desired
fresh parsley, as desired
2 lbs spaghetti squash, cooked

One Pan Paleo Beef Stroganoff - 1
One Pan Paleo Beef Stroganoff - 1

One Pan Beef Stroganoff (Paleo, GF)

One Pan Paleo Beef Stroganoff is an easy dinner recipe for anyone. Tender chunks of grass-fed beef, hearty portobello mushrooms, and a creamy sauce are served over spaghetti squash to make this traditional dish paleo and gluten-free. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Course: Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: Beef, paleo
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 384kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 1 pound strip steak cut into chunks
  • 1 medium onion (150g) diced
  • 8 ounces portobello mushrooms sliced
  • ¾ cup dairy free yogurt*
  • ½ cup beef broth
  • 1-2 tbs tapioca flour *Use 2 tablespoon if you'd like a thicker sauce (macros based on 1 tbsp)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic about 1 clove
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt & pepper as desired
  • fresh parsley optional

For serving

  • 2 pounds spaghetti squash cooked (32oz)

Instructions

  • Brown steak, onion and minced garlic in a pan until no pink remains in your steak.
  • Add in sliced mushrooms and cook 2-3 additional minutes.
  • Stir in 1-2 tbsp. tapioca flour.
  • Add beef broth, worcestershire sauce, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer on low for 10 minutes.
  • Remove pan from the heat and stir in dairy free yogurt and parsley.
  • Serve with spaghetti squash.

Notes

* This recipe is traditionally made with sour cream. If you are not following a paleo diet, please feel free to use sour cream or Greek yogurt. Please keep in mind this will alter the macros as seen below.
Nutrition for 1 out of 4 servings including spaghetti squash:
36g Protein || 25g Carbs || 15.5g Fat
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 15.5g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Complete Guide: How To Meal Prep

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Whether you're just getting started or want to make sure you're on the right path, this complete guide will be your Meal Prep Master Class.

Let's get started

If there is something specific you're really looking to accomplish, the navigation bar can help you get there quickly.

Jump to a Section:

You've probably seen this graphic. We can attest to how true this ACTUALLY is, and that's why we're here to help.

abs are made in the kitchen

Studies show that, when weight loss is the focus, regular exercise is only 20% of what actually produces results... the other 80% is nutrition.

We might move slower than you'd like, so we're asking you to only focus on one or two things at a time (rather than tackling 100 things and trying to change everything at once). Trust us...there is a method to our madness.

How to Manage Your Time for Meal Prepping

The GOAL for this section: To understand where your time goes, how to optimize the time you're spending on everyday tasks, and to put a plan in place to include meal prepping in your weekly routine.

Getting Started:

  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?

Action Step: Before you go to bed tonight, get your clothes ready for tomorrow. Everything you can get done tonight, will make your morning that much easier.

  1. 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 tasks that NEED to be accomplished

  1. Set a Benchmark
    Follow yourself around for a good week and find out what activities you're spending time on. Things that are typically on this list include: going to the movies, getting coffee with friends, Netflix / YouTube, gym / exercise (this is a good thing), studying, reading, etc. Start Tracking Your Meals ASAP...
  2. Write a To-Do list
    Now that you have an idea of what your needs are and where you spend most of your time, have a brief, but thorough meeting with yourself to plan your day. Ben Franklin used to start his morning plan by asking himself, "What good shall I do this day?"
  1. 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.

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

  1. Turn off Notifications
    During your main work blocks, where you're most productive, let others know you need uninterrupted time when you absolutely HAVE to get things done.
  2. 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. Time management should be a process of continual improvement and you will know it's working when you find yourself adding extra curricular activities to your To-Do list.
  3. 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 these steps, you should be able to plan and prep your meals for an entire week, in just a couple hours. If you want to save time on the planning process, Workweek Lunch has a meal planner tool where they do the planning for you! Learn more here

Here is what that would look like:

Know your Calorie Goal- Why are you eating what you're eating? (You only have to do this one time)

  • Find recipes HERE based on your calorie goal and plan your shopping list (P.S. Use the search bar if you're looking for something specific)
  • Once you have your recipes, add up the cook times and set your meal prep time limit for your prep day (see time management notes for meal prep below)
    Then all you have to do is get cooking
12 Essential Pantry Swaps For Healthier Meal Prepping

Kitchen Tools and Essentials

It might be a small step at first: You decide you want to figure out your macros and then work on creating just one or two beginner meal preps a week. Maybe it's a one-pan recipe that calls for a large sheet pan, so a sheet pan becomes #1 on your to-buy list.

Or maybe you decide you want to start with a muffin or egg cup recipe that calls for a muffin pan, which then becomes #1 on your to-buy list. It's up to you. Or, you could be so excited to start a full week's worth of lunches that you also want to dive in and make one-skillet and one-dish recipes during your Sunday prep!

But, when it comes time to create all of these yummy recipes that you have found and saved on Pinterest, you realize you don't have any of the tools you need to make them! Maybe it's time to stop spending all that extra money on take-out and instead invest in new cooking tools that will not only save you money in the long run, but also help you attain your health goals - with meal prep as your guide. Because we all know that achieving 80-90% of your health and fitness goals starts with proper nutrition!

We have picked some of our favorite and most necessary kitchen tools that will help you meal prep like a pro! Oh, and leave you eating like you are a culinary chef!

Here is a FULL LIST of our favorite Kitchen Tools.

NOTE: We break these down further by category in the next lessons:

  • Non-Stick Skillet
  • Cast Iron Skillet
  • Saute Pans and
  • Sauce Pans With Lid
  • Baking Dishes
  • Sheet Pans
  • Roasting Pan
  • Cooling Rack
  • Meal Prep Containers
  • High-Quality Knives
  • Measuring Cups & Spoons
  • Food Scale
  • Kitchen Utensils
  • Cutting Boards
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Colander
  • Spiralizer
  • Food Processor
  • Crockpot
  • High-Speed Blender
  • Air-Fryer


Download our Kitchen Tools Checklist to take inventory of your kitchen tools and plan ahead for future additions.

Ultimate List Of Meal Prep Kitchen Tools

Macronutrients and Micronutrients 101

[Watch this lesson here]

It is easy to get lost in the world of nutrition when you're first starting to be mindful of your food choices and track your diet. So we wanted to give a brief breakdown of macro vs micronutrients.
--

What are Macronutrients?

Macronutrients are nutrients that our bodies need in large amounts to create energy for physical and mental activity. There are 3 primary macros, - Protein, carbohydrates, and fat - and a lesser known macro is water.

What does it mean to count macros: To gain, lose, or maintain weight, many people will count their macros to make sure they are getting adequate nutrients for their bodies' needs and to support their health and wellness goals.

+ Macronutrients are counted in grams.

For example, ¼ cup of almond has approx. 6g of protein, 6g of carbs, & 14g of fat, and you would add this up to ensure you hit, but do not exceed, your targets for each.

It requires a bit of discipline at first to look at nutrition labels to figure out how different foods fit into your individual macro needs, but it's worth it if you want to reach a specific macro target goal.

Your optimal macro ratio depends on your goal, sex, age, weight, lifestyle, activity, and your body type. (Remember to use the MPOF Macro Calculator to figure out your individual needs!)

HOW TO CALCULATE CALORIES IF YOU KNOW THE MACROS

What are Micronutrients?

Micronutrients are vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, trace elements, and antioxidants, and they are needed in much smaller amounts than macronutrients - thus "micro" for small, and "macro" for big.

They are essential in the production of enzymes, hormones, & proteins that are critical to body and brain function, including metabolism, heartbeat, bone density, etc.

Some micronutrients have a small role, whereas others fulfill a broad range of functions. You should aim to get at least get the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of each essential nutrient every day, and you can find guidelines online.

It is recommended that you get your daily doses from nutrient-dense foods, but you can also use supplementation as a kind of "insurance policy" to avoid nutrient deficiencies if you have a restricted diet, food allergies, or a medical condition that necessitates more of a certain nutrient.

Further Reading: How to Read Nutrition Labels

How to Find Meal Prep Recipes

Let's take a second to recap:

  • So far, you've learned about time optimization and management, you've created a to-do list and scheduled time in your week to search for recipes as well as time to get your meal prep done.
  • You have learned about the essential kitchen tools needed to ensure that you can prep and cook your ingredients for the week.
  • You have also learned more about macronutrients (macros) and micronutrients and have calculated out your macros, so you have a baseline for what you need to look for in a recipe. As a reminder, macros are the foundation for achieving your physique goals. Whether your goal is weight loss, maintaining weight, or gaining weight, macros are the roadmap that will get you to your end goal.

Now that you have a time scheduled in your week to find recipes and meal prep, and you know what macros you're looking for in recipes (if you didn't calculate your macros yet, click here: Macro Calculator, let's review some of the best ways to find recipes online.

Here are the tools we use each week to plan our meals:

  1. Meal Prep on Fleek

You can easily do the same thing on MealPrepOnFleek.com, as you can on Pinterest, the selection is just much more limited (to things we actually eat) instead of having millions of results to filter through you have only a couple hundred.

Some key things to look for on MealPrepOnFleek.com are our Quick Search tabs and categories. You can easily click and filter through categories like; Paleo, Whole30, Vegetarian, Chicken, Calorie ranges, and more… Watch this video to see how this works

2. Your Meal Prep Manual

Click HERE if you didn't already download it to your computer or mobile device.

  1. MPOF Macro Planner App (beta)

We're building a tool that will help you plan a whole month of meals, WITH MACROS, using recipes from Meal Prep on Fleek. Because you're AMAZING and you're part of this course,

Click HERE to check out our Macro Planner App

4. Pinterest

- Start your search with the broadest category of ingredient or goal and narrow your search results from there. For example, if you're macros indicate that you need to lower your carb intake, search for "Low Carb Dinners" + Combine that with the main ingredient in your fridge or freezer and you're already 50% of the way there. "Low Carb Chicken Dinner"

- Once you have narrowed it down to your goal and main ingredient, then you can search through the recipes to see what looks good.

- When you see a couple recipes that look good, click through to find out what the nutrition values are. You want to make sure that each meal aligns with your macro goals. Or in other words, all of the food you eat for the day should make up your macro goals.

Here are some great boards to check out first:

5. And even TikTok

TikTok has become a great resource for meal prep inspiration and easy recipes. Here are some of The Best TikTok Accounts for Meal Prep:

How to Grocery Shop for Meal Prep

PSA: Don't go shopping when you're starving!
First things first, to set yourself up for success in the grocery store, try to visualize the layout of your local store. Every store is different, but generally speaking, you will want to do the bulk of your shopping around the perimeter of the store.

Your fresh produce (fruits and veggies) will usually be on one side of the store. Keep walking around the perimeter and you'll come to either seafood, meat, or dairy. Keep walking and you'll likely stumble across things like lunch meats (and other packaged meats) cheeses, juices, or a frozen section. Stores that carry alcohol often keep these items on the perimeter as well. The important thing to keep in mind is that these things are around the perimeter of the store.

PRO TIP: Keep in mind that 60% to 70% of purchases in grocery stores are UNPLANNED! So, do NOT deviate from your shopping list and definitely do NOT go shopping when you're starving.

For some of the items on your list, you're very likely going to have to walk through some of the middle aisles. Especially if you're re-stocking your pantry. Reference the lesson on Kitchen Tools and Prep for our favorite Pantry Swaps.

Again, every store is different, but the middle aisles are often organized by type of food or product: frozen foods, canned vegetables, cereals, baking items, food storage (Ziploc bags and Meal Prep containers), medicine… etc.

If you are venturing down the aisles, here are the ones you'll likely need to stock up your pantry:

Baking goods - nuts are often kept in these aisles
Frozen vegetables - a major time saver if you're fine with eating these over fresh veggies
A bulk section - if your grocery store has it, nuts are often kept here and, because you can buy items in this section in the quantity you desire, they can be cheaper than buying a brand-name bag of almonds from the baking aisle.
Jarred items (like jams and jellies) - this is where the almond butter is kept
Spice aisle - spices and sauces for cooking are often in this aisle, as are cooking oils and vinegar.

++ Flavor is one major key to successful meal prepping ++

If you're looking for items like coconut milk or soy sauce, check to see if your grocery store has an "ethnic foods" or "Asian foods" section. These items are often located here.

Here is a sample map so you could get an idea of the aisle categories:

Step-by-Step guide to Meal Prepping

Meal Prep Day:

You're almost done!
Let's get prepping! Today is the day… you've made it through all the information to get you started and know it's time to put your knowledge to practice.

We have put this step-by-step guide together as an easy intro to meal prepping so that you have a solid foundation to build from. This is an easy meal prep and an easy meal prep process you should be able to get done in under 60 minutes.

That's right… 8 meals in under 60 minutes.

via GIPHY

Before we get to the Step-by-Step, here are some things that you should be thinking about as you're planning, grocery shopping, and get ready to dive into your meal prep time:

  1. What meal(s) are the most time-consuming to prep?
  2. What days or nights do I most need meals ready ahead of time?
  3. What items would be the most helpful to have ready and on hand?
  4. What foods will stay fresh until they're eaten?
  5. What could I prep ahead of time, so I don't have to do _ repeatedly during the week?

By thinking about these things ahead of time, you can cut down on time, costs, waste and dishes! You can often cut back on the dishes you use by preparing items (like root veggies, bell peppers, and grains) in advance, as well as save time and energy on tasks like standing at the stove, preheating the oven, or washing produce one item at a time.

Pro Tip - They may cost a little more (not always) but pre-cooked veggies and grains can be a real life saver.

For this step-by-step meal, we're going to focus on lunch, but this concept could easily be applied to breakfast and dinner.

Here we go! Let's get going on our 8 meals (Breakfast AND Lunch) in 60 minutes meal prep run-down:

For this lesson, were going to be prepping these recipes: Sheet Pan Nutty Keto Pancakes and Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Bites. Gotta squeeze that protein in where you can, you know?

5 Things you need to know before you get started:

  1. Veggies usually take the longest to cook : Chop your veggies into smaller pieces to help them cook faster
  2. Pre-Heating the oven takes time… DO THIS FIRST!
  3. Boiling water is another time suck! Get this started ASAP if you're cooking grains or hard boiling eggs
  4. FYI…You have to wash all the dishes you use. DUH, right?! But somehow we end up using more dishes than we realize and end up with a sink full of dishes to wash. Only use the necessary dishes and wash while you prep.
  5. Proteins cook quick… save those for last


PRO TIP:

While there are several ways to meal prep, we found that knowing the recipes in advance and taking care of most of the prep steps in advance helps alleviate some of the stress, especially when it's been a crazy week.

You will notice that both of these will be cooked in the oven… that means you're only pre-heating the oven once in order to knock out two meals.

via GIPHY

Because the pancakes come together in about 5 minutes, you'll start with these… Here is how the process should look:

0-5 Minutes

  • Pull out trash can, mixing bowl, sheet pan, cutting board, knives, hand towel, and any appliances you anticipate needing (food processor, stand mixer, etc.).
  • NOTE: You're going to use the same sheet pan twice
  • Preheat oven to 400F. Line sheet pan with parchment paper liners or tin foil.

5-15 Minutes:

  • Make the pancake batter and prepare the fruit for your pancake toppings. Let sit for 10 min before spreading the batter into the pan.
  • If you're done with that and the oven is not yet preheated, start prepping the veggies for the Pizza Chicken.
  • When oven is preheated, put the pan into the oven and Set timer for 6 minutes.

16-25 Minutes:

  • If you haven't already….Wash all vegetables. Allow vegetables to air dry while chopping others.
  • When the timer goes off for the pancakes, turn your oven to the broil setting and leave in oven for 5-6 minutes or until edges are golden
  • Once the pancakes are golden brown, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.

26-30 Minutes:

  • Next: If you are buying large chicken breasts, you will want to slice them in half so they are nice and thin. Smaller cuts will decrease your cooking time and ensure everything cooks evenly.
  • By about the 30 minute mark, your pancakes should be ready to come out of the oven and all your ingredients (mushrooms, onion, olives, bell peppers) should be prepped and ready for the chicken.

31-51 Minutes:

  • Remove your pancakes from the oven and take the pancakes out of the sheet pan.
  • Decrease your oven temp from 400F to 375F
  • Place the chicken on the sheet pan and put them in the oven for 8-10 min
  • While the chicken is in their first stage of baking, start cleaning up from the pancakes
  • When the timer goes off, remove the chicken from the oven and top with sauce, cheese, and vegetables
  • Return the chicken to the oven for 6-10 min (or until the chicken is fully cooked)
  • Once the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and let everything cool down. Turn off your oven now

52-60 Minutes:

  • Portion out the meals, add lids to all of dishes, and transfer to fridge.
  • Wash dishes and wipe down counters.

YOU DID IT!!!

via GIPHY

How to Meal Prep Breakfast and Lunch

Following up:

Plan to either cook or consume the items you prep over the weekend within 4 days (3 if you're prepping fish). This helps to make sure that vegetables don't go bad, especially those that don't hold up as well like greens, bell peppers, cucumbers, and other soft produce.

If it looks like something may spoil before it appears on the menu rotation, swap it out with another meal that can sit another night or two without going bad.

Use shortcuts, like frozen or pre-chopped produce, when necessary or more convenient.

If you are concerned an item you prep in advance may spoil before you get to eating it over the course of the week, err on the side of caution. Either wait to prep it and/or buy the pre-cut option of it to have on hand (as needed).

A Few Bonus Sections you might be interested in:

  1. Mindful Dining Out
  2. Dealing with Meal Prep Fatigue
  3. How to Track your Meals (with tracking worksheet)
  4. How to Calculate Macros
  5. 400+ Meal Prep Recipes
How to Meal Prep Guide 777x431 (1000 × 1500 px)

23 Best Vegan Holiday Treats

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With all these vegan holiday treats to try, there are bound to be some new favorites in the mix for you and your plant-based loved ones!

There are many reasons to make some sweet vegan recipes for the holidays. Maybe you're vegan, or a close family member is. Or maybe you are finding yourself out of eggs, milk, and/or butter, and you want to do some baking, immediately! Or maybe you're just a curious person in the kitchen who wants to tinker with what's available.

We have the solution. Well, 23 of them, in the form of vegan holiday treats recipes. Our best-of list runs the gamut from rich and chocolatey to spicy and crispy-and everything in between. You'd be surprised what you can veganize when it comes to baking and dessert-making. Most people can't tell the difference. Not only are these healthy treats good for holiday functions, but they are also great for meal prepping throughout the week.

Table of Contents

Easy Vegan Desserts for the Holidays

What desserts do vegans eat on holidays?

It's really easy to have vegan desserts. Usually, they involve plant-based milk and butter (like Earth Balance, for example), along with the use of a flax egg. Sometimes vegan recipes will also be keto or gluten-free, so read these faves carefully. If you've got a lot of different kinds of eaters in your midst, you could probably accommodate many people quite easily with some of these recipes!

  • Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Roasted Chickpea Bark
  • Easy Almond Joy Cookies
  • Low Carb Pecan Pie Bars
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Muffins
  • and more...

Vegan Triple Chocolate Brownie Cake

No one will miss any of the milk, butter or eggs here in this vegan holiday treat.

Snowball Cookies

This keto recipe is loaded with walnuts and almonds and calls for regular butter. Swap for plant-based!

Snickers Protein Bars (Vegan, GF)

They look like a combination of KIND bars and Snickers and taste better than both put together!

Healthy Vegan DIY Mint Oreos

You may never ever go back to the store-bought ones again after making these vegan holiday treats.

Vegan Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Roasted Chickpea Bark

Chickpeas covered in chocolate? Color us CURIOUS, and hungry! Protein with your dessert!

Easy Almond Joy Cookies

The keto/gluten-free cookie is just what it looks like. Swap a flax egg for the egg white and make it vegan.

Gluten-Free Apple Pie Bars

It doesn't need to be a special occasion to make these amazing apple pie bars.

Low-Carb Pecan Pie Bars

Continuing with the delicious bar theme, we bring you these pecan bars. Low-carb, too!

Brownie Batter Hummus

Is it hummus and healthy? Or brownies and not? Or is it both!? Try this vegan holiday treat and find out!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Muffins

This doesn't even remotely look vegan. It looks like a cake-like peanut butter cup. And we like it that way.

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

Yay for gluten-free and vegan gingerbread cookies for the holidays!

The Easiest Gluten-Free Brownies

Such dark and delicious chocolate action here in these brownies. Just use a flax egg instead and none will be the wiser.

Tasty Churro Meal Prep

Cinnamony, flaky, and dippable in chocolate? And vegan? Sign us up for these holiday treats.

No Bake Collagen Brownie Cups

Collagen makes chocolate healthy. It does. Really!

Chocolate Almond Butter Bark

We bet you have most of the ingredients for this vegan holiday treat on hand already. Go check!

Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Spice Pumpkin Bars

Take all the holiday treat flavors. And then add chocolate. Then cut them into squares. So good.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Make them once as a vegan treat and then make them again. All. Year. Long.

Double Chocolate Donuts

These donuts are all you need, any time of year, but they're extra special for the holidays.

10 Minute Raw Vegan Brownies

Keep the ingredients for these on hand when you have unexpected company during the holidays.

Baked Gingerbread Cheesecake

Raw cashews and coconut cream make this an incredibly rich VEGAN cheesecake!

Vegan and Nut-Free Buttercrunch Toffee

Say it with us. Vegan candy.

Candied Pecans (Keto, GF, Vegan)

Make these for a snack. Or top some salads. A quick and easy holiday treat.

Mini Pecan Pies

Aren't these just the cutest things? Make these and a few other desserts and you can make a sampler platter.

How to Get Fit and Stay Fit with Meal Prepping

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Getting fit, especially when it comes to losing those extra pounds, requires us to be conscious of our daily diet. As the say, "Abs are made in the kitchen," and in many go further to suggest, "Our health begins and ends in the kitchen."

New Year's resolutions, health scares, and summer vacations tend to push us to lose the necessary pounds or inches. However, it is common to make these initial changes all to get stuck back in the same self-destructive cycle of eating terribly-to-healthily. Conflicts of time, different schedules, general tiredness, family obligations, regular busy working life, or outright laziness tend to be our excuses. The good news is that there is a way out of the calamity.

When it comes to the kitchen and consistency, the best way to get fit and to stay fit is with meal prepping.

  • Meal prepping helps us get fit and stay fit.
  • Meal prepping is good for anyone that wants to get fit and stay fit.
  • In this post, we'll explain why meal prepping is important for getting fit, and we will provide 3 suggestions if you're new to meal prepping.

What is Meal Prepping and Why Does it Matter?

Meal prepping, also known as meal preparation, is preparing food in bulk for the week as opposed to cooking daily.

The major benefit of meal prepping (besides saving time, money, and stress), is having better control over what we eat. Since we have prepared ahead, we give ourselves less room for excuses as to why we cannot maintain a healthy eating lifestyle. By sticking to a meal prepping lifestyle, it becomes immensely easier to maintain your New Year's resolution or summer figure.

After a long day at work, it is usually when we want to relax or do something else other than cook. For others, if we go home after work we might not want to workout, and time constraints prevent us from being able to cook late, so we may go with a less healthy option for dinner if we do workout. Meal prepping saves time throughout the week and keeps us from having to make those sacrifices since the meals are already prepped and only require minutes to warm. Overall, meal prepping gets us on the right track and keeps us there through personal accountability and better time management. 

Time Management Tips for Super Busy People
Related Article

How to Get Started

No matter your diet plan or lifestyle change we have just about all of the recipes you will need. We are also constantly updating our recipe books, and finding more within our community here on Meal Prep on Fleek.

On the website, you can search for your diet type or you can look through recipes we already have available. Whether you are going with a keto plan, vegetarian, vegan, low carb, macro/micros, or others, we have some fantastic recipes ready.

3 Recipes for Meal Prepping

  1. Keto Parmesan Chicken Patties
  2. Vegetarian Chorizo and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
  3. Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
Sheet pan Shrimp Fajitas

Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas

This sheet pan shrimp fajita dinner requires minimal prep with plenty of veggies and protein to keep you full!  Best of all, it's ready in under 30 minutes!






Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes
Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: gluten free, Meal Prep, Shrimp
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 246kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

For Fajitas

  • 1 lb. raw shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 2 cups julienned bell peppers
  • 1 cup thinly sliced white onion
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

For Pico de Gallo

  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For Serving

  • 1 lime sliced into wedges
  • 4 corn tortillas

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425ºF and line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl, combine shrimp bell peppers and onions with olive oil and dried seasonings. Stir to coat. Spread onto the baking sheet. Roast for 8 minutes. Stir and roast an additional 5 minutes.
  • Serve shrimp and vegetables over tortillas topped with pico de gallo, lime and cilantro.

Notes

Macros for the tortilla are not included

Nutrition

Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 22.6g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 9.4g | Fiber: 4.5g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Getting fit and staying fit requires taking the proper initial steps and then being consistent with it. If you value your health more than the self-destructive cycles, and you want to help yourself become more personally accountable, meal prepping is the best solution. For some people, who cringe at the thought of planning a meal, should check out tools like this Meal Planner.

When you begin your meal prepping, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, to stay up-to-date with us.

Tag us and share your favorite recipes or ones you've created, we may share it with our community and give you a shout!  

Don't Sleep on These Binge Eating Triggers

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Table of Contents

Binge Eating-Triggers

We've all been there. We are going along just fine with our established meal prepping routine just to instantaneously fall off the plan and into a binge eating session*. And it usually isn't a binge on healthful foods, but rather foods with lots of sugar, starch, and calories, UGH!! Once we come out of our food coma, we are left trying to understand why it happened in the first place. This is the key to finding our solution.

GK Chesterton once said, "It isn't that we cannot see the solution, it is that we cannot see the problem."

It isn't that we cannot see the solution, it is that we cannot see the problem.

In this article, we are going to take a long, hard look at some of the problems that can lead to a struggle with binge eating*. Once we identify the problem and your particular triggers, we will have taken the first great step towards taming out-of-control eating.

Maybe you have struggled with one of these six common binge eating triggers?

The "I'm mad and want revenge!" Binge-This type of binge is triggered by an underlying anger as a way of venting it. It could be anger at a situation or some other person, or even yourself. You might be angry for letting yourself down, failing in some way, or mad at your body for "not cooperating" with your plan. So instead of facing the anger appropriately, we pig out on 2 bags of chips and leftover birthday cake. But this can have a cyclical effect. Though we might feel temporarily consoled, we get angry at our lack of self-control and binge again. Could it be that anger is at the root of your problem?

The "I'm feeling overwhelmed and stressed out!" Binge-When we are feeling this way, we want distraction mostly to help us forget our troubles. And stress also seems to affect our food choices. Stress releases the hormone, Cortisol, which tends to give us more craving for calorie dense/high fat foods. We tend to want comfort and this comfort often comes in the form of Mom's chicken pot pie! Can you relate? Are you overeating out of stress? If so, maybe that stress needs to finally be met head-on or needs to be distracted at the gym instead.

The "Am I finally alone?!?" Binge-Though anyone can relate to this trigger, mothers with young children seem to really identify with this one! The trigger for this type of binge is having access to alone time that seems rare. To celebrate, we can often fall into this trap. It can be an excuse to relax for a bit especially if we have been under pressure to get lots of things done. Or it can be a response to boredom. There is a secretive aspect to this type of overeating. There is an opportunity available with no one around and no one will ever know. But, of course, YOU will know and know that you might be undoing weeks of careful food planning. Is there something else that you could do to celebrate ME TIME that would be just as satisfying as an entire box of Fiddle Faddle? Something to think about…

The "I'm just craving something yummy!" Binge-Do you find yourself spending lots of time fantasizing about dessert or some savory/cheesy meal? At the end of the day do you realize you have been grazing all day on poor food choices? Do you find yourself drawn to food videos that are simple, but extremely fattening? Then you might be setting yourself up to go on a pleasure binge. Perhaps a reordering of routine or spending a conscious few minutes pondering what REALLY brings you pleasure. Maybe the real pleasure, if you think about it, is the rewards you get from sticking to your sane, yet satisfying meal prep plan.

READY TO SAY, "GOODBYE" TO FORGETTING TO MEAL PLAN, FOOD BOREDOM, AND "FINDING MOTIVATION."

And say "YES" to more new recipes, consistent meal planning, money saving and homecooked meals! Sigh Up for our Meal Planning Program with WWL HERE (Free Trial)

The "I'm feeling deprived" Binge-And maybe you are. Have you ever thought about that? Have you become legalistic in your food choices and restricted yourself so tightly that you have sucked every bit of joy out of eating? Don't do that! If there is one thing that we hope you have learned by reading MPOF is that we are all about taste and deliciousness. Make sure that you are giving yourself grace and a little indulgence from time to time. Be good to yourself and make sure you lace your meals with great tasting, yet nutritious food. These two things, flavorsome and healthy, do not have to be mutually exclusive.

And last but not least, probably the most common cause of bingeing:

The "I'm Crazy HUNGRY!" Binge-Physical hunger ranks high on the reasons many fall into being out-of-control with food. They have not been feeding themselves on a regular basis only to become ravenous and lose track of what they have eaten. Before they know it there are Little Debbie wrappers strewn around the family room and the secret stash of the kid's Halloween candy has been breached. If this sounds vaguely familiar, there needs to be some adjustments made. Make sure you are getting your macros! Keep some healthy snacks available and take the time to eat them when you need to. It is ok to be a little bit hungry for the next meal, but if you find yourself indulging your thoughts on foods you will regret eating later, it is time for a little bite.

So, we just went over the six top reasons that people binge eat and some ideas to curb that temptation. If you are finding that your struggles are more intense than what was described here, or you just can't pinpoint the reason for your last food bender, you might consider getting a professional's advice. We all need a little help from time to time.

__

*Binge eating is defined as, "The consumption of large quantities of food over a short period of time, typically as part of an eating disorder." However there is a difference betwen binge eating and binge-eating disorder.

Binge-eating disorder is a serious eating disorder in which you frequently consume unusually large amounts of food and feel unable to stop eating.

Almost everyone overeats on occasion, such as having seconds or thirds of a holiday meal. But for some people, excessive overeating that feels out of control and becomes a regular occurrence crosses the line to binge-eating disorder.

According to the Mayo Clinic, some signs of binge-eating disorder include:

Binge Eating Symptoms

Most people with binge-eating disorder are overweight or obese, but you may be at a normal weight. Behavioral and emotional signs and symptoms of binge-eating disorder include:

  • Eating unusually large amounts of food in a specific amount of time, such as over a two-hour period
  • Feeling that your eating behavior is out of control
  • Eating even when you're full or not hungry
  • Eating rapidly during binge episodes
  • Eating until you're uncomfortably full
  • Frequently eating alone or in secret
  • Feeling depressed, disgusted, ashamed, guilty or upset about your eating
  • Frequently dieting, possibly without weight loss
  • Have binge-eating episodes more than 3 times per week

If you find that your episodes of binge-eating are happening more than 2-3x per week, please contact your medical professional as soon as possible.

The Most Common Binge Eating Triggers

Review: Peluva Barefoot Shoes

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As a wellness enthusiast, I'm always on the hunt for the next thing to give me a performance advantage. I had seen barefoot shoes in the past, but always thought they looked a little dorky. So, when I saw Peluva's barefoot sneakers come to market with a more casual/everyday design, I thought this would be my entry point into the barefoot shoe crowd.

peluva-barefoot-shoes

Here is some of my feedback:

1. Why I Wanted Peluva Sneakers

I was drawn to Peluva sneakers for their unique 'barefoot' design. The concept of a shoe that combines the natural feel of being barefoot with the protection of a sneaker intrigued me, and I was eager to see if they lived up to the hype. Like I said, some of the other barefoot shoes, just look a little strange to me.

2. Comparing Comfort Levels

In terms of comfort, Peluva sneakers are a game changer. They offer a lightweight experience compared to traditional sneakers, giving a sensation that's closer to being barefoot while still providing ample support and cushioning.

Something to consider... I know that everyone's feet are going to be different, and I just happen to have a longer second toe than daddy toe. Never thought I'd write that down... LOL! This means that I needed to order a larger size than my normal shoe, because these are meant to have a much better fit than regular sneakers.

peluva-shoes-at-the-gym

3. Standout Features of Peluva Sneakers

Several features stood out to me. Firstly, the lightweight design never weighed me down. Secondly, the strategically placed rubber treads provided excellent traction without compromising the barefoot feel. Lastly, the personalized fit (once I sized up) made them feel like they were made just for my feet.

I've worn these to the gym, on walks / runs, out to the pool, and even to the office.

4. Impact on Foot Health and Well-Being

Since wearing Peluva sneakers, I can't say that I've noticed a positive change in my foot health. They encourage a more natural foot movement, which is supposed to reduce discomfort during long walks... but I haven't really noticed a difference.

A few reasons this could be:

  • Maybe I'm just so used to my regular shoes,
  • Maybe it's because I have flat feet,
  • Maybe because I haven't worn them long enough,
  • or, Maybe they're just like other shoes... but lighter with specific places for your toes? 🙂

5. Matching Expectations

Peluva sneakers matched my expectations pretty well, in the sense that I was stoked to try them out and once I got my shoe size dialed in, they were great to wear.

Because I am a bit of a stickler for time efficiency, the extra time it takes to put on the socks and shoes (because you're trying to find the toe holes) was a bit of a hinderance to my morning routine. Ultimately, I just started skipping the socks all together...

Conclusion: My Final Thoughts on Peluva Sneakers

Peluva sneakers are not just another pair of shoes; they're a lifestyle choice. With their stylish and lightweight design, they've redefined what I expect from footwear. Remember to size up and pair them with the right socks for the best experience. If you're looking for a shoe that marries ancestral wisdom with modern technology, give Peluva a try.

Explore Peluva's Collection

How Your Cell Phone Can Help You Lose Weight

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Table of Contents

It's that time of year again, isn't it? The crush that comes at the end of the year has us all thinking about what's next, and how to make it happen. The good cheer and amazing food added to social engagements and a sparse amount of daylight inevitably get many of us off track with healthy eating and regular exercise. It can be difficult enough just to maintain healthy habits, let alone lose weight, but it can be done!

In case it wasn't already, your cell phone is about to become your best friend. Along with everything else you use it for in your life, your cell phone is an excellent tool to help you stay focused, organized, and on track.

In The Kitchen

We've all heard the adage that losing weight is 20 percent exercise and 80 percent diet. That 80/20 number may not be completely accurate (there are probably as many opinions as there are experts), but your eating habits have a lot to do with your overall health and your weight loss. Your favorite apps on your cell phone are a great place to store your favorite recipes, as well as new ones to try.

You can make your healthy shopping lists on it, as well. Having a list in front of you will often help to keep you from impulse buying once you get to the grocery store.

Low Carb Shopping List
Click to Pin

It is also helpful to keep track of your food intake so you can see what you're doing right and what you may need to improve upon. Having a daily record of your eating habits is helpful when you're getting in shape. Apps such as MyFitnessPal allow you to input your own foods, so if there's something you like that is not on their list of foods you can type in the nutrition info from the label or even scan the barcode and hit save. This does wonders in getting you to read the labels on the food you are buying and preparing., which is important.

Just so we're square, no one on earth enjoys counting calories. Using your cell phone to count them for you makes it easy!

In the Gym

Whether you save your favorite workouts to your Pinterest, have an email subscription for a new workout every week, or save your workouts with an app like Samsung Health. Save new ideas and take your phone with you to the gym. Changing up your routine can be good for the body and the mind: it keeps your muscles guessing and keeps you from getting bored with the monotony of the same-old-same-old every day.

Track Your Progress

When trying to lose weight it is important to keep track of the progress you make. Yes, this can get frustrating when you experience a setback or your stride plateaus. Keep in mind that this is normal and keep going! That pedometer on your phone measures your journey one step at a time.

Share With a Friend

Thanks to our mobile devices we can have workout buddies without needing to go to the gym at the same time as they do. This opens up your schedule but still keeps you in touch with your pals. Even if your partner can't make it to class or to the gym you can still motivate and push each other remotely. Sharing your improvement with like-minded people can give you a boost of confidence when you need one!

Another great thing about using your cell phone to help you lose weight is that you can personalize your goals accordingly. Whether you've had a setback or you're ready to take your workouts to the next level, having your advancement in black and white in front of can help you gauge what your next steps will be.

Need More? There's an App for That, of Course

Not just one, either, there are a lot of apps for your phone that can turn it into a fitness and weight loss powerhouse. Many can help fill in the gaps in your accountability, calorie counting, or fitness goals.

Check your app store for what you are looking for. Do you want to know more than the labels tell you about your food? Are you more interested in a step counter, or a calorie counter? Is it motivation and accountability?

Like an app that publishes your accomplishments so that you get feedback on them from real people in your life? All of these types of apps and more are available, plus quite a few that blend all of those things together for you. There are even apps that track your sleep.

You can use your cell phone to keep a food and weight loss journal, too. Okay, so this can be done on paper or on your computer, as well. Regardless of whether you journal on your phone or in some other way, keeping a record of your day-to-day process is an invaluable tool.

Losing weight is not an entirely physical commitment. Your mind needs to be involved, too. Observing your moods and how your diet and exercise make you feel will help you analyze your needs, especially if you're going to be in it for the long haul. Here is a mobile-friendly Meal Planner that I use all the time.

Don't forget to pack your headphones! Whether it's your tunes or you're catching up on your favorite podcast, having something you enjoy listening to is bound to keep you happier and more energetic during your workouts.

Best Digital Food Scales of 2024

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Weighing in on Portion Control and Best Food Quality, here's what you need to know about Digital Food Scales

Table of Contents

First off... Every Serious Meal Prepper should have one!

Living in the digital age, food scales are not just like your Mama's traditional one anymore. They are fancy, yet amazingly simple to use. And now, they are quite affordable too. Every meal prepper concerned about accuracy for cooking that perfectly delicious meal or the one striving for weight loss should seriously consider getting one. Why? Let's consider some reasons:

Why a Quality Food Scale is Important

PRECISION

While it is true that you can do a lot with your eyeball and your hand to get an idea of portion size in a pinch, once you are finding some success in trimming those pounds and want to continue, you will find that a simple digital food scale can come in very handy. Some dieters would not consider doing without one.

It is more precise than packing your measuring cup and hoping for the best! There are a lot of factors that go into the weight of a cup of flour, for instance, and it can make big difference as to whether your finished product comes out tough and puck-like or soft and spongy. It works the same for diced foods. It can depend on how coarse or fine your foods are diced (think nuts or cheese) to determine its correct portion, but if you weigh it; perfect every time!

RATIO BAKING OR COOKING

Food scales are super great for cooking/baking by ratio and makes it a breeze. Consider something that you are in the habit of making all the time; breakfast comes to mind. See some fantastic new breakfast recipe ideas here. There are recipes that call for 1 part of something to 2 parts of another, for example. A digital food scale makes it super easy to alter your recipe to make as little or as much as you want of that recipe. Or you can scale the ratio down for a single serving, or up for a large dinner party with ease.

DIVIDING EVENLY

When meal prepping for several days in one cooking session, you can use your food scale to make sure that you will have the portion consistency for each container. Uniform ingredients will always be in your future. Find some yummy lunch recipes here

WEIGHT CONVERSIONS

Digital food scales do the conversions for you. Have you ever run across a great recipe from a part of the world that uses the metric measurements (or vice versa) and you avoided it only because you didn't have the right tools? Gone are those days because nearly every variety of digital scales does those conversions for you.

SO EASY TO USE

Unlike traditional scales that require subtracting out the weight of the bowl you are measuring in, digital scales all come with a tare button that you press to "zero out" the weight of the container you are using to put your ingredients in. By pressing "Tare" you can start at zero with each new ingredient weighing each one all in the same bowl.

What to look for in a digital food scale

  • Measuring platform size big enough for your needs.
  • Weight capacity for the scale. Most of the best sellers go from 1 gram (or .1 oz) to 11 lbs.
  • Clear display readability
  • Automatic shut-off to protect battery life.
  • Ease of cleaning and storing.

In making a decision for this quintessential meal prep tool, there are a plethora of digital scales for you to choose from. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors to accommodate for each budget and need. Here are a few that showed to be classic best sellers on Amazon to get you started. All come with a 1 year warranty or money back guarantee and all come with batteries included. Which one will fit your needs?

Our Favorite Digital Scales for Meal Prep

1. Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale, Elegant : $11.50

Best Food Scale

The Ozeri Pronto has over 8,600 5-star positive review ratings. It boasts of being Amazon's #1 best-seller in this category. It has a large weighing platform, yet cleans and stores easily. Conversion between metric and standard units of measure is easy. It comes in 7 different colors from which to choose from. Some of the reviews said that the display is not backlit and it could be a bit tricky reading it if you have a plate on top of the weighing platform. If this one that appeals to you, find out more here.

2. Etekcity Digital Kitchen Scale Multifunction Food Scale, 11 lb - $13.98

Best Digital Food Scale 2

This user-friendly model from Etekcity has anti-fingerprint technology and a thin and smooth design with a stainless steel finish. It is another best-seller on Amazon with a 70% 5-star rating out of 3,339 reviews at this time. It compact for traveling. It has a quick unit conversion with 4 high precision sensors to give you the accurate weight. It comes with a backlit display for easy readability. Reviewers were very pleased with the company's customer service when it was needed. A few mentioned that there was a 3 gram disparity when weighing ingredients. On the whole, purchasers seemed very pleased with this scale and noted it's multifunctionality in also being able to double as a postage and jewelry scale as well. You can find this top-seller here.

3. EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale - $19.96

Best Digital Food Scale of 2017

This highly accurate scale is recommended by The Sweet Home.com It comes in 4 different colors to choose from : red, white, silver, and black/chrome. It comes with a special calorie guide booklet that is a bonus. A nice feature on this model is that it has non-slip rubber tabs on the bottom to keep it securely in place on your kitchen counter. It has a 3 minute window before the auto-shutoff so that you can get your ingredients weighed while it also maintains a strong battery life. Out of 8,315 Amazon reviews, 81% gave it a 5-star rating. This highly recommended unit can be found here.

4. Etekcity Digital Kitchen Scale Multifunction Food Scale with Removeable Bowl - $21.99

Best Food Scales of 2017

Another product from Etekcity, this scale has a few more features than the previous model we reviewed from this company. It is also a very good seller with 83% of those purchasing giving it a 5-star rating out of 1,444 reviews on Amazon to date. This one comes with a removable bowl that was made to fit this scale specifically (though any container can be used). It also comes with a temperature sensor and an alarm/timer giving it multiple uses in the kitchen. It is made with stainless steel and has a clear readable backlit display. If multi-use kitchen products appeal to your meal prep sensibilities, you might like to take a closer look at this one here.

Now this one is a little different. Is it for you?

5. Ozeri Touch Professional Digital Kitchen Scale (12 lbs Edition) - $16.45

Best Digital Food Scale

This one is a professional scale, yet it looks more like a Kindle HDX or an iPad. It is also the only one with over 2,000 reviews that has a max. weight capacity of 12 lbs (the others were 11 lbs.). It comes in 5 different colors to coordinate with your kitchen or office. It has a tempered-glass finish that is 4 times stronger than traditional glass and gives it that hi-tech look. The manufacturers suggest that it needs to have a very flat surface to ensure the best accuracy. If you think that this professional looking, yet simple to use scale is just right for you, click here.

6. OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale with Pull-Out Display, 11-Pound - $49.95

Best Digital Food Scale 2018

"I bought this scale years ago, but I still use it EVERY day. Still the best scale of all that I've encountered. I previously owned a Salter-made one was totally inaccurate and have used a bunch of other scales in friends' kitchens, all of which were either thoughtlessly considered or were inaccurate as well. This OXO scale is accurate up to about 2 grams-sometimes it oscillates between grams, but it shouldn't be that big of a deal unless you're like, measuring out precious stones or something. I usually calibrate and check the scale using my husband's ring, which is 8 grams according to the jewelry store we bought it from, to check that the scale is still accurate. To this date, the scale still reads the ring as being 8 grams.

Love the pull-out option of this scale should you place a larger mixing bowl atop it. The lighting option is also wonderful, but I've probably used it once or twice in all these years I've had this scale. If you leave something on it for a long time, the scale will turn off, but if you turn it back on, it'll still display the weight that was last recorded. DO NOTE that, if you add additional weight while it's off, it won't document that weight. I've run into the problem of putting extra weight onto the scale RIGHT as it turned off, knocking off the original measurement. I found the best way to keep the scale on while you're waiting to add more weight to it is to press between the unit of measurement. Still looks great, despite the superficial scratches on the stainless-steel surface. I'm not bothered by it." - Testimonial

We are sure that this will make your meal prepping easier, more accurate, and more fun! Let us know in the comments section if this article was helpful to you in deciding which food scale is right for you!

Do you have a Food Scale? Tell us about it in the comments below

21 Day Sugar Detox Meal Prep Ideas

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If you are following "The 21-Day Sugar Detox" or any other sugar or grains reducing plan, one of the challenges is finding recipes that are meal prep friendly. Well, we have some great news for you! We have put together a list of 10 easy and delicious 21 Day Sugar Detox Meal Prep Recipe Ideas for you! We will show you that eating foods without added (or even some natural sugars) can taste just as good!

By focusing on quality protein, healthy fats, and good carbs, the 21-Day Sugar Detox can help you reset your cravings for sugar. Yup, that's right! Out with the old (bad) habits and in with the new (healthy) habits! No longer will you need sugar to make it through the day. Instead, you can enjoy any of these 10 recipes for a meal that will keep you naturally energized!

Dietitian Melissa Rifkin says, "I try to follow a low carb and low sugar diet, because I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). I feel like a low carb diet is the best way to go... because a lot of my clients are overweight and I find that sugar is the culprit of all the weight gain."

Bonus: all of these recipes ring in at less than $4 a serving! How's that for some healthy and affordable eating! Trust us, both your waistline and wallet will be thanking you for making these 21 Day Sugar Detox Meal Prep Recipe ideas.

Sugar Detox Meal Prep Recipes

Carrot Meatballs With Mint Cauliflower Rice

Carrot Meatballs With Mint Cauliflower Rice is an Easy, 15-minute meal prep meatballs recipe loaded with Italian flavor and a hidden veggie. Paired with lemon mint cauliflower rice for a filling, low carb meal! 

Carrot Meatballs With Mint Cauliflower Rice

Sesame Salmon With Baby Bok Choy & Mushrooms

This sesame salmon with baby bok choy and mushrooms recipe is a snap to make! Not only is it packed full of flavor, but it is loaded with nutrition! 

Spicy Mustard Thyme Chicken & Coconut Brussels Sprouts

Chicken marinated in a spicy mustard thyme marinate is baked on a sheet pan with coconut infused Brussels sprouts. A flavorful meal with minimal ingredients. Perfect for an easy meal prep! 

Spicy Mustard Thyme Chicken & Coconut Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

Let the oven do all of the work for these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas. All you need is one pan and about 20 minutes to have a healthy and wholesome meal prep ready for the entire week!

One Pan Steak Fajitas with Peppers

Tuna Quinoa Salad in Endive Wraps

Love tuna salad? This Tuna Quinoa Salad is made healthier and packed with protein. Greek yogurt is used instead of mayo for a lighter, satisfying meal. Paired with endive leaves for easy meal prep wraps.

Tuna Quinoa Salad In Endive Wraps

Greek Egg Bake

Is it an ovenomelete recipe? Or just a fancy-pants egg casserole? Whatever you want to call it, it's delicious and nutritious and super easy to prepare. The leftovers make a terrific breakfast on the go, and it's a great dish for using up odds and ends in your refrigerator.

Skillet Shrimp With Tomato & Avocado

Did someone say one skillet? Yup! One Skillet Shrimp with Tomato and Avocado. It's all the foods we love together in one healthy, paleo-friendly, gluten-free, low-carb recipe!

 

Did someone say one skillet? Yup! One Skillet Shrimp with Tomato and Avocado. It's all the foods we love together in one healthy, paleo-friendly, gluten-free, low-carb recipe! LINK IN OUR BIO By now you are fully aware of our love for all things avocado, but did you know we also love shrimp? They are a low-calorie, low-fat source of protein. Four ounces of raw shrimp has only 120 calories, 27g of protein and 1g of fat. Now those are some killer macros for making meal prep dishes that fit your nutritional goals! As if you need another reason to love this recipe, it also works great as a quick weeknight dinner if you are short on time! Oh, and did we mention it's made with avocado? 😉 Enough said. Just try it. You can thank us later. Recipe and Photo via @paleo_newbie_recipes

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One Pan Baked Cod & Veggies

This One-Pan Baked Cod & Veggies recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes. It is full of flavor and completely Whole30 and Paleo approved! It works well for a quick weeknight dinner or an easy Sunday meal prep.

One Pan Baked Cod & Veggies

Sausage Lover's Hash brown Casserole

This recipe is what you make for breakfast, lunch or dinner when you need something quick, satisfying and healthy! If you're a fan of sausage and potatoes you will definitely love this! Whole30. Paleo. Gluten-free. 

Sausage Lover Meal Prep Casserole

Sheet Pan Chicken and Asparagus

This easy sheet pan chicken and asparagus recipe only requires 4 ingredients, 5 minutes of prep, and 20 minutes baking time. It creates extra flavorful chicken and enough food to last the week!

Sheet-Pan-Chicken-Asaparagus_001
21 Day Sugar Detox Meal Prep Ideas Pinterest

16 Keto Crock-Pot Recipes for Easy Low-Carb Meals

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We all love set-it-and-forget-it recipes and these keto crock pot recipes will keep your meal prep plans in place!

One of the biggest challenges on the keto diet (or most diets, for that matter) is finding new recipe ideas that you won't get bored with. And many of us, of course, lack the motivation to keep on going with meal prep because of time and energy success. But a slow cooker makes it easier to set yourself up for success. And if you're following a keto diet, you might wonder what, beyond meat and veggies, you can put in that slow cooker day after day, without repeats.

Sure, with a keto diet you can eat all the bacon you want, drink the Bulletproof coffee, and consume so much cheese. None of these things present you with obvious choices that spark ideas for simple meals when following a fairly strict diet plan, beyond the idea of wrapping everything in bacon.

Whether you're new to keto or just need some inspiration, we've got you covered with this easy meal plan guide!

What to Eat (and Not to Eat) on the Keto Diet:

The keto diet is by definition a low-carb diet, and as such, you'll need to exclude and/or limit certain foods. Keto eating has some rules. There are a few items that are not permitted on the keto.

The foods to avoid on keto are:

  • alcohol
  • grains
  • sugars and sweets
  • processed foods
  • high-carb fruits (such as bananas, for example)
  • factory farmed fish & pork
  • refined oils and fats
  • milk

These 16 keto Crock-Pot recipes will have your high-fat, low-carb meal ready for you when you get home from a long day at work.

Keto Gumbo Meal Prep 

Gumbo by definition is a low-and-slow kind of cooking situation, so it's perfect for a keto slow cooker meal.

gumbo-in-crockpot

Keto Pulled Pork Lettuce Wrap Meal Prep

Pulled pork is made for the Crock Pot, and all you need are some veggies, and lunch (or dinner) is a wrap!

Pulled-Pork-Lettuce-Wraps_-5

Crock Pot Crustless Pizza

Just because you're keto, doesn't mean pizza is out of the equation. This one's creative, with a beefy base and cheesy topping.

Crustless-Pizza-Portrait

Keto Slow Cooker Mexican Soup

After a long day, you'll relish the fact that you made this creamy, spicy keto crock pot recipe.

Mexican-Chicken-Soup-2

Slow Cooker Chile Verde

Green chili just loves chicken, and you will love this, too.

Keto Chile Verde

Thai Slow Cooker Zucchini Lasagna

No need to give up lasagna just because you're following a keto diet. Zucchini makes a great stand-in!

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Keto Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

The perfect comfort food waits for you at the end of the day. Spaghetti squash is magic with meatballs in this keto crock pot recipe.

Slow-Cooker-Spaghetti-Squash-and-Meatballs-5

Low Carb Crock Pot Chicken Fajita Soup recipe

South-of-the-border flavors fare well in the slow cooker and only get better with time. Chicken fajitas without the tortilla!

SLOW-COOKER-CHICKEN-FAJITA-SOUP-RECIPE

Slow Cooker Keto Pork Carnitas Bowls

Gotta love deconstructed "bowl" meals. They're just made for meal prep. Pork carnitas for the win!

Slow-Cooker-Keto-Pork-Carnitas-Meal-Prep

Slow-Cooker Garlic-Herb Mashed Cauliflower

Mashed cauliflower with herbs are a great side to almost anything on this list. Or a tasty snack any time of day. No judging!

Slow_Cooker_Garlic_Herb_Mashed_Cauliflower_Recipe

Keto Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers

Spicy sweet sausage and bell peppers love some cauliflower rice as a side.

slow cooker sausage and peppers

Slow Cooker Low Carb Zuppa Toscana Soup (Keto-Friendly)

Swap out the potatoes for cauliflower (of course!) to make this a keto crock pot recipe you'll want to make again. And freeze!

Low-Carb-Zuppa-Toscana-Soup-7-7

Garlic Parmesan Chicken

That garlic mashed cauliflower would be delicious (and keep away the vampires) with this garlic chicken.

instant-pot-garlic-parmesan-chicken-recipe

Easy Crock Pot Fire Roasted Tomato Shrimp Tacos

The simple addition of fire-roasted tomatoes takes these shrimp tacos up several notches.

crock-pot-fire-roasted-tomato-shrimp-tacos-GF-8-700x965

Paleo Pork Roast Slow Cooker Recipe

For company, set this pork roast up in the morning and no one will believe something so fancy came out your slow cooker.

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Slow Cooker Carne Asada Nachos

Find some keto-friendly tortilla chips for these nachos, which are loaded with veggies and healthy fats.

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16-SLOW-COOKER-MEAL-PREP-RECIPES

Apple Walnut Toffee Crisp

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Indulge in this Apple Walnut Toffee Crisp recipe, a perfect blend of tart apples, crunchy walnuts, and sweet toffee, topped with a golden, oat-based crumble. Ideal for cozy desserts!

Table of Contents

Choosing the Best Apples

What apples are ideal for an apple crisp in meal prep? For meal prep, choosing apples that hold their shape and flavor over time is key. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn are excellent choices. They offer a blend of tartness and sweetness that remains consistent even after a couple of days.

Getting a Little Sweeter

For those who love the rich, indulgent flavor of toffee but are mindful of sugar intake, Now Foods Better Stevia is an excellent alternative. This natural sweetener can be used to infuse your Apple Walnut Toffee Crisp with that characteristic toffee sweetness without the added sugars. When prepping your apple mixture or crumble topping, simply substitute a portion of the sugar with Better Stevia to taste. This not only reduces the overall sugar content but also adds a delicious, guilt-free toffee flavor. It's a great way to keep your dessert aligned with healthier meal prep goals, while still indulging in that delightful toffee taste. Remember, stevia is much sweeter than sugar, so you'll need less of it - start with small amounts and adjust according to your preference.

Achieving the Perfect Crisp

How can I ensure a crispy topping when prepping in advance? The secret to a long-lasting crispy topping lies in the balance of butter, flour, oats, and sugar. Preparing it separately and storing it in an airtight container can keep it crunchy until you're ready to bake.

Advanced Preparation

Can apple crisp be prepared ahead of time for meal prepping? Absolutely! You can assemble the apple mixture and topping separately a day or two in advance. Store them in the refrigerator and simply combine and bake when you're ready to enjoy.

Ideal Toppings

What toppings work well for a pre-prepared apple crisp? When it comes to meal prep, consider toppings that maintain their quality over time, like a drizzle of caramel sauce or a sprinkle of extra nuts. Avoid dairy-based toppings until serving.

Freezing and Storage

Can I freeze apple crisp for meal prep? Yes, apple crisp can be frozen. Bake it first, let it cool, then freeze. To serve, thaw and reheat in the oven for a freshly baked taste.

Dietary Adjustments

How do I make a gluten-free or vegan apple crisp for meal prep? Swap out traditional ingredients with gluten-free oats and flour (or use vegetable flour), and use coconut oil or a vegan butter substitute. These alternatives keep well and ensure everyone can enjoy this treat.

Apple Walnut Toffee Crisp

Nutritional Considerations

Is apple crisp a healthy option for meal prep? While apple crisp can be indulgent, it can be made healthier by reducing sugar, using whole grain ingredients, or adding nuts for extra protein.

Combining Fruits

Can I add other fruits to my apple crisp for meal prep? Definitely! Adding fruits like pears, berries, or peaches can add variety and flavor. Just ensure they are fruits that hold up well over a few days.

Avoiding Sogginess

How to prevent apple crisp from becoming soggy in meal prep? Choose apples that don't release too much liquid and bake the crisp until the topping is golden brown. Let it cool completely before storing to avoid condensation.

Understanding the Dessert

What's the difference between apple crisp, crumble, and cobbler? While similar, apple crisps have a more granola-like topping, crumbles have a streusel topping, and cobblers have a biscuit or pie crust topping.

By following these tips, you can easily incorporate Apple Walnut Toffee Crisp into your meal prep routine, ensuring a delightful and convenient dessert option throughout the week. Happy prepping and baking!

Some of our other favorite Meal Prep Desserts

Apple Walnut Toffee Crisp

Apple Walnut Toffee Crisp

Indulge in this Apple Walnut Toffee Crisp recipe, a perfect blend of tart apples, crunchy walnuts, and sweet toffee, topped with a golden, oat-based crumble. Ideal for cozy desserts!
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: apples, dessert
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 279kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 3 ½ cups diced sweet-tart apples peeled or unpeeled
  • 1 Tbsp. coconut sugar or brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp. coconut oil melted
  • 2 ½ Tbsp. natural unsweetened almond butter
  • ¼ tsp. Now Better Stevia extract English Toffee Sweetener
  • ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ tsp. sea salt
  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 4 8-ounce ramekins with oil or nonstick cooking spray and arrange on a baking sheet.
  • In a bowl combine the diced apples, coconut sugar, arrowroot powder and vanilla extract. Toss well then divide into ramekins.
  • Wipe out the bowl and stir together the coconut oil, almond butter, stevia, cinnamon and salt until well-combined. Stir in the oats and walnuts. Taste and add more stevia sweetener (a couple drops at a time), if desired.
  • Divide the crisp topping over the apples. Transfer ramekins to oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving, or cool completely before refrigerating to enjoy later.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!