How to Meal Prep - Your 1 Hour Plan

Meal prep is the foundation of any successful week. Setting aside an hour on a Sunday to prepare healthy meals takes decisions during a busy week off your plate. 

Benefits of meal prepping include:

• Saving you time
• Saving you money
• Reduced stress
• Keeping you on track with your goals
• Consistent energy 

We’ve put together this easy one-hour meal prep plan to help you achieve all these great benefits in as little time as possible. This makes 10 large meals plus snacks, so you’ll be set with lunches and dinners for an entire work week!

1 hour Food Prep Plan:

• Instant Pot Pulled Chicken + Sweet Potatoes + Roast Vegetables

• Taco Ground Beef + White Rice + Roast Vegetables

• Veggies and Guac

Plan Overview

1. Chicken in crockpot
2. Sweet potatoes in oven
3. Rice on stove
4. Cook ground beef and chop raw veggies while everything cooks
5. Portion:
1. 5 tupperware with ⅕ rice and ⅕ beef
2. 5 tupperware with ⅕ chicken and 1 sweet potato
3. Split veggies among ziplock bags and throw in an individual;y portioned guacamole
6. Optional extras for flavor to add to the top of each meal: salsa, pico de gallo, Primal Kitchen mayo, hot sauce, pesto, hummus.

Crockpot pulled chicken: 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or basil (optional - use any herbs you like)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a crockpot.
2. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. 
3. Let the chicken cool slightly and then shred the chicken with 2 forks.

Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 5 medium sweet potatoes
• Pre-chopped broccoli and cauliflower
• Avocado oil

Instructions:

1. Turn the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place potatoes on a baking tray and bake for about 1 hour or until soft. 
3. Place broccoli and cauliflower on a second baking tray, drizzle with avocado oil, and roast for about 30 minutes or until slightly golden. 

Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of rice
• 4 cups of water

Instructions:

1. Rinse rice to make it less starchy (use a colander or in a bowl).
2. Place water and rice in a saucepan, bring to the boil, and cook covered over low heat until water is absorbed and rice is fluffy.

Ground Beef w/ Taco Seasoning:

Ingredients:

• 2lb ground beef
• 1-2 packs taco seasoning (read label to see how many lbs it is for, brands vary)
• 1 tbsp avocado oil

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in large frypan over medium heat 
2. Add beef and seasoning and break apart with spatula. Cook until the meat is browned. 

Raw vegetables w/ guacamole (snack)

Ingredients:

• Carrots
• Peppers
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Individual serve of store-bought guacamole

Instructions:

1. Chop veggies and place them in ziplock bags.
2. Grab a guacamole and veggies each day for a snack. 

Other easy snacks to take to work:

• RX Bars, Lara Bars, Epic Bars
• KRAVE Jerky, Chomps Beef Sticks
• Fresh fruit
• Handful of raw nuts
• Boiled eggs

This is just one example of what a meal prep action plan can look like. A little organization goes a long way in streamlining the process of healthy eating.

Wondering how to tailor a meal prep plan to your own nutrition needs and fitness goals? Find an OPEX Gym near you and schedule a consultation with a coach who can help individualize your meal prep plan!