Food Prep… when you’re short on time!

Many people tell me that they would LOVE to food prep, but they just don’t have the time.

Many. People.

This weekend I left town bright and early on Sunday at 6:15 and was gone the entire day for a Kettlebell training, so I knew that I would have to do my prep on Saturday or I wouldn’t have time. Extreme planning and easy prepping to the rescue!!

My basic rule of thumb it that I need at least two solid proteins and two solid grains to begin my prep. The market provides the rest of the fitspiration for all the meals from there. I probably would have done it anyway, but in a complete stroke of luck my grocery store happened to have rotisserie chickens on sale this week for a great price ($3.49!). Obviously, I got one for dinner one night and another for my food prep for next week. Rotisserie chickens can be a food prepper’s best friend! All cooked, full of protein, and ready to go! I left the legs intact and tore up the rest so I can use however I want through the week. If my always-hungry fourteen year old needs a quick snack, guess what she gets?! 😉

The small steaks are also a no-brainer when I’m short on time. One package is around $4.00, cooks in 10 min, and will make three meals. I mean, please.

The farmers’ market was literally OVERFLOWING with peppers this week. Big, green, waxy, amazing lumps of vegetable that were practically BEGGING me to stuff them. So… I naturally had to make stuffed peppers. This is perfect for a busy week. Make them one day, bake them another, eat them for a few. You can find the link to the recipe here!

By prepping my rice and quinoa for the week, I was able to go ahead and make the rice and quinoa for my peppers. The market had Roma tomatoes this week, too, so I decided to toss those in with my roasted veggies and then instead of canned tomatoes my peppers had fresh ones – easy/peasy!!

So even though my typical food prep day was otherwise occupied, my food prep came together without fail, just with a bit of extra planning. Roasting, cooking, simmering… don’t let the thought of the process overwhelm you. Remember that most are going on simulaneously. Start with the rule of thumb, add the fresh ingredients, and plan for leftovers. All your “fit” will come together!