Food for thought – ‘Meal prep’ edition.

When new to the game and struggling for meal ideas, you might need a bit of a prod… I often get asked for some basic meal ideas so here are some of my regular concoctions and a quick categorisation of where they can be used in your diet.

If you’re specifically after how to put these bad boys together, or the ‘macros’ of each one – this is what you’re gonna do:

Step 1. Click on here.

Step 2. Read 2-4 times.

Step 3. Digest information.

Step 4. React accordingly.

*Excuse the tongue in cheek, but a big part of the process is working out all the fine details yourself… Just remember, my needs are different from yours and yours from the next.

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Meal Prep Edition

 

 

People seem to eschew the idea of meal prep because it runs too close with the stereotype of an obsessive ‘bro bodybuilder’. That’s a poor excuse… if you’re not helping  your future self out by saving time and increasing productivity; you’re doing it wrong. When cooking a large quantity of food that’s tasty and also has a small imprint on your pre-week ritual, you need to do a bit of thinking.

Here’s a small collection of my defaults.

*Really any meal can be classified as a ‘meal prep’ meal. All you have to do is cook it and put it in a container.

Straight up ‘Meat Slop’

I usually concoct this on ‘rest days’. It has the potential to be very low carb, high protein and voluminous – if that’s your thing. Go heavy with the seasonings and crushed tomatoes to maximise taste to calorie ratio.

Carb Variable: Starchy or fibrous vegetables used: Starchy – potatoes, peas corn etc. Fibrous – zucchini, cabbage, broccoli etc.

Protein Variable: Amount of mince used

Fat Variable: Fat content of mince, cooking in oil / ghee / butter

*Because its already been covered and people will probably ask, it’d be silly not to include old mates recipe here

 

Slow Cooked Meat ft. Vegetables

Another rest day meal. Super, super easy to prepare. Basically, chuck a chunk of meat in the slow cooker one morning -> choose a sauce / seasoning -> take it out at night time and couple with vegetables of your choosing. Sometimes I use frozen vegetables to save time. Once dialed in, you can seriously get this down to a meal prep time of 10 – 15 minutes. Tasty meat, minimal time invested… need I say any more?

Carb Variable: Sauce used, Starchy or fibrous vegetables: Starchy – potatoes, peas corn etc. Fibrous – broccoli, greens etc. Could also use lettuce as ‘wraps’ if you’re running a really low carb diet

Protein Variable: Amount of meat

Fat Variable: Fat content of meat

 

Mince Curry

Similar to Meat Slop, but less ‘sloppy’. You can also use chunks of meat instead of mince. Plenty of ghee makes it a rest day favourite for me.

Carb Variable: Starchy or fibrous vegetables used. Starchy – potatoes, peas corn etc. Fibrous – zucchini, cabbage, broccoli etc.

Protein Variable: Amount of meat used

Fat Variable: Fat content of meat, cooking in oil / ghee / butter

 

 

 

Skewers

Great pre workout meal. Obtain meat -> Baste meat – > Chuck on skewers with vegetables -> Cook on barbecue.

Carb Variable: Vegetable choice, sauce meat is marinated in

Protein Variable: Amount of or type of meat

Fat Variable: Fat content of meat

 

‘Bro’ Meal

Speaking of bro – Another huge favourite is soft boiled eggs… such bro, but legit tasty as hell.

One of my staple pre workouts. I usually steam some carrots, cover them in tomato sauce and add coconut oil. I’ll take this to work with some tuna, rice and a piece of fruit. About a 15 minute prep time and easily makes enough for 3 – 5 days (all that’s really required is steaming or boiling carrots / vegetable of choice). You could use frozen vegetables to reduce prep time even more. This could also be used for a quick post workout meal.

Carb Variable: Amount of rice, vegetable choice

Protein Variable: Amount of or type of meat

Fat Variable: Fat content of meat, or amount of oil

 

Protein Souffle

 

An old pre workout staple. So versatile and insanely quick to make. Recipe from Tats at Storm tricks. Basically, just use a small amount of protein powder and pancake mix (1.25:1 ratio – protein to pancake mix, 25g whey to 20g pancake), mix well with a tad of water, then microwave.

Carb Variable: ‘Toppers’ e.g. fruit, honey, jam etc.

Protein Variable: Protein Powder amount

Fat Variable: Condiments – e.g. nut butters etc.

 

Wraps

This used to be whipped up on the daily. I’d shred a bunch of chicken breasts via boiling or slow cooking methods, then chuck the shredded goodness into a bunch of wraps for the week. Quick, easy and tasty to eat on the go. I mainly used these as a pre workout.

Carb Variable: Size or type of wrap, sauce or ‘filler’ – could use beans / rice if you need more calorie denseness

Protein Variable: Amount of meat

Fat Variable: Condiments – e.g. butter, mayo or fat in meat

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These are just a quick few ideas to take to work, school or leave in the fridge for those days you have absolutely no time.

It should be fairly clear that they all have similar macronutrient variable components. Really, any quick wholesome meal will be the same. Just choose some basic ingredients and use more or less of them according to your needs.

This should cement the fact that choosing basic and nutritious meals on the fly doesn’t have to be complicated.

I will try and do these more often than not, hopefully lighting a fire underneath your up and coming kitchen wizardry.

xoxo