Your Exclusive Guide to High-Protein Meal Prepping

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Having balanced meals is essential to health. Balanced meals include adequate sources of proteins, fat, and carbohydrates. Once these three components are found in your meals, your body will have enough energy and muscles. You will also feel fuller for a longer period. 

 

Why we need protein 

 

Protein is one of the macronutrients that should be found in meals, along with carbohydrates and fats. It is an important part of every meal since without it you may experience several illnesses like edema, anemia, weakness, stunted growth, and decreased immunity. 

 What do we mean by high protein?

 

Protein requirements vary. You may need more protein when you’re an older adult, physically active, or building muscle strength. According to a new research study, 1.0 -1.4 g protein per kilogram of body weight is required per day for an older adult. It’s important to consult with your doctor or a professional dietitian so you can have a personalized recommended nutrition plan, and find out how much protein you have to consume per day.

 

 Complete vs. incomplete proteins

 

Keep in mind that when you choose high-protein foods, there are various kinds of proteins. Complete proteins are those that have nine essential amino acids. These essential amino acids are not made by the body. They have to come from the food we eat. Complete proteins may come from animal sources like beef, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy, and soy. If you’re not a vegan or vegetarian, these are great sources of protein. 

 

On the other hand, incomplete proteins are those that lack 1 of the 9 essential amino acids. Examples of incomplete protein sources are the following: nuts, legumes, seeds, whole grains, nut butter, and vegetables. 

 

 Defining meal prepping

 

Meal prepping refers to the convenient way of preparing several meals at one time. This has to be done ahead to be able to save time. This is truly helpful for people who have busy lifestyles with less time to cook but want to make sure of their proper nutrition. Protein foods often take time to cook. When high-protein meals are prepared ahead of time, it’s unlikely for you to miss out on them.

 

 The benefits of meal prepping

 

Prepping your meals in advance has several advantages in terms of lifestyle, nutrition, and many more. The following are some of the most excellent benefits of prepping your meals:

 

It helps you stick to your diet.

 

When your meals are ready, you have fewer chances of consuming foods that are helpful to you nutrition-wise. It also makes it easier to control your diet apart from being able to ensure that the meals you consume have all the right nutrients in the right amounts. 

 

You have greater control over your hunger.

 

There’s no point to prolong your hunger, you have your meals ready for consumption all the time. 

 

It saves time.

 

Meal prepping gives you more time for yourself. This is great for people who have less time to prepare meals.

 

It saves money.

 

Because of ready-to-eat meals, you need not pay for delivery fees, or waste more food and other resources. 

 

Meal prepping has its downsides too. For one, it can get boring since you only have one type of meal. This is not a good option for those who are after variety. Kids may not also buy the idea of having prepped meals. 

 

 How to prep high-protein meals

 

There are various ways to do meal prepping. It all depends on the time you can spend doing it. The weekend is the best time for you to prep a meal. Meal prepping of high-protein meals can be done in the following ways:

 

Cooking in advance

 

This entails cooking the meals ahead and storing them in the fridge. The only intervention done daily is reheating. The most suitable meals to prepare are high-protein meals that are great for dinner.

 

Portioned individual meals

 

This entails prepping a meal and dividing them into portions separately. The portions are refrigerated for easy reheating and consumption later. This is a great option for those who are fond of quick lunches. 

 

Batch cooking

 

This entails cooking a large quantity of a particular recipe, which can be divided into multiple single portions. Such portions are frozen and consumed for a particular period often taking several months. This type of meal prep is great for lunch and dinner meals. 

 

Early prepping of ingredients

 

When you don’t want to cook in advance but still want to save time, you can prepare the ingredients ahead. This means you will be spending minimal time in the kitchen. You may find other ways to do meal prepping. This depends on your daily routine. The ones mentioned, however, are the most common. 

 

 Choosing the Type and Amount of Meals to Prepare

 

Two components that are crucial to meal prepping are the type of meal and the quantity. To be able to have the right type and quantity of meals, you can check these guidelines:

 

Determine the type of meal that you like depending on your own preferences. The next step is to consider the meal-prepping method that suits your lifestyle and daily routine. After choosing the meal-prep method, check the calendar and figure out the breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that you will need for a particular period. Consider the times when you are not going to use the prepped meals like when you do out on dates and other events. You may start with recipes that are close to home before you resort to the more complex ones. 

 

 Beginner Tips for Meal Prepping

 

If you’re a beginner in meal prepping, worry not. Meal prepping is not so difficult. The following are some tips for those who are aiming to get started on meal prepping:

 

Start with meals that are easy and simple

 

It can be stressful when you have a long list of ingredients to buy and a complex recipe to follow. You can start with 1 to 2 recipes with foods that you can mix and match. Choose those that can last for 1 to 2 days. Eggs are a versatile food to consume. You can add this to every meal you prepare to make sure that you’re getting enough protein. 

 

Pick a day and time for you to do meal prepping

 

It’s crucial to pick the day and time for you to get started on meal prepping. You may start on a Sunday or Monday so you can prepare several meals at the start of the week. Meal prepping can be daunting when you do it on your own. Invite friends and family to help you prepare a few meals for the week. For high-protein meals, you may choose chicken breasts, eggs, burgers, and others. 

 

Include foods in your meal prepping that you might want to consume later in the week

 

When the recipe you follow includes a vegetable or grain, make room for some extra portions that you can use for a different recipe later in the week. You may also freeze some foods that you can easily reheat later on. You may the chicken breasts in tacos, salads, or chopped and dropped in chili later in the week. 

 

Prepare the right cooking equipment

 

You don’t require a lot more than the standard cooking equipment when meal prepping. Examples of equipment may include cutting boards, saucepans, baking sheet pans, ovens, knives, and storage containers. You may also include crock pots, air fryers, and pressure cookers if you want.

 

 Types of Food to Use for Meal Prepping

 

The following are some of the most common types of foods that must be included in meal prepping. These can be important ingredients of the meals you will prepare in advance.

 

Frozen vegetables

 

These can be incredible ingredients to use for meal prepping. These may include cauliflower, peas, broccoli, and green beans. 

 

Lean protein

 

This can be an incredible part of meal prepping. Examples of foods that fall under this category include tofu, beef, eggs, pork, and shredded cheese.

 

Starchy vegetables

 

These are suitable for meal prepping. Examples of these are taro, cassava, potato, and canned pumpkin. 

 

Whole fruits

 

Make sure that your prepped meals are balanced by including fruits in the plan. Some of the most notable fruits include bananas, pears, mangoes, apples, and oranges. 

 

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