7 Easy Prep Meals to Keep You Trim

Last updated on : June 24 2021

Introduction

An adage explains, “Plan, not to fail. Fail not to plan.”

Getting ready for date night requires some prep. You have to find the right dress, pick matching accessories, select makeup that highlights your best features, and look fantastic.

Similarly, if you want to lose weight, you have to plan your exercise routine and nutritional requirements. The food you eat and the food you avoid help you achieve your weight loss and maintenance goals sensibly.

With our jam-packed schedules finding the time to plan and cook meals is difficult. Fitness and health experts have begun to push meal preps as an alternative. If you do not have time at hand, preparing meals for easy consumption later in the week is a great way to keep trim on the go.

In this article, we cover simple and fast meals that are quickly prepared using less than five ingredients.  The prep process is quick, and results are what you need to keep your diet on track without snacking and rushed choices.

1. Breakfast Oats

A key ingredient for weight loss and for maintaining your trim figure is fiber.

Your body uses up oatmeal at a much slower pace than its less nutritious and more sugary rivals. The slower speed means the grain leaves you fuller for longer, provides better and longer-lasting energy, and is better for your blood sugar levels.

Prepping your oats for breakfast is easy. Make a few ramekins of breakfast oats, so you don't miss a meal as necessary as your daily breakfast. Here's how. 

Breakfast Oats Recipe

Mix up 50gms of oats with bananas, chia seeds, and some cinnamon. Soak the mix in almond milk (or whatever milk you prefer), and refrigerate. Your to-go breakfast is ready!

Cinnamon helps maintain insulin levels keeping your appetite in check. It also targets explicitly that stubborn belly fat.

2. Green Egg Cupcakes

According to a research study by Rochester Center for Obesity in America, eggs are an essential meal option, especially for breakfast.

Their research indicates that eating eggs for breakfast stops binging on unhealthy foods and reduces your daily calorie intake by over 400 calories.

Make this killer weight-loss food even better by adding some greens to it.

Green Egg Cupcake Recipe

Mix ¼ cup almond milk, 12 eggs, salt, and pepper in a bowl: pack spinach, bell peppers, or any green vegetable of your choosing into 12 muffin cups. Add the whisked egg mixture and bake it for about 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy two of these simple yet delicious and healthy green egg cupcakes for breakfast or lunch on-the-go.

3. Sweet Quinoa for Breakfast

Closely related to kale, spinach, and Swiss chard, quinoa is right for your weight loss plans. This superfood is packed with proteins and fiber and has a low glycemic index to boot.

Preparing quinoa for breakfast is an easy meal-prep that you can complete in no time at all.

Sweet Quinoa Recipe

Cook your quinoa beforehand. Add a handful of dried berries, pumpkin seeds, and nuts like walnuts or pecans, along with a dash of cinnamon to the cooked quinoa. And you are done with prep!

Heat a scoop of this mix for about 1 minute, top it off with almond milk, and enjoy.

Savory Quinoa Recipe

Quinoa is jam-packed with nutrients and is a versatile grain. Here’s how to whip up quinoa for lunch or dinner.

Give cooked quinoa a Mediterranean twist by adding chopped cucumbers, lemon juice, pitted olives, and seasoning. Mix it up and gorge on a Mediterranean-inspired, flavorsome meal that keeps your waistline trim.

4. Chicken and Bean Salad in Mason Jars

Mason jars are a blessing to quick meal preps. Put whatever you like to eat in one, and come crunch time, you have a meal that is ready to eat and mobile.

For this exercise, we're doing unbreaded, skinless chicken and black beans.

Chicken skin and bread add heaps of unwanted calories to your meals, so are best left out. Black beans are one of the best superfoods for weight loss packed with protein, essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Chicken and Black Bean Recipe

Mix lime juice and extra-virgin oil for a dressing. Layer black beans, cooked chicken, a vegetable you like, and some lettuce to top it off inside a Mason jar. Splash over a few drops of the dressing.

Close the jar tight. This salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Remember to store the jar upright. Add the heavier ingredients at the bottom and the dressing before adding the lettuce on the top. This storage will make sure the salad retains its crunch.

Buy BPA-Free Mason Jars

Mason Jar Lifestyle is a Colorado-based family-owned company striving to bring you the highest quality Mason Jars and accessories available. Check them out here. 

5. Vegetable Pouch for Lunch

Raw vegetables are incredibly nutritious and rarely require any prep time.

Veggie Pouch Recipe

Slice up carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. Pack a generous helping of these vegetables to enjoy with some guacamole, salsa, or an individual container of hummus.

You can also roast these vegetables after drizzling them with a bit olive oil, lime juice, and rosemary.

6. Avocado Chicken Salad

Whether you want to lose some weight or maintain your trim figure, incorporating avocado into your diet is a win-win.

Although avocados have a high-fat content, it's monounsaturated fat, a “good” fat without any cholesterol or trans-fat.

For our quick prep meal, we're doing a salad. 

Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe

Mash together ¼ avocado with ¾ cup pre-cooked chicken (leftovers will do too), two tablespoons of unsweetened yogurt, and a dash of lime juice. Roll the salad up in a lettuce leaf or enjoy it as an open sandwich with a couple of tomato slices.

This unique salad offers 33 percent of your daily fiber needs and 40gms of protein. It keeps your diet clean and keeps your hunger at bay for longer.

7. Making Meal Preparation Easier

Failing to plan or leaving your nutritional needs, unmet will derail your weight loss and health objectives. You'll eat what's available when you are hungry, and the chances are this will not be healthy or nutritious food. The risk is worse if you are in a rush or on the go.

To help, we've compiled these essential tips for making the process easier.  

• Shop for groceries once a week. Make a shopping list and stick to it.
• Buy fresh products with little or no preservatives or additives. Steer clear of temptation—stick to the outer perimeter of the grocery store because this is where the new foods are.
• Invest in quality containers. Meal prepping means you will be cooking once or twice a week, and the food has to keep. For this, you need quality containers to store your food. Stainless steel containers work well, as do lockable and spill-proof bottles that are BPA-free.
• Make a pitcher of lemon and mint green tea, and keep it where it is visible in your refrigerator. Instead of snacking, sip green tea instead to keep your waistline slim and your snack cravings at bay.
• Eggs are your friend. For days when even 5-ingredient meal-prepping sounds like too much, you can bank on eggs. Hard-boil a few eggs, and leave them in the fridge. Enjoy this low-calorie, high-protein meal with a side of seasoning, carrot sticks, or guacamole.

Plan your meal prep time, and stock up on what you need to stay trim—it is well worth the time invested. Set a reminder to grab your prepped food before you leave home and enjoy it!

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