Plant-Based Meal Prep for Victory !

By Donna Dior

Share

Especially with Plant-Based eating there are many foods that you can prepare in advance to take the stress & guess work out of what to eat  during the week !
Food prepping can save you time as well as money  and make it so much easier to stay on a healthy track with nutritious food !
Having healthy prepared (especially plant-based) foods on hand instead of grabbing anything & everything when you’re starving goes a long way in finding & sustaining wellness and staying on track regarding a healthy lifestyle !
(click "Read More" below to continue)...

Food prepping is great across the board but it's especially good for people just starting up with plant-based eating because it takes the question mark out of what to make to eat.
One of the big reasons people aren’t able to sustain their healthier regimens is  simply because they’re not sure what to eat & grab whatever is quick & available when hungry. This is where planning & prepping go a really long way in having food ready and waiting and toward  longterm healthy  lifestyles !

You can prep just once or a few times a week depending on your preference & time availability.
If you make food planning & prepping a habit or ritual and it starts to become part of your lifestyle (Take a Look Here), you may find yourself actually looking forward to it... as it can be a very therapeutic, productive and mindful  (Take a Look Here) activity. Especially when you know it’s a positive activity that will benefit you & your family’s wellness. 
Time to be mindful & prep with happiness !    
​
​Below are a few plant-based prep tips...

Planning

Putting together a basic plan for the week & taking account of the ingredients you already have on hand can really be helpful when it comes to food prep ! Planning & prepping go well together since planning will help you get a grasp and focus of what your meals may consist of and what you need before you shop & possibly wander aimlessly through the market or spend money on things you won't use.
If you like, you can start by writing down a few plant-based meals you think you’d like to have during the week and then figure out if you can meal prep any parts of them or even entire meals. This also makes it way easier overall when you’re shopping for your plant-based ingredients (Take a Look Here)
Either way though, prepping especially your meal staples make putting meals together so easy & especially if you have minimal time ! 

You can be an ultimate prepping multitasker and prep using your stove & oven (or even toaster oven) at the same time while also prepping your raw ingredients, dressings & sauces. 
You can prep separate ingredients of your meals or prep entire meals depending on what they are and your preferences !
​

12 Great Ingredients  To Food Prep :

1) Potatoes

Potatoes are so easy to batch cook !! They’re great  to just cube up (skin on for more nutrition) & steam / boil them till soft (about 20 min depending on size). I personally even boil them whole if at times they’re smaller potatoes. 
After cooking just let them cool & then refrigerate until needed. You can make anything from fries to roasted or mashed potatoes & add them to any dish so easily !
​

2) Quinoa

Quinoa like many of your grains (it's actually a seed) is amazing to batch cook for the week & have it ready to throw into any recipe such as nourish bowls, quinoa salads, stir fry’s or any other dish as it provides great plant-based protein ! I typically make a big batch of it for the week ! Just follow package directions.
​

3) Roasted Veggies

Roasted veggies are a wonderful addition to most any dish & great to prep in advance.
Although I don’t personally use oil to cook with,  I still do roast veggies. It's so easy to  roast them in a glass baking/casserole dish and add a little plant-based broth & some seasoning . They are delicious when prepared this way ! Any meals such as  bowls, sandwiches tortilla & pasta dishes are amazing with roasted veggies !
*note: If you do choose to use oil the best bet for roasted veggies may be avocado oil being its high smoke point as well as being a less inflammatory choice (contrary to so many other oils especially seed oils).
​

4) Baked Tofu

Baked tofu is another plant-based staple thats so easy to prepare. All you need to do is cut up your tofu & pat it dry & then cover with whatever sauce or seasonings you like (Take a Look Here & scroll down ). Tofu Is a great plant-based protein and is so easy to add it to any practically any meal throughout the week  ! 
*Purchase organic tofu when possible since soy is a highly treated crop !

5) Brown Rice

Similar to quinoa it's great to make big batches of  brown rice for the week ! Once made & refrigerated it’s so simple to use it in any dish.
Personally,  if I’m making a hot dish like a stir fry I actually just heat up the pre prepped rice in the same pan .
It's also  so simple to heat it up in just a minute or two on the stove with a few drops of broth or water !
​

6) Noodles

It’s additionally so simple to prepare noodles (especially ramen /rice/ soba or udon) or pastas in advance so you can use them for your dishes throughout the week !
Even the types that get harder when refrigerated can easily be heated & softened back up in a bit of broth or water. Noodles & Pastas are great as a base for buddha & nourish bowls as well as the base for any type of sauce as well as with added plant-based ingredients such as tofu or tempeh , chickpeas beans, nuts & veggies !
​

7) Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted chickpeas are another plant-based ingredient I love to food prep. If you're using canned chickpeas, just rinse them, blot them dry, season & bake on a parchment lined cooking sheet or in a glass casserole like baking dish.  (Take a Look Here & scroll down) .
​You can add or toss your chickpeas on literally any dish !
​

8) Steamed Veggies

It’s always a good idea to steam down some veggies for the week !
I often do this with a mix of veggies and often all together, fresh or frozen.  Fresh are obviously great (especially if they’re local & organic) & frozen are great since they don’t go bad easily if you don't use them right away.
​ In any order, once your veggies are steamed just refrigerate & use them throughout the week in any dishes you like !!
​

9) Overnight Oats

Overnight Oats are a great plant-based breakfast (or any meal actually) or snack that are so easy to prepare in advance !
Using rolled oats are the best way to go ~ All you need to do is soak them in either plant-based milk or water in your fridge (approx 1 cup oats to 1 cup liquid) overnight. I love to use a mason jar for this!
You can also add other ingredients such as honey, maple syrup, chia seeds, yogurt, cacao powder, cinnamon etc. Just stir everything all together, tighten the lid & put in the fridge for at least a few hours & It will be ready & waiting for you ! You can top your overnight oats with fruit, nuts or seeds before eating.  
​If stored in  your fridge in air tight containers such as mason jars they should stay good up to 5 days !
​

10) Raw Cut Up Veggies

If you clean & cut up raw veggies (such as carrots, peppers & broccoli) in advance of starting your week it will make it so much easier to just either grab some when you’re hungry as a snack or add them to any dish such as salads, grain or noodle bowls, stir fry's etc.  
When you're tired or in a rush the job of cutting up your veggies is sometimes the last thing you feel like doing, but when you have them ready & waiting for you it is the ticket to health & healthy lifestyle !

11) Toasted Nuts & Seeds

 Simply toasting / roasting whatever nuts &/or seeds you choose is a simple way to make dishes tastier & add more protein & minerals.
I usually purchase nuts & seeds raw without added salt or oil & then simply roast them in a single layer on a parchment paper lined cooking tray or a glass casserole dish to brown them.
I typically toast them at 325 degrees & check them after just 5 minutes.
​Sometimes it takes closer to 10 minutes for them to lightly brown.
To save time, you can also do this while your oven (or toaster oven) is heating up getting ready to cook other items !
Be careful not to burn them since they do brown in just minutes.
​

12) Dressings & Sauces 

It’s so easy to whip up a few dressings & sauces including cheese sauces using  plant-based ingredients !
I make all of my dressings & sauces  oil free (Take a Look Here & scroll down) They’re absolutely delicious and an amazing embellishment to any meal of your choice !
​

Regarding the ingredients above, you can keep them in separate containers  (please avoid plastic if possible) or mason jars in your fridge, or you can assemble them as meals ahead of time so they're ready & waiting for you & especially if you're taking them to go.
If you do assemble these in advance, just hold off on adding dressings or sauces until you're ready to eat so they're not rendered soggy.

Complete Dishes

Also, In addition to food prepping separate ingredients or components to use in meals, you can also prep entire dishes such as soups, stir fry's, chilies, salads (such as veggie, grain, bean or chickpea), veggie burgers or balls, fritters etc .
You can additionally prep items such as granolas & snacks such as energy balls & bars !
​

Overall it’s so helpful & beneficial to a healthy lifestyle to food prep because it will help you avoid grabbing less nutritious food, save you money & time & gain wellness !! 
Happy Prepping !!!
​

"Invest In A Healthy Lifestyle Then Bask in The Returns"
Donna Dior

**Before embarking on Any new dietary, wellness or nutritional program, it is advised and important to consult with your qualified and trusted Healthcare Provider to evaluate your particular and personal medical circumstance.

Disclaimer   
This blog, it's content and any linked materials does not provide medical advice and is presented and intended for informational purposes only. It is based on my personal experience and research and is Not a Substitute for Medical Advice or Treatment. Do not Disregard Medical Advice, or delay in Seeking It because of something you have read in this blog, website or in Any linked material. Consult with a Medical Professional if you have a Medical Condition ! ​​​​