Weekly Meal Planning & Prep Tips

This shop, featuring tips and a printable for weekly meal planning has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ElevateSuperFoods #CollectiveBias

We all know the importance of eating balanced meals as a part of healthy eating – but sometimes our own busy schedules can get in the way. I always know what I should be eating, but found myself reaching for quicker options that weren’t always healthy. I didn’t have the time to stop and prepare a good breakfast, lunch or sometimes, even dinner. As a solution, I started preparing all of my meals on Sundays. Just a few hours time commitment have really made a difference in how I’m eating during the week. Recently, I added elevĀte salads into my lunch routine and it has made the process easier (and more delicious).

So what do I prep?

Breakfast

I usually go with overnight oats, which I prep and store in jars.

These are super easy to make and you can add in different ingredients each day to the same base of greek yogurt, steel cut oats, almond milk, honey or agave, and chia seeds. I then vary my other ingredients which might include coconut, dark chocolate, peanut butter, and a wide variety of fruits. Pictured above and below, I made Coconut Mango last week.

Breakfast served – on the go, no excuses.

Lunch

I used to prepare my own salads for the week, but honestly, when I saw the new elevĀte salads at Wegmans, I quickly stocked up and allowed the work to be done for me!

I purchased the Nutty Cranberry and Sunny Caesar varieties. (How funny are all the sayings all over the package? “Don’t Look, I’m Dressing” or “Everyone Romaine Calm”) Now, I can grab a salad, eat and get back to work.

elevĀte salads make it easy to eat clean! They truly believe that happy starts with healthy and feeding your body right is the biggest contributor of both. I always feel satisfied after I eat these for lunch – and happy knowing that I made a good choice for the meal. It’s good fuel for a busy day! They are super convenient too – fork included, a separate tray of add-ins and dressing, making it easy to eat on the go.

There are 8 ready-to-eat superfood salads that will help you jumpstart your journey while enjoying many delicious flavors. They are portable nutrition that are easy to take with you – no matter how busy life gets. With natural ingredients that are full of flavor and deliver clean, functional nutrition in every bite.

Try one and tell me you don’t feel happy, inspired and uplifted! For me, these salads help me avoid that mid-day slump and feel good enough to tackle the afternoon.

More Information

The products feature clean ingredients that are anti-oxidant rich and high in omegas. They have benefits which include vegan, gluten-free and USDA organic. Their superfood lineup has recipes featuring ingredients like ancient grains, nutrient-dense greens, nuts, legumes, and seeds that are rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. They are full of naturally occurring vitamins and antioxidants.

Some other qualities of the ingredients include:

Plant-based proteins

5 of the 8 are USDA Organic

7 of the 8 are Gluten-Free

3 include Antiobiotic-free chicken

3 are vegetarian

1 is 100% vegan

Like me, you can clean out the display at Wegman’s for elevĀte salads – stocking up for a week of healthy lunches. I find mine by the salad dressings and other prepared salad items.

(Still want to learn more about elevĀte salads? Follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)

Dinner

Dinner, by far, takes me the most prep time, but it pays off during the week when everything is ready to go.

I fully plan out each meal and prepare everything to freeze or refrigerate. I use a lot of slow-cooker recipes and include everything in a freezer bag. I also prepare meats and sides which go from bag to baking sheet to oven. This past week, one of the meals I had was a broccoli pesto chicken caprese. I did end up freezing this, transferred to the fridge in the morning and baked at dinner. It makes a hectic dinner time a little more calm!

I also started using a menu board so that everyone in my house is on the same page. I write out what is for dinner each night and I don’t get the endless “What’s for dinner? ” questions. It also helps keep me on track for what I have prepared.

This menu board is really easy to make. I simply took a framed chalkboard, and peel and stick menu sheets, also in a chalkboard finish.

I can still wipe the sticker down and change it. It gives the board a pre-printed look. Each sticker lasts me a while – but you will have a backup when each starts to get worn. (you can find any craft store – in quantities of 12-15).

Planning

To make planning easier, one thing you’ll want to do is to print out this weekly meal plan sheet and organize everything, It’s especially helpful with the dinners.