Master Your Meal Prep

Choosing Your Ingredients

Whole Foods

When you’re meal prepping, it’s important to use whole, fresh foods with each Betr recipe you choose. 

What are whole foods? Foods that are “close to nature”- think of this in that we ingest them in the same form as they grow. For example, an apple in the grocery store looks the same as the apple on the tree… so if it comes in a box, can, or bag, it’s likely not a whole food. Want to learn more about whole foods? Check out this article for a deep dive into them.

If you’re looking for an option to store ingredients in your freezer or pantry longer-term, you should opt for frozen vegetables instead of canned whenever possible. Frozen produce is typically frozen at its freshest state and doesn’t have the preservatives in it that canned food can. With that said, raw veggies will give your dish more flavor and texture as they cook down, as opposed to frozen vegetables which tend to become soggy and flavorless when cooked. 

You should also opt for fresh meats over canned or frozen options when possible – fresh meats will last longer in the fridge, and will taste better too! If you don’t have access to fresh meats or don’t want the hassle of cooking them yourself, look for frozen options that are low in sodium or look for a trustworthy meal delivery service.

Organic vs. Non-Organic Grocery Shopping

When it comes to grocery shopping for your meals, it’s important to consider whether or not going organic is worth the extra cost - and that means taking into account that even the “fresh” foods at your local grocery store could have processed and/or un-naturally preserved ingredients lurking in them! While organic produce does tend to be more expensive than its non-organic counterparts, there are some tradeoffs that may make going organic worth it in the end. For instance, buying organic produce helps reduce the amount of pesticides used on crops (which are known endocrine disruptors) while also promoting healthier soil conditions due to strict regulations on fertilizers and other growth enhancers used during production. Plus, many studies suggest that organic produce has higher levels of antioxidants compared to non-organic produce.

Breaking Down the Meals

The Big Breakfast Debate

Breakfast is an important part of any morning routine, but have you ever stopped to think about the name "breakfast"? The word actually dates back centuries and is a combination of two words: "break" and "fast". Essentially, it describes the action of "breaking" a period of fasting. Not only does breakfast provide us with an important dose of energy for the day, but it also supports gut health due to the wide range of nutrients and vitamins that can be consumed right away. 

Many of our members incorporate intermittent fasting into their protocol but it is not required. Intermittent Fasting (IF) is highly beneficial for both physical and mental health, so it's no surprise that modern society has continued to incorporate this pattern as breakfast. We’re familiar with both breakfast lovers and haters, and IF isn’t for everyone! So if you love eating right when you wake up, we would never want to take that away from you! Just keep in mind that your first meal of the day impacts just that - your entire day. So as you plan your first meal of each day, think back to all the benefits that you gain from focusing on nourishment for this important meal. If you are a breakfast person, make sure to hydrate and opt for foods that will help fuel your day - we like to call these “Morning Fuels.” 

Cottage Cheese 

Vegetable Omelette (and other styles of eggs like a scramble or Betr Egg Muffins)

Quinoa Oatmeal 

Fruit/Veggie Smoothies

If you don’t like breakfast, no worries! Just make sure to pair your morning tea/coffee with plenty of water - it’s equally important to hydrate in the morning. 

Snacks!

When it comes to snacks, many think of high-calorie, unhealthy options. However, snacks play an important role in balancing your metabolism and promoting optimal gut health. Believe it or not, raw fruit is a great way to snack healthily and satisfy hunger cravings! Apples, oranges, blueberries, strawberries, and grapefruits are all tasty (and Level 1 approved) snacks that provide essential vitamins and minerals. Not only do these snacks offer various nutrients but they are always easy to find and don’t require any preparation. So make sure to incorporate a fruit snack every day in between breakfast and lunch and even after lunch in case mid-day hunger strikes! Your body will thank you for staying on protocol and satisfying a craving. 
If you’re more of a salty snacker, raw veggies may surprise you with how flavor-packed they are. After a few days, you’ll notice you’re CRAVING veggies (don’t believe us? We dare you to give it a try) - one of our team’s favorites is raw asparagus with olive oil and a little pink Himalayan sea salt.

Lunch

Our Pride and Joy… Mason Jar Salads. 

When meal-prepping salads, we are constantly recommending mason jar salads - the jar’s seal helps keep veggies and lettuce FRESH and crisp for longer while providing an easy container to take anywhere with you. Salads are an incredibly versatile and convenient way to get nutritious, wholesome food for lunch. Mason Jar salads make it easy for you to stick to the recommended 25% protein / 75% raw vegetable ratio in all your meals. 

Simply layer in whatever greens, seasonal vegetables, and proteins you like. Then, when you’re ready to eat, simply pour the jar into a bowl and it comes out like a beautifully prepared salad. That’s why we recommend layering in reverse order - i.e. dressing at the bottom (or invest in some reusable to-go dressing/sauce containers), then some “Crunchy” or “resilient” vegetables as the next layer that can absorb the dressing - cucumbers, red peppers, etc, then the protein, as the last layer. Over time, you’ll find your salads can be customized to fit your tastes without having to resort to any unhealthy options!

When you don’t want a salad…

We get it, you want variety - and guess what? Your gut does too! Incorporating variety into our meals is essential for gut health, ensuring that you get all the nutrients your gut needs to stay healthy. Try switching up your lunch every now and then - if you haven't tried a wrap before, give it a go! It’s sure to be a gut-pleaser in more ways than one. Another way to create variety is by using leftovers from any of your dinners - just make sure to plan ahead on portions so that you can easily throw the leftovers in a lunch container. Variety is simply delicious when it comes to gut health so do your best to keep your meals diverse and get creative in the kitchen.

Dinner 

Plan! Because dinner often comes at the end of busy days, the last thing you may want to do is to figure out what to cook. That’s why we recommend planning out your week of dinners the Sunday before so you’re not scrambling at the last minute. One of the easiest questions to answer as you go through the protocol can be this ” What’s for dinner today/tomorrow?” Confidently answering that question means you are way ahead of it!

Meal Delivery: We mentioned this one earlier - find a solid Meal Delivery Service and have one less stressor in your life. Whether you love cooking or hate it, meal delivery can save you time, money, and stress… if you’re not sure how to find one you can trust (and doesn’t break the bank), check out this article: How to Find the Perfect Meal Delivery Service for You.

Bulk Cooking: Cook with leftovers in mind for a day or two later or lunch the next day. That way, you’re knocking out two meals (or more) with only one night of cooking.