Being Vegan is the most rewarding food regimen I’ve ever experienced. Staying on the path to whole foods and preparing all meals is challenging at times. As a working Mom of a school age child, sometimes I’m tired after work, then up early in the morning getting ready for the day. Preparation ahead of time is an important part of keeping healthy food choices through out the week, avoiding eating out at restaurants, and a great way to save money.
I’d like to share what I’ve found successful on weekends in preparation of the following week:
Make sure to fit in fun, fitness, some downtime and meal preparation/cooking for the next week. A great way to keep on track is re-directing the mind to focus on food choices and the reasons to eat healthy. I start with cooking and preparing meals for at least Monday – Tuesday and putting them in lunch containers.
By Tuesday or Wednesday, I can run to the store if needed for a few items like broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, and bananas. This will provide ingredients to be able to prepare a couple of recipes such as lentils and carrots for lunch Wednesday and sweet potatoes and kale for Thursday.
Basmati brown rice with black-eyed peas, broccoli and onions on Friday.
Short on recipe ideas? Look at the ingredients of packaged or frozen dinner food. Pick the healthy items that sound good and cook it yourself in your own way. For example, there’s one frozen dinner item I regularly see in the frozen food section so, I read it, wrote down what sounds good and cooked it myself at home. Ingredients such as brown rice, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms cooked and sauteed.
Have food in your car or backpack at all times. Put an ice-pack inside and you’ll always have a healthy lunch with you. I always have whole non-salted cashews in a ec0-friendly sandwich bag in my purse for an in between snack.
Happy eating!