Planning out meals, food shopping, and meal prepping can easily take up your entire day. If you're short on time and still want to get a head start on healthy eating for the week ahead, do these four things — they'll only take an hour and a half!
Cook Whole Grains
Make a big batch of quinoa or rice (or both!) to use in your salads and breakfast recipes or to get a head start prepping for a couple of your weekly dinners like burritos or a stir-fry. Cook one cup of each and store in glass containers in the fridge, or make bigger batches and freeze in smaller portions [2] to use later.
Time: 3 minutes to measure and throw in the pot, 20 to 40 minutes to cook (use this time to prep something else), 10 minutes to store in containers in the fridge or freezer.
A Week of Overnight Oats
Make this fast breakfast even quicker by making a week's worth all at once [3]. They don't all have to be the same either. Here are some simple, creative, and delicious overnight oats recipes [4] so you can try a new one each day.
Time: 15 minutes
Mason Jar Salads
The ultimate time saver, make a week of mason jar salads all at once [5].
Time: 40 minutes
Cut Up Fruits and Veggies
Wash and dice veggies you'll use for your recipes like cauliflower and sweet potato for roasting, broccoli for steaming, peppers for stir-fry or afternoon snacks, and butternut squash, celery, and onions for soup. It's also a great idea to prep fruit like melon or grapes you can grab for breakfast or after dinner for dessert [6].
Time: 20 minutes