Save time, money, and sanity with Mealprep Tips this Summer

(If you have ever wondered why I include Balance Training in my workouts- this is why.)

If you’re like me, you’d rather be 12 other places than in the kitchen. Summer is so tricky with managing kids, camps, travel, a full schedule at work, and wanting to “savor every moment" and make memories. There’s  only so many times I can feed my family the same 4 things, and I really don’t want to turn on my oven. 

Before I go any further, I will acknowledge that meal-prepping can be a pain in the butt. If you are in a difficult season, give yourself grace, and save this for later. There have been many weeks this year I just bought easy meals that came out of the microwave.

I will admit that even in those full times of life, a little weekly planning can help. It’s the lazy genius principle of “deciding once”. So taking the time to make a plan can really make the chaos a little more calm. Summer meal prepping can be tricky as we're trying to NOT spend time in the kitchen and still create delicious meals your kids will eat.

I’ll set aside time on Sundays or Mondays to go through the fridge, check the weekly weather, and our kid’s calendars and plan ahead in a way that makes sense. We typically shop at the farmer's market on Saturday, so I'll grab fresh produce and get the rest on Monday. You can do this any day of the week. If you need help with this - use my MealPrep tips for moms. This will teach you how to train your AI to help. You also don't have to use AI. Read on for how I do this with or without a robot.

Here are some tips that have worked for us so far:

Include the Weather

 We currently live in the Midwest, so Summer weather is sacred. Time spent outdoors is limited here, so I want to make dinner as fast as possible. The goal is to get food in bellies so we can go play after dinner.

Also - I don't want to run my oven when it's 95 degrees and humid.

So, I take the week's weather into consideration when doing my weekly family meal plan.

If I know I’ll have extra time and it’s going to rain, I’ll plan for a soup or an oven meal. This is when I'll take the extra time to roast veggies in advance. Let's say I want to make Spaghetti squash with pesto (it's SO good) on Thursday but the weather will be warm and we have a busy family schedule- I will prep the squash on Tuesday when it's raining. Then reheat and serve the Squash when we are short on time and wanting a savory vegetarian meal.

Or, I'll make fries and nuggets for dinner. If we need an activity, I'll keep the oven on and make carrot muffins , roast butternut squash for black bean enchiladas , you get the idea. Use the time when you have it. Also- no shame in nuggets. We eat them (tbh plant-based ones) all the time.

If it’s going to be sunny and I’d rather be outside, we do a mostly stove-cooked dinner or sandwiches. 

Store Veggies Properly  -

This can be helpful if your local farmer's market is only open on the weekends and you know you won't have time until Tuesday.

I reuse wide - mouth jars all the time for this because they work a little bit better than masons. (Yes, jars for jam, pasta, salsa, etc are all great to reuse.

I put bouquets of kale/ chart/ asparagus/ and cut herbs in a little water all around my kitchen so they don’t rot in the fridge.

If you wash, dry, and prep lettuces or greens, store them in a lint-free kitchen towel and place in a bag in the fridge. The towel will absorb the excess water and keep them from getting slimy for about a week. This way you can easily grab a section of romaine for a lettuce wrap or add some kale to your eggs in the morning.

If I’m purchasing store-bought veggies, I’ll put a kitchen cloth or towel in the bag to help absorb any moisture. This works wonders with bagged salads.

If I’m prepping one thing, I’m prepping everything, if my schedule allows. 

 I’ll do all my greens/ root veggies/ at the same time. I prefer to prep all things for chopping/ heating in advance. So if I’m making mashed potatoes, I’ll cut up the entire bag and set aside some in a bowl coated with herbs, salt/pepper/ oil and roast later during the week. 

So if I’m washing my lettuce, I’m going to do all of them. I love to take big bowls and soak everything one at a time, then spin them in a salad spinner. Store as recommended above. You can use post-it notes, clear containers, or washable markers to label and date. If you can't see what something is, it will go bad. Leave yourself a love note so this doesn't happen.

I love roasted vegetables, but I’ll aim for only one day during a hot week to run my oven. I’d rather spend the time outside, anyway! So I’ll roast asparagus, broccoli, fennel potatoes, bake muffins, etc, on the day where it is the least warm and reheat throughout the week. The rest of the week I will sautee, steam, or place the pre-cooked veggies over a salad or grain. 

Knowing what’s for dinner takes a ton of stress out of cooking for little kids.

The children get to have an opinion on what's for dinner. There is some psychology in appreciating what you've put the time into. Meals they have helped prepare (even when it contains ingredients they don't love) will taste better. So if you can involve your kids, the more likely they are to eat. Even if they are just asked to help decide what the meals are. A simple "do you want spagetti or penne" can help with picky eaters.

Prep the Night Before

We live and breathe by a white board in the kitchen. Each night before bed I revist our weekly meal plans. This is a reminder to set aside any items for camp or afterschool activities. This is the final step after I clean the kitchen and gives me a little extra peace in the morning.

For example - I’ll soak my beans before I go to bed for tacos and and set out the crock pot so I can just season and heat them while I'm teaching. Or, I’ll defrost my fish overnight in the fridge. Or just set aside a jar of alfredo sauce so I remember that it's pasta night.

Find the Time When You Already Have it:

If you are like most of my clients, you struggle to get enough fiber in your diet. Meanwhile your kid goes to school with a lunch packed with fresh veggies. Use this time to chop up extra for yourself to snack on during the day .Or set aside a couple ounces of protein when you're storing leftovers.

Any extra time you can find is a win. 

Set Yourself Up for Success

This is your reminder that you matter and you need to fuel yourself just as you would your kiddos. Most of my clients struggle with getting enough nutrition in their diet. When I go through their mealplans, it's usually the biggest gap I see. Most women I train aren't eating enough.

It's not the late night cravings. It's not the single serving of chocolate. It's the lack of fiber or whole foods in their diets. If we are going from one thing to the next all day, of course we'll grab whatever is in reach.

If you can set aside some fresh veggies at the ready, the more likely you are to eat them. You cannot build strong muscle on a diet of leftover crackers in the mini van. I'm guilty of this myself, so I stock my pantry with protein bars, and make sure I'm getting enough calories throughout the day. I know it seems like a lot. But I promise you, you and your family are worth it.

Sample Weekly Menu

Sunday: Grilled swordfish, corn on the cob, asparagus, and couscous

Monday: Roasted vegetables (I'll do all of these - broccoli, peppers, carrots at 400 and check/ flip things every 15 minutes) plant-based chicken nuggets, leftover couscous

Tuesday: Taco salad with crockpot black beans, leftover roasted veggies (corn, peppers)

Wednesday: ravoili with roasted broccoli

Thursday: rice with tofu, peas, or shrimp

Friday: Greek night with quinoa, naan, hummus/ tabbouleh dips, feta, and chopped veggies

toddler approved.

Above all - let this be your loving reminder that during busy seasons of life, you don’t need to be also presenting beautiful dinners.

Grilled cheese and soup, breakfast for dinner, tomato sandwiches, leftovers, nuggets, and pizza, are all kid favorites that fill them up. If it makes the most sense, I’ll prep dinner immediately after breakfast or lunch while my kids are entertained. We have so many summer concerts, nights at the pool, and I’d rather do that than be in the kitchen. 

Use this tool to make mealplanning even easier.

What else works for you? Please share below!