The End of Diabetes: The Eat to Live Plan to Prevent and Reverse Diabetes

When I first heard the buzz of meal prep, I associated it with fitness (or maybe say scantily clad) influencers on Instagram showing off these perfectly portioned, delicious-looking meals in Tupperware that still looked brand new and with the original lids intact! I concept it looked like too much work- a lot of planning, prepping, cooking, and portioning but I also thought how this could be very beneficial to me financially, timewise, and nutrition-wise.

I could have healthy meals, in which I know the exact amount of fat, protein, carbs, and calories, this sounded too good to be true! While it sounded a little intimidating, I knew I had to give it a shot.

How to Prepare a Meal

Meal prep does not have to be complicated or tedious. You can buy your meats, fishes, vegetables and fruits in bulk and by preparing a few diverse meals from each, you will be sure not to waste one bit! The thought of being capable to open the fridge and select a healthy dinner was very intriguing so I headed to the supermarket to give it a shot!

1. Make a List

Think about what you and your family would like to eat for the week and ask for their input, too. Make a list of a few different meal options for every protein source. Consider what sauces, cheeses, and spices you will need as well. For example, I really like a lot utilizing rotisserie chicken for a few different meals for the week. I make chicken salad with it for lunch using onion powder, salt, and pepper. For dinner, I turn the rotisserie into pulled BBQ chicken that could be served on rolls or with a plate full of veggies.

Photo credit: Allison Caggia

Make sure to also consider what sides would work for every dish. Some can double as an entirely different accompaniment to your main dish. A great example of this is peppers. I love to just slow roast peppers with olive oil and sea salt but red peppers can also become the base for delicious, low-carb, beef, and mozzarella stuffed peppers, which happens to be one of my favorite and easiest dishes to make.

2. Buy in Bulk

Most people immediately think of work when it comes to meal prep but few think of the cost savings. Using the same meats, fishes and vegetables for several meals throughout the week will allow you to buy in bulk and save a ton! Check out your local wholesale clubs like BJs and Costco and make sure to check local grocery store chains for their sales of the week. I like to buy steak in bulk, grill it all at once and use it throughout the week for steak salads and dinner entrees.

Photo credit: Allison Caggia

3. Dedicate the Time

While it may sound time-consuming to dedicate a piece of your day to this, the alternative is doing this each day and that involves both the cooking and the cleaning. I actually don’t like to spoil any of my weekend time, so when I cook Monday’s meal, I cook for the rest of the week as well.

4. Count the Macros

With multiple pots and pans going, it is easy to forget the main reason you are doing this. Being able to know exactly how many macros you are eating at each meal can make weight loss and diabetes management a lot easier. Have a scale handy and weigh each portion accordingly. If you like using apps like My Fitness Pal to track your macros, then meal prep is likely to make your life and nutrition journey a lot easier. Make sure to weigh each individual portion of each food in the meal and mark it down so you have it readily available for labeling.

5. Store/Freeze and Label

If you’re meal prepping for the weeks ahead, make sure to get freezer bags with labels so you can without problems mark up. And if you are prepping for the week, please each meal into single-serving marked-up containers so you can easily grab a healthy meal at any time!

Meal Prep Ideas

Chicken Breasts

Option 1: I love to grill chicken breasts until brown, then remove them from the pan and create a balsamic reduction. Next, I throw some halved cherry tomatoes into the pan and add the chicken back in. Finally, I add mozzarella cheese on top add bake at 400 degrees until cheese starts browning.

Photo credit: Allison Caggia

Option 2: You can use half of the grilled chicken from the meal above and cut into skinny strips, throw in some mixed veggies (even a bag of frozen will do) and make chicken fajitas. I love eating this with Misson’s Low Carb Balance Tortillas.

Photo credit: Allison Caggia

Ground Beef, Chicken or Turkey

Option 1: Stuffed peppers with meat of your choosing and mozzarella is one is my favorite and easiest meal that I make. First, I brush halved peppers with olive oil and bake at 400 degrees until soft. I brown and drain the ground meat, and add it back into the pan with some Rao’s sauce (which I have found to be one of the lower-carb sauces).

Photo credit: Allison Caggia

Option 2: Growing up, I was a sucker for Bolognese pasta. As I got older and more health conscientious, along with my type 1 diabetes diagnosis, I opted for healthier choices when at a restaurant. One day I decided to try it at home and make it with zucchini linguini and it was excellent. You can add any type of sauce to this, whether you prefer a basic tomato sauce or an alfredo and this goes well with beef, chicken, or turkey. This is an extremely low-carb meal packing in a lot of protein.

Photo credit: Allison Caggia

Option 3:  Taco Tuesday! Add some taco seasoning to any of your ground meat to create a theme night the whole family can enjoy!

Photo credit: Allison Caggia

Fish

Option 1: Salmon is an excellent choice and is full of healthy fats. One 3-ounce portion has 177 calories, 11 grams fat, and zero carbs. It can be simply grilled and served in many different ways. This recipe is a great choice with a creamy lemon garlic sauce.

Option 2: Turn your salmon into salmon cakes like in this recipe using pork rinds (you can also use almond flour) to create a golden crispy coating. You can easily use canned salmon too for this dish, making it more affordable.

Meal prep does take some thought and time but can save you money and set you up for success with your nutrition journey.

Do you take the time to meal prep? What recipes or advice do you have for others to make it less intimidating? Share and comment below!

Diabetes Daily

The End of Diabetes: The Eat to Live Plan to Prevent and Reverse Diabetes