#1: Meal Time Stresses You Out.
Let me guess... you are stressed for one of these three reasons:
You don't know what to prepare.
You don't have the time to prepare what you want.
Or a combination of both!
#2: You Have Picky Eaters at Home.
Are you annoyed at meal time because you make multiple meals for your family?
#3: You Are Trying to Eat Healthier.
Are you trying to hit a certain calorie, macronutrient, or health goal to see results?
If any of these 3 scenarios describe you...
BULK COOKING IS THE ANSWER!
Bulk cooking is preparing ONE food item and pulling it in multiple directions throughout your week!
For example: Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes
Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes can be pulled into chilis, savory breakfasts bowls, as a side dish, salad topper, or stuffed into a burrito! There are endless possibilities!
Why does this strategy save you from stress?
It forces you to meal plan. You have to think through... "what am I going to bulk cook?" and "what meals am I going to make with this item?"
I suggest my clients pick either one grain/starch, one protein source, or one vegetable to bulk cook because those are the three main components of a healthy meal.
Then choose 3 different meals you would like to make with that one item!
When it comes to meal time... you look at your plan, you know exactly what you need to cook, and you already have one component of the meal done! Saving you tons of time and stress!
Why does this strategy help with picky eaters?
When you have picky eaters, it is extremely hard to meal prep because you are stuck to one recipe that your whole family may not like. This leads to lots of food waste and frustration! With bulk cooking you have endless possibilities to make!
For example:
You and your spouse could make a savory breakfast bowl with:
Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes
Sauteed Greens
Chicken Sausage
Fried Egg
Avocado
Salsa
Your kiddos could have:
Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes
Side of Scrambled Eggs with a little cheese
Avocado
Fruit
Similar concept of a meal and not having to cook anything extra!!!
Why does it help you eat healthier?
You can be more consistent with hitting your calorie, macronutrient, and health goals because: you have a healthy food item on hand ready to go for meal time and you have meal planned for your week which likely leads to healthier meal choices than emotionally eating in the moment!
For example:
If you struggle with eating enough protein in your day, a great strategy would be to bulk cook a lean meat (chicken) for the week. Making it readily available for you to be successful.
OR
If you struggle eating enough vegetables at lunch, a great strategy would be to bulk cook a roasted sheet pan of vegetables for the week to use at lunch time.
This would allow you to conquer these components at meal time leading to improvement in your diet. and achieving your health goals!
Bulk cooking is one of the main strategies I teach in the Gray Guide. I truly believe it is the most effective way to be successful with healthy eating, achieving body composition goals, and preventing stress when it comes to your weekly meal woes! I highly recommend trying it! Let me know what you think!