We all want to be that clean-eating person. If you’re part of a two-person working household with kids, daily workouts, and as TIRED as I am, you’ll understand why I’ve become a self-proclaimed TAKEOUT QUEEN.  Guys, its bad. I’m even buying ready-made dinners at the grocery store.  Can you keep a secret? I can’t remember the last time I actually bought uncooked meat.
If you’re thinking, “Take out is easy.  Solves the problem, no harm, right?” Wrong.
 
According to Time Health Magazine:

• The average American household spends well-over $3,000 a year on eating out/take out
• The average restaurant prepared meal contains 18% more calories
• When dining out you are likely to consume 35% more than preparing and dining in

Ouch!

More and more fitness mags are talking about meal prep and many social media posts are sharing delicious looking, easy-to-follow (even for me) recipes and ideas.  Could I do this too?  Me, the woman with a sign in her kitchen that reads: “The only reason I have a kitchen is because it came with the house”.  Not to mention, it’s not just about the time it takes to cook; I simply just don’t enjoy cooking. Is that bad?
 
As a first-time food prepper, I’m here to tell you that meal prep can be for EVERYONE.  For some, the thrill of spending hours in the kitchen on one meal, only to have it devoured in minutes, is rewarding.  That’s not really my style.  But, to spend a few hours on several healthy meals and snacks that I can quickly pull from on those busy, too tired, days/nights… hmmm, now we are talking!  Efficiency is the name of this game.
 
Like many things in my life, my Jazzercise friends (other instructors), provided the nudge I needed to get started.  We did what we do best…made it a party!
 
Our recipe for success:

• 4 fab females (the more the merrier!)
• 1 fully functional kitchen
• One Pinterest page for ideas/recipes
• 24 mason jars (our main project for the day – Mason Jar Salads)

We chopped, we cooked, we cried (onions can do that to a person), we laughed and we food prepped!  Following our Googled and Pinterest suggestions for our chosen dishes, we crafted a week’s worth of lunch, full of protein, veggies, and flavor!  You can do anything that sounds good to you.  So many great ideas and recipes to search and choose from. The more people, the MORE you can prep.  Many hands make light work!

EACH of us took home 6 mason jar salads- our biggest project of the day – 1 week of lunch! Sooo worth it!
 
We’ve already started planning our next meal prep party and we’re all bringing different recipes to try out.  I may have to step down as Takeout Queen, but I’m ok with that for the sake of healthy, homemade meals.