September has arrived!

This not only means cooler temps and impending fall foliage changes, but also back-to-school for many, and some amazing seasonal produce. To us that adds up to a great time to get into some meal prepping for you and your family. Perhaps you're an experienced meal-prepper but fell off the wagon this summer...or maybe you have tried meal prepping but are already bored with your creations. Maybe meal prepping is totally new for you and sounds intimidating. Whatever your experience with meal prepping, we have tips and ideas to help keep it fresh, easy, and fun this season!

Meal prepping is all about cooking or assembling food in bulk, ahead of mealtime or snack time, and [dare we add] in a way that works for your goals and lifestyle. The first thing to notice is that we said " assembling" because cooking is great, but it's not always required! Read on without fear and we will help you make this happen! Meal prepping is a great way to ensure you are meeting your nutrition needs, because you buy and prep in advance, customize foods to your taste, and ensure you have what you want/need available throughout your busy week.

Since takeout meals and packaged snacks can be sneakily high in sodium, sugar, and saturated fat, and contain seemingly random portions depending on where they come from, preparing meals (or parts of meals) in advance can ensure you are sticking to your planned nutritional goals. Of course, this looks and sounds different for each of us, but that is ok and part of where planning comes in handy. There are infinite ways to go about meal prepping, depending on your nutritional needs and goals, taste preferences, schedule, and family needs, but here's the bottom line: think about buying and prepping some carbohydrates, protein, veggies and fats to have available at each meal. After that, get creative!!

Myth #1 - Meal Prep Must Involve Cooking.

Many tasty and healthy meals can be "made" without ever turning on your stove or oven. If cooking with heat is holding you back, consider looking for no-cook dishes and recipes to make your life easier. Salads can become meals when you include enough protein (chicken, turkey, boiled eggs, canned fish, tofu, or cottage cheese), carbohydrates (whole grains like quinoa or faro, beans, chickpeas, potatoes, fresh/dried fruit), and fat (cheeses, avocado, olives, nuts, seeds, and olive oil). There's also nothing wrong with buying several simple pre-pared items and assembling them together. If there is a healthy lunch or dinner item that you can easily buy and would otherwise take hours to cook, don't sweat it! Compliment it with a few other components and you're good to go.

Myth #2 - Meal Prep Requires Making Formal Entrées For Your Meal.

You don't necessarily have one big or intricate dish in mind! While a one-pot dish can be a simple solution for cooking, so can a few well-combined a la cart foods. Healthy meals can easily be put together with side dishes and/or basic components you cook separately or buy. Having multiple components allows you to " reinvent" your meal throughout the week so you don't have to have the same pot of chili for 5 nights in a row. Mix and match proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables, and fats! Here's an example of what this could look like:

Pick 1 Protein	Pick 2 Veggies	Pick 1-2 Carbs	Pick 1-2  Fats	Possible  Add-on if Desired
-Canned Tuna or Salmon -Chicken -Tofu -Sliced Turkey -Hard Boiled Eggs -Cottage Cheese -Greek Yogurt	-Raw Vegetables (Baby Spinach, Baby Carrots, Celery, Cherry Tomatoes, Snow Peas, Cucumber, Baby Peppers, etc) -Cooked Vegetables of any kind -Simple Side Salad	-Quinoa, faro, rice -Hummus -Beans, Chickpeas, Lentils -Whole-Grain Bread or Wrap -Whole-grain or Nut/Seed Grain Crackers -White or Sweet Potatoes, Winter Squash, Plantains -Fresh Fruit	-Avocado -Guacomole -Nuts or Seeds -Olive Oil -Olives -Cheese -Tahini	-A small sweet treat -Condiments/ Dressing/ Sauce -Herbs or spices

Try a Bento Box Meal!

Bento is a Japanese style of single-portion meals packed in a box in which each food component has a special place. Bento lunch boxes have become widely popularized for their ability to organize easy, balanced meals to go. The beauty of these boxes is that they're typically divided into 4-5 sections, which can be a fantastic way to build your meal. One section for protein, another 1-2 for veggies, 1-2 for grain/crackers/bread or fruit, and 1 for dip, hummus, or dressing. Plus, foods stay separate and fresh!

Think of this as the healthy snack plate of your dreams!

The bento box meal is perfect for kids' school lunch prep, too. Kids tend to love the sectioning, colors, and variety. Many kids don't like different foods to touch anyway, so this eliminates that problem. With a spread of several small components, kids can enjoy multiple food groups (options) with the same ease of a typical sandwich. This makes life easier for parents with multiple kids whose children of course like different foods. It also lets you see everything as you assemble, making it easy to substitut e and accommodate their preferences.

There are tons of bento box containers available on the market- we highly recommend checking them out! For more ideas, see our Nutrition Energy Director, Lauren Antonucci's bento lunch tips featured HERE!

Myth #3 -Meal Prep Must Include Salad To Be Healthy

Truth be told, there is no lettuce requirement for meal prep. While salads can be wonderful things, if you don't love to eat or prepare them, there are many other options for you to get in your veggies (Many adults should aim for 1 cup/meal). Consider mixing veggies into quinoa, over rice, between bread, in soups or stews, or cooked alongside your favorite protein. Snack on vegetables as a side, or with a tasty dressing or dip such as guacamole, hummus, or savory yogurt.

Myth #4 - Meal Prep Must Take Place On Sundays.

Sunday cooking and/or food shopping just doesn't work for everyone. If this is what's holding you back, choose another day! Maybe you cook on Monday nights or put in some time on Saturday, or split up any shopping and prep. I often try to incorporate SOME meal prep into my regular cooking routine; for example, I might make an extra protein on both Sunday and Wednesday to allow for 2 additional meals from each and cook extra veggies on Tuesday and Saturday. Find a schedule that works for you and go with it, it doesn't have to be traditional!

Myth #5 - Meal Prep Requires Preparing All Of Your Meals For The Week.

Nope. Set a reasonable goal for yourself. Maybe you prepare 2 dinner meals and 2 lunch meals to start. Maybe you want to change your snacking habits, so you start preparing snacks to bring to work for the week. Or perhaps your goal is to stop buying breakfast out, so you start by cooking oatmeal in bulk for the week. Make your goal something you know you can achieve!

Myth #6 - Meal Prep Is A Solo Chore.

Who said you need to do it alone?! If meal prep feels boring or isolating, bring others into the mix! Include a partner or roommate to make it a joint activity. Turn on your favorite podcast or music, or call that friend or relative you've been meaning to catch up with and chat as you prep. If you're cooking for one, see if you can entice a friend or two to join you for a meal prep party; you could choose a dish and ask everyone to bring an ingredient, or each bring supplies to make an entire meal. The options (and potential fun) are endless! If you are cooking for your family, get your kids involved, too! Think of age-appropriate kitchen tasks they can do (mixing for the youngest children , peeling for the next ones, or possibly even chopping for the oldest/teens). Make it a family affair!