You’ve been faithfully prepping your meals each night for a few weeks or months, and you’ve enjoyed some success with your weight loss plan. But lately, you’re getting tired of the same old routine and the same old foods. Try these five ways to break out of your meal prep rut, and start enjoying homemade meals and snacks again.
Try some new sauces and marinades. When marinating meat to go on the grill later, try new marinades (either ones you whip up yourself, or bottled versions that you purchase). As for toppings, try out some tahini, chimichurri, tazhiki, pesto, or Thai peanut sauce. Google some salad dressing recipes, and try whipping up your own Green Goddess or raspberry vinaigrette.
Get ethnic. Branch out and try some ethnic foods with which you’re not familiar. You will learn to combine ingredients in new ways, and appreciate interesting combinations of herbs and spices. You could even play around with “theme nights” during which you enjoy music or a movie from a particular culture while whipping up a new dish.
Identify new proteins. Sick of the same old shredded chicken and boiled eggs? Branch out a little, and identify some new sources of protein. Try adding more seafood to your diet, or experiment with chickpeas, lentils, black beans, and tofu.
Join a co-op or produce box service. Reduce waist and enjoy lower prices on produce, while experimenting with new fruits and veggies, by joining a co-op or produce box service. You won’t want to waste anything from your bulk order, so you’ll learn to come up with new recipes and try different dishes.
If you like it, write it down. There’s nothing worse than trying to remember how you created a particularly fantastic meal! Record your culinary experiments on an index card for quick reference later. These will come in handy in a pinch, when you can’t think of anything to cook for dinner.
And if you need any other tips regarding your weight loss plan, give us a call. We can help you identify your challenges and come up with more creative solutions.
