5 Foods To Prep Ahead For a Healthier Week
By SPUD.ca
**We know planning out a whole week of meals can help you eat healthier, save time and money, and reduce food waste....but it can also be time consuming, and requires a certain level of organization. However, you don't have to do a full meal plan to reap the benefits of planning ahead. If you just prep these five foods, you'll still be ahead of the game.**
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Overnight Oats
http://www.spud.ca/catalogue/recipes.cfm?rid=3165
Add 1/3 cup of rolled oats to 1/3 - 1/2 cup almond milk (depending on how thick you like it) and stir in 1 tbsp of chia seeds. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, top with fruits, nuts, seeds, granola - whatever you like - and enjoy a filling, healthy breakfast.
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Hard Boiled Eggs
Eggs are high in protein, contain vitamin B12, and come in their own convenient package. By eating a protein-packed egg, you'll be helping ward off cravings for less-healthy snacks. Hard boil a bunch at the beginning of the week and you'll have a perfect portable snack, salad booster, or wrap filling on hand whenever you need.
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Crudites
Having a selection of pre-washed and cut veggies in your fridge makes including them in your lunches or snacks SO EASY you'll do it without even thinking. Carrot sticks, celery, bell pepper strips, cucumber spears are classic. You can also use trimmed green beans, snap peas, broccoli and cauliflower florets, radishes and cherry tomatoes, or whatever veggies you like! Make sure you have some hummus or tzatziki on hand for dipping
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Smoothies
Fair enough, smoothies are already pretty easy. But sometimes we can use all the help we can get! Make a huge batch of smoothie and freeze it in an oversized ice cube tray. Then just toss a few cubes in the blender when you're ready for a snack. You can also freeze all the ingredients for one smoothie together in a baggie, ready to be blended whenever you need.
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Quinoa
So easy, and so versatile! Just cook up a big batch of this pseudo-grain, cool, and refrigerate. Then add a scoop to salads for lunch, stir some into soup to make a more filling meal, tuck it into a wrap for a protein and fibre boost - the options are endless! You can even have quinoa for breakfast as a porridge - just heat it with some almond milk & sweetener, and top with fruit and nuts.
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Leafy Greens
When you buy greens there's often a bunch of grit and dirt left on the leaves, making it seem daunting to prepare them. Pre-wash leafy greens (like kale, spinach, and chard) all at once, dry with a salad spinner or towel, and rip into bite-sized pieces. Store them in your fridge in an airtight container with a damp towel, and add to smoothies, salads, soups, and sandwiches as needed. Bonus - the greens will actually stay fresher and more crisp this way too!
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