Why Meal Prep? September 08th, 2017

          Time, Motivation and Know-How are the biggest reasons I have found that people are not able to eat healthy, homemade meals.  We live in a go-and-don’t-stop society.  We work long hours and have minimal time off.  I think by now we have all heard it.  This is stressful, and stress is detrimental to health in all its ways, physical, mental, and emotional.  Why is it so hard to find time to feed our bodies nourishing foods and meals that honor the body, mind and soul? Fast food, ready-to-eat freezer meals and meal delivery service say, you don’t have time and you shouldn’t.  Often what down time we do have is filled with mindless scanning through social media, Google and watching television.  We are so exhausted; the thought of standing in the kitchen at the end of a long day or on a Sunday afternoon causes fatigue in itself.
 
            For most people, it takes a radical change to get in the kitchen.  It takes reorganizing priorities and making sacrifices.  Yes, I may spend 3 hours in the kitchen on most Sunday’s instead of spending time outdoors or with my friends socializing.  But feeding my body with good, quality food is my priority. Yes, I may stand on my feet an extra hour at night after a long day of work to make a decent dinner.  But, good food is my priority.  Good food is my priority because it affects everything.  It affects my health now, and in the future.  I feel good, and I want to keep it that way.  This is my motivation.  I have seen far too many people with chronic health conditions from a life of eating poorly, that I am motivated to prevent that from happening to me.  Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of Sunday’s that I choose to travel, visit with friends and family or just take the dog for a hike. But these are the weeks where my meals are very simple and quick. I may repeat an easy, common mason jar salad for lunch, or a simple quiche for breakfast.  I may just stock up on green leafy vegetables, grains and proteins for dinners that I know how to throw together easily. But no matter how busy I am, I still always have homemade meals using whole foods.  I am able to do this because I have done it, over and over again, until it stuck.
 
            I am lucky to have been raised in a home where food was always homemade.  We always had a homemade breakfast and a homemade dinner. It might have been the same three things every week, but at least it was real food.  Eating good food is a part of who I am, all thanks to parents who made eating good food a priority.  I recognize not everyone had that.  Many people do not know how to be in the kitchen, so they end up eating out most meals.  Unfortunately, the food system is full of ingredients that are high in empty calories and unrecognizable, highly processed ingredients. Do you ever questions why chronic disease such as diabetes, allergies, obesity and heart disease are exponentially on the rise in this country? Eating out will inevitably serve us far too many preservatives, chemicals, sugar, salt and fat.  Not only very disproportionate amounts of these disease causing ingredients, but also the cheapest forms of them.  Such as refined salt that does not contain essential nutrients such as Iodine, processed and refined oils which are full of chemicals, preservatives and trans fats and refined sugars such as high fructose corn syrup.  These are also the addictive ingredients that keep you coming back for more.  Cooking at home ensures you know exactly what is going into your body.  Even if you use real butter, iodized salt and unrefined sugar, you are at least giving your body REAL food. Real food is something that your body can recognize, and use to fuel every cell and system in your body. 
 
            If know-how is your reason, I have great news, there are MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS of resources.  Google it, Amazon it, go to a bookstore, watch a video, listen to a podcast.  You don’t have to do anything fancy.  It doesn’t have to be complicated and you don’t have to jump in to cooking every single meal, every single day.  But start somewhere…ANYWHERE.  Maybe you start with one dinner a week.  Maybe a slow cooker recipe, or a simple one-sheet pan meal.  Once you learn how to cook one meal, you will gain the confidence to know you can do it again.  Each time you make something new, you gain an invaluable, skill that will continue to nourish you and your family for now and for future.  And remember, if you need help, planning, organizing, or cooking, we are here to help.  Our main goal is to bridge the gap the separates you from living the healthy life that you want. 
 
With the warmest regards in health,
 

Ashton