Meal Prep Made Simple

I remember visiting my sister in Washington state the year before Ziggy was born, and seeing their weekly menu board hung in their dining room. My thought was, “wait, you guys really know what you’re going to eat every day of every week…like all the time? Who does that?!”

It’s funny how things change, because part of my career now is teaching others how to simplify nutrition, meal planning and meal prep. LOL! Incredible how things can shift, right?!

Becoming a mom taught me that time is more valuable than ever, and I continue to be on a mission to maximize it. Meal planning and prepping became one of those things that has done just that.

By carving out a little bit of time, one day a week, (I’m talking an hour) to prep what I have planned for the week, I suddenly find I don’t have excuses to eat crap (or skip) lunch, I don’t walk around hangry and irritable, and I save so.much.time in the long run.

Pro tip: Hit the #easybutton by preparing the same thing for breakfast and lunch each week. This makes it easy to shop for, easy to plan and easy to throw together. Then, every week, switch it up so that you don’t get bored!

One of my favorite ways to get some easy lunch prep on is by making mason jar salads. It took me a while to get on the mason jar salad train...maybe because they are trendy and I'm not?! Ha! But it turns out I LOVE LOVE LOVE these!  Super easy, practical and delish. This can be done with any combination of ingredients, and I’m sharing a little tutorial and a favorite recipe right HERE.

What is your biggest struggle when it comes to meal planning and prep? I would love to know!. Share below, or always feel free to email >> info@sarahkaminski.com

---

With a breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes, printable grocery list and 5, actionable simple meal prep tips, The Veg Out Meal Plan Series makes meal planning and prep both SIMPLE and DELICIOUS! Check out what members are cooking up this week:

We're really enjoying all the flavors spring has to offer -- BRACE YOURSELF! 

We're diving into 

—A taco you won’t forget

—Strawberry fields!

—Sweet little eggs in a nest

—A traditional, nutrient dense Italian favorite

—And a flavorful eggplant stack that marries the flavors of spring

If you want in, sign up here by this Thursday (June 6th).

---

Let’s stay connected! Contact us anytime, HERE.

Meal Plans

If you wish you had a plan heading into each week... are looking for a simple, consistent place to start... maybe feel like you're getting bored with food... and want to layer something in that doesn't break the bank (or taste like cardboard)... Read on, sister, read on…!

Peace Out Bland and Boring ✌🏼

Colorful, balanced plant-based meals that are proof eating your veggies does not have to suck. These nutrient dense meals are designed to deliver flavor & satiety that balance blood sugar, reduce cravings and help the body do what it knows how to do best -- use food as fuel to give YOU energy!

Increased Energy & Improved Health 🚀⚡️

People report lost weight/inches, lowered blood pressure, lowered blood sugar, lowered cholesterol, balanced hormones, healthier hair & nails, healthier skin, lessened joint pain, healthy bowels, eliminated brain fog, increased energy, clearer thinking, overall sense of happiness, regained sense of control, reduced anxiety/depression...and more. Just by eating more plants.

Weekly Hacks 💡

​As a bonus every week, you'll receive a personalized video from Certified Holistic Health and Lifestyle Coach, Sarah Kaminski. She'll share her favorite kitchen hacks--including anything from food prep, grocery shopping, food storage, life saving kitchen gadgets, cooking techniques and more! These will ultimately save you money, time and lots of headaches!

What kind of results can I expect? 

Aghhhh where do I begin?!  It is not uncommon for people to experience any combination of the following by incorporating more plant based foods into their diet:

Physically >>  Lost weight/inches, lowered blood pressure, lowered blood sugar, lowered cholesterol, balanced hormones, healthier hair & nails, healthier skin, lessened joint pain,  regulated bowels

Mentally>>  Eliminated brain fog, increased energy, clearer thinking, overall sense of happiness, regained sense of control, reduced anxiety/depression 

Another huge perk?  You'll likely find you are saving money by eating more meals at home, having a plan, incorporating more plant-based proteins, and have an overall lower grocery bill!

What’s Included

Recipes

Each week, you will receive (5) new recipes.  (1) breakfast, (1) lunch, (3) dinner.  If you feel like the lunch recipe would make a good dinner, or the breakfast recipe a good lunch, etc, by all means, do your thing!  

Instructions 

Expect these to be simple -- there is NO need to over-complicate things!  We include only what you need to know to get the end result (a fab meal). No fluff.  

Macro Breakdown

Each recipe with include a list of macronutrients -- these are the essential and bulk nutrients (protein, fat & carbohydrates) the body requires on the daily  for growth, energy, and health.  I will also include fiber sources, as these are essential for optimal health and vitality!  

Grocery List

Every week is complete with a grocery list, organized by section, to streamline and simplify your shopping experience.  Can I get a hell yeah?! 

Pantry Staples

These are things that may, or may not, already be staples to your pantry (or fridge/freezer).  Not to worry, as you will begin to slowly accumulate ingredients that you will use over and over again! Be prepared to stock some flavorful and nutrient dense staples to your pantry, fridge and freezer!  

#easybutton

Grocery lists note #easybutton hacks where appropriate.  These are great options for people who are busy, want to cut down on prep time, or who value convenience over budget.  Use these as you see fit!  

Favorite Kitchen Hack 

As a bonus every week, you'll receive a personalized video from Certified Holistic Health and Lifestyle Coach, Sarah Kaminski.  She'll share her favorite kitchen hacks--including anything from food prep, grocery shopping, food storage, life saving kitchen gadgets, cooking techniques and more!  These will ultimately save you money, time and lots of headaches! 

"It's all done for me. I don't have to rack my brain about what to eat!"

"I finally broke through my plateau and am back to pre pregnancy weight!"

"The recipes share ingredients so there is no waste!"

FAQ

Who is this for?  

If you are…

—Too busy to plan home cooked meals

—Ready to learn to eat in a way that you can sustain for the rest of your life

—Really wanting to eat & cook healthier/more balanced meals but don’t know where to start

—Maybe bored with food, and want to incorporate meals that aren't bland, boring, or taste like cardboard

What is included each week?

—1 breakfast recipe

—1 lunch recipe

—3 dinner recipes

—Grocery list

—Pantry staple list 

—Macro breakdown so you begin to understand where you’re getting your protein, carbohydrates, fat plus other important nutrients in your plant centered meals!

+ a bonus video each week with a favorite kitchen hack

Why aren't there enough recipes for 3 meals per day, 7 days per week?

Because many of them would go to waste!  We generally tend to bite off more than we can chew (figuratively and literally, ha!)  Plus, not every {one} body thrives from a 100% plant-based diet.  This is about beginning to layer in some more plant-centered meals,  all while keeping you out of overwhelm and into action!  

When will I receive my first meal plan?

Access to your first meal plan is available immediately upon enrollment.  Yay!

 What kind of recipes can I expect?  

100% of the recipes included in the program are plant-centered.  While not all bodies thrive from a 100% plant-based diet, ALL bodies benefit from incorporating MORE plants!  This is an awesome way to incorporate more veggies into your diet, try new foods, and improve your health, energy and vitality.  If you are looking for bland, tasteless meals, this will NOT be your jam.  

What is the cost?  

Membership is only $25/month!  To put this into perspective, you can take back your life and radiate health and happiness for less than the cost of…

1 Starbucks per week

2 bottles of decent wine per month

A date night to the movies

…or a manicure

Amazing, right?!

What if I decide the subscription is not for me?

You can cancel at any time by emailing support(support@sarahkaminski.com).   

What if there is someone who I think would love this subscription program, too?

Share it with them!  For every (1) new person you personally refer, you'll get $10 off your subscription the following month.   It's like giving the gift of health to both yourself and people you care about--and I mean seriously, what is better than that?!  

What if I have questions?

For questions, or to make changes to your account, email support @sarahkaminski.com   We will be in touch with you directly within 24 hours M-F!  

"My energy is increased, and my skin is clearing up!"

"My GI issues are completely resolved."

"What I’ve learned has changed my life and my mind regarding food is changed forever!"

---

Still on the fence?

Check out this short 20 minute workshop!

Ready to incorporate our not-bland-not-boring-taste-freaking-fabulous recipes to simplify your life, save money, and improve your health?

---

Questions? Contact me directly! Can’t wait to get cooking together!

Meal Planning 101: Part 2

STEP #2:  MEAL PLANNING

Now that you are IN TUNE with your kitchen, here comes the fun part--planning what you are going to EAT!  If you love food as much as I do, this part is actually a lot of fun.  I get super psyched when I find new recipes for our family to try.  So, where do you begin?

ONE:  Always begin your weekly shopping list with your staples that need replenished.  This will likely also include things like milk, yogurt, bread, eggs...and whatever else you always have on hand.  (Refer to the list you made yesterday of your kitchen staples, too!)  

Then, use what you have** to inspire next week’s meals.  It’s important to start in the fridge, since this is what is most perishable. Leftover broccoli? A half block of cheddar?  Leftover quinoa?

Then, move to the freezer.   Frozen pizza dough?  A bag of spinach?  

And finally, the pantry.  Cans of black beans?  Tons of pasta?  

You are going to use THESE INGREDIENTS as the baseline for next week’s meal plan.  We are all well equipped to do this with the internet, so no excuses here.  We GTS (Google That Shit) or we use the index of our favorite cookbooks.  

Let’s go back to the example above.  I am looking up the keywords broccoli, cheddar, quinoa, pizza dough, spinach, black beans and/or pasta.  The recipes linked below are recipes that were inspired by doing just this.    Let’s see what what we can come up with….

**Have nothing to start with?  Use your grocer’s sales flier as your starting point!

Search one:  Spinach recipes.  Found braised coconut spinach with chickpeas and lemon (UM YUM) So, I look at the needed ingredients, add sun dried tomatoes to my list.  I think I will serve this over rice, but have that on hand, too!  

Search two:  Quinoa recipes.  There is an amazing recipe for Quinoa and Potatoes in my favorite cookbook, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, by Mark Bittman.  I'm in this one for the win.    

Search three:  Broccoli recipes.  Found Broccoli and Sun-dried Tomato Pasta. Perfect!  This recipe hits most of ingredients on the head, so the ONLY thing I need to add to my shopping list is goat cheese.  

Search four:  Black bean recipes.  I make an awesome 4 bean salad that Ziggy loves.  That’s going on the menu this week.  I’ll add a bell pepper and purple onion to my list.  I have everything else on hand.  

And, you continue on searching, creating your menu, adding to your shopping list, and adding ONLY the ingredients you need to make these dishes.  Doing this will save you *money* *time* and will *minimize waste.* Bonus?  It adds to an ever growing list of new amazing dishes you can go back to!!  

---

And sometimes, you just need to let your toddler be a human tornado, eat chocolate granola bars for dinner, and then watch cartoons wearing nothing but a yoga mat. 

Now before you call me crazy, know that we do not go all out on the cooking front every night.  I always look at our calendar and make sure to plan not-so-crazy meals on nights we are going to be home late or have a lot going on.  I find that there is almost one weekend night each week that we are attending a cookout, meeting with friends or family, or are going to be out and about, so there is one less meal to plan for. Breakfast is a go-to dinner option for us during the week.  So are tortilla pizzas with a side veggie or these rice bowls.

I often make a grain salad or big pot of soup on Sundays for lunches and/or dinner options.  We also do nights every so often we call “fend,” where Chris and I “fend” for ourselves and Ziggy eats lmac and cheese or frozen spinach nuggets.  

What we can't do:  create 26 hours in a day.

What we can do: Take time to MAXIMIZE what you already have at home, and taking 30-60 minutes each week to plan and create a shopping list, you will make the best out of the time and money you have when you are in the midst of the madness.  

I promise!

---

Need support?  Not sure where to get started?  Our next group program kicks off MONDAY!  Comment below, or send me a quick message HERE for everything you need to get started! 

In good health,

xo sarah