There are athletes who don’t find the chance to ready their meals ahead. If you do not dread meal preparation, there are a lot of options to help you with meal prep and save you a lot of time! No matter what you are training for, there is a tip or two below for you. Here are tips for every athlete, endurance athletes and strength athletes.
- Measure up! Measure a cup of frozen fruit servings for your smoothies each week. Add spinach or wheatgrass cubes in a reusable plastic bag and add protein powder if you have on your juice for a convenient post-workout fuel.
- Get scrappy, save leftovers. Even if you think that leftovers are not worth it, no matter how small a portion is, save it so you can make a super quick meal made out of multiple smaller portions of your leftovers.
- Batch cook. Full steam ahead your veggies and steam them until 60 percent gets done, and then rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. This allows you as an athlete to buy more seasonal and/or organic vegetables while they are on sale, and have the cleanest, most nutrient-dense options on hand.
- Bulk up the bars! You can check out protein bars of your favorite brands on the market as you can eat them at least every other day for convenient nutrition as an on-the-go athlete.
- Focus on your pregame. Pre-soak your grains and legumes during the day to cut down the cooking time. This can save you ten to twenty minutes which you can use for preparing the equipment at the gym or doing your laundry.
- You can use a shaker bottle with attached compartments for pills or powders for convenience and to save up space. This provides your post-workout the convenience it needs and gives you the benefit of not compromising your nutrition.
- Cook in your sleep. One pot or slow cooker meals can be a great option for athletes who often stack two or more workouts in a day and go for multiple meals. Prepare your meals before bed so you can take on the road with you a pack of hearty lunch or dinner.
- Do the soaking. Get your athlete self an overnight express and soak your oats to digest them faster gaining better net energy.
- Pack proteins. Pack protein pancakes for a great breakfast or brunch on the go! These are convenient and worth making for making a double batch as they transport well in reusable bags.
- Get personal. Add a hint of your personal favorite variants of fruit and vegetables to your meals. Peel and pack in your food box ahead before the sun shines the next day so you won’t have to worry about the time you’ll need to spend in preparing them.
What benefits the busy athletes most about planning and preparing meals ahead is the time they consume, less time means more things you can do. But if you are a player who does not have the luxury of time to prepare ahead because of your training, meal delivery services are always there on the go to help you with your meal needs!
