How to Start Meal Prepping After Bariatric Surgery

[Kristin Willard, RDN 25]

Meal prepping after bariatric surgery is one of the best decisions you can make to help support your new lifestyle. It saves money, time and best of all you always have healthy options on hand. Here are five strategies to get started.

Start Small

The thought of meal prepping seven days a week for three meals a day can seem like a daunting task, and frankly, unrealistic. If this is your first attempt at meal prepping start small.

What meals are the most challenging for you to eat healthy (or eat at all?) Start there.

If you are going out to lunch frequently then start with bringing a packed lunch like these Low Carb Shepherds Pie Bowls. You can prepare them ahead of time and eat them throughout the week. Set a goal of bringing a packed lunch three days a week.

Use an Electric Pressure Cooker

If you are just getting started with meal prepping, one of the easiest places to start is to use an electric pressure cooker (aka Instant Pot). On the weekend, place all the ingredients in a gallon size ziplock bag and store in the fridge.

Then on the day you want to eat that meal, pour the contents of the ziplock bag into the pressure cooker and turn it on. Voila!

If you need ideas for a recipe try this Weeknight Pasta Fagioli.

Prepare Marinades and Sauces

Preparing marinades and sauces ahead of time saves time during the week. Mix up your marinades or sauces on the weekend and store them in the fridge.

This process only takes a few minutes but it really can help in the middle of the week. You could easily make the sauce for these Baja Fish Tacos ahead of time.

Cut up Veggies

Cutting up your vegetables on the weekends can save you loads of time and dishes during the week. Plus, you are more likely to eat the veggies if they’re already prepared.

Once you cut and dice your veggies place them in a storage container and store in the fridge. You could also season them with olive oil and spices to save you one more step.

Make a Batch of Soup

Now that we're getting into the cooler seasons, Soup can be an easy meal to prepare ahead time. You can reheat the soup in the microwave for a couple minutes if you are short on time during the week.

You can also double the batch and store some in the freezer. This way you will always have something healthy on hand.

This Easy Taco Soup is perfect for the whole family and stores well in the freezer.

Now that you have some ideas on how to start meal prepping, which one do you want to start with?

Let me know in the comments below

[MargoCL 677]

For me personally, meal prepping doesn't work since WLS. I buy items that are pretty much perfectly packaged and sized out (chicken salad, tuna creations, hummus, guacamole, yogurt) so I'm not "wasting" so much food. Additionally I don't have extra space to meal prep and freeze. It may be slightly higher in cost, but the convenience and hassle of trying to find storage in already a small area makes it worth it. Unless it's leftovers from the day before, I find that it's much easier to cook daily for my family and not spend the weekends prepping for the week.

Edited October 3, 2018 by MargoCL

[thatch 377]

Thanks for the inclusion of recipes! I'm always on the hunt for new foods to try.

[Kristin Willard, RDN 25]

Thanks so much for your input MargoCL. I actually view what you are doing as meal prepping. There are so many variations and you need to do what works for you. The key is that you are prepared and have a plan in plus and some back-up options incase the original plan does not work out. So happy you found a system that works for you.

thatch- I am glad you found the recipes helpful :)

[GreenTealael 25,383]

I completely enjoy meal prepping because I'm am lazy and like instant things.

I do, however, struggle to find containers that I want to reuse more than just a few times.

I've tried them all.

The plastic ones seem to absorb flavors/odors. The glass ones are to fragile or heavy. The metal ones leave a flavor to the food. I'm being neurotic, I know.

Any suggestions?

[RagazzaGrassa 5]

Hi!

Just sleeved Aug 2018. I ordered 4 oz plastic containers from Amazon and have been using them to a good success. I've made Soup and it lasts FOREVER! I've made Eggface's ricotta bake http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2007/08/pureed-foods.html

and just portion it out and throw it in the freezer and just grab it and go to work during the week-no thinking about it! I know what is in it, know it tastes great and can get more from the freezer!

I just ordered 8 oz plastic containers and look forward to using them-I want to try some different combos.

[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

On 10/6/2018 at 2:09 PM, RagazzaGrassa said:

Hi!

Just sleeved Aug 2018. I ordered 4 oz plastic containers from Amazon and have been using them to a good success. I've made Soup and it lasts FOREVER! I've made Eggface's ricotta bake http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2007/08/pureed-foods.html

and just portion it out and throw it in the freezer and just grab it and go to work during the week-no thinking about it! I know what is in it, know it tastes great and can get more from the freezer!

I just ordered 8 oz plastic containers and look forward to using them-I want to try some different combos.

Can you please provide a link to the brand of containers you like (or just tell us the manufacturer)? Most of mine are starting to get pock-marks from the microwave and that scares me. I don't want to eat melted plastic. Plus, if I've saved anything Tomato based, they get all orange and gross looking. Thanks!

[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

Kristin,

Thank you for the recipes! I'm always trying to expand my options, especially with soft foods!

[Rainbow_Warrior 996]

I find that the crockpot (a.k.a. bench-top slow-cooker) is great.

I can toss in a range of medium to high fibre vegetables and a few 40 gram home-shaped meat-balls and cook them overnight and divide them into small and medium meal-lots.

Some are casserole consistency while others tend to be more like Soups.

I can usually aim to have 10-15 serves done overnight about once every two weeks.

[jessicab526 13]

Orchid, if you lightly spray olive oil on the inside of the container prior to putting your Tomato based contents in it prevents the staining. Just found this out myself recently!

[Jenwill630 119]

I have always meal prepped for my lunch for the week. I don't mind eating the same thing all week.

For me, I usually make oven roasted boneless, skinless chicken thighs and then some sort of vegetable. The veggie kick I am currently on is:

A bag of frozen riced cauliflower-thawed

A bag of frozen asparagus-thawed and chopped

1 cup of baby bella mushrooms chopped

1 Tbsp of chopped garlic

I add all of that to a large pan, add 1 1/2 cups of chicken Bone Broth and just let it simmer down.

Once done, I add a little bit of grated parm cheese, some salt and pepper for taste.

Edited October 30, 2018 by Jenwill630

[Leyla949 1]

Meal prepping is the way to go

[godblessedchild 30]

Hi RagazzaGrassa, does the containers have the measurements on them

[HealthyT 5]

I purchased a food saver device. The food can be frozen and then heated in boiling Water or microwave while still in the bag. The type of container you eat it out of can be saved from absorbing food odors. It saves me money and lot of food from waste. I use my insta pot a lot.