I know it’s been hard to plan meals/prep like we normally would right now, especially given the sad state most stores are in. (I mean, who needs 150 lbs of chicken and 120 rolls of toilet paper?!). But that doesn’t mean it’s not possible!

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. Here are some of my tips and tricks for making the most out of the “lemons” we have right now!

• This is a great time to clean out the ole’ freezer/deep freezer and use up whatever is in there (and still good)! I personally found some lean pork chops, turkey tenderloins, grassfed ground beef, and lots of pre-packaged smoothies (like Daily Harvest*). All of those items definitely helped with some meals!

• Look for different cuts of meat to use in stir-frys and crockpot meals. I snagged some beef strips and made them into sweet + sour beef and broccoli (using The Defined Dish’s sweet + sour chicken recipe), and also popped a pork shoulder into the crockpot (with some Primal Kitchen unsweetened BBQ sauce) for some sshredded pork. Both were not our usual go-to meals, but so yummy!

• Don’t forget about canned or dried food items. I used canned Blue Harbor jumbo lump salmon to make some bomb salmon cakes last week, and plan on swapping meat for dried lentils next week.

• Frozen produce is flying off the shelves lately, but fresh produce is very much stocked up (at least in my area)! You can prep a ton of roasted asparagus, potatoes, and/or broccoli (the recipes are all on my Instagram feed) in no time - and you might actually save some money in the process!

• Swap one meal a day for a big ole smoothie. I have actually been doing this since I did my Whole30 back in January, and it’s one habit that has just stuck with me! I usually have my smoothie for breakfast, since it’s easy to whip up and slurp down while I’m tending to the kids and morning activities. My go-to combo is Nuzest chocolate protein powder**, Ancient Nutrition chocolate multi-collagen, nut butter, acacia fiber, a handful of spinach, ice, and cacao nibs. You can find everything but the spinach and ice on Amazon or thru the company’s site (using the links I’ve provided - discounts below!), which saves you having to search for it in the stores. It’s nutritious, easy, cheap, and not to mention downright TASTY! Checks all the boxes, in my opinion.

What are some of your own tricks + tips for making meal prepping possible during this time? I’d love to hear them!

XO

*Daily Harvest code: FITNCLEAN for 10% off + 3 FREE smoothies

**Nuzest protein powder: http://www.nuzest-usa.com?p=HJ8JN8XEB (automatic discount applied to all orders)