Preparation is Key

This past weekend was packed full of football and friends! ECU won, after sitting in the pouring down rain for hours....but I tried to keep a smile on my face ;-)

The female tailgating crew:

This must have been BEFORE the downpour ;-)

 I never had time to go to the grocery store yesterday, but thankfully we had food left from the week to make dinner last night and lunch today. They actually turned into some pretty awesome meals. One thing I have learned, especially if you have a busy schedule, is preparation is key for eating healthy. If you do not have groceries, or plan ahead what you will have for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you end up with nothing then having to run out and get a quick unhealthy meal. I have learned some easy ways to prepare lunches for the week, without having to eat the same thing all the time!

Last night we grilled some pork chops, and i finally cut up and cooked the butternut squash i had bought. That thing was a PAIN to peel and cut up, but in the end, it was worth it. I ended up peeling all the skin off, cutting it into cubes, and them roasting it on 425 for about 45 minutes. I tossed it in Olive oil and salt, then at the very end i added Cinnamon and brown sugar. That was a good idea! It added a nice sweetness to it that was a good contrast to the pork chops.
In preparation for lunch today, and probably tomorrow, we grilled two large pieces of chicken breasts while grilling the pork chops. I knew we did not have much for lunch so i took some that we had out of the freezer. It took no time at all to cook it at the same time as our dinner. Then all I had to do was throw it in some Tupperware for the next day.

Also, while already roasting the butternut squash, I threw a couple sweet potatoes in the oven. Again it took no time since i was already baking. Just put them in a Tupperware when done, and warm them up for about 30-45 sec the next day and they taste just as good!

We made quinoa to go with dinner last night as well, which is another thing that is good to cook and store in the fridge, it tastes exactly the same heated up later. I made way more of this than we needed and just stored the rest. This can last a full week in the fridge if you want to make a lot and keep it on hand for dinner, sandwiches or salads.

Lunch today:

So next time you are making dinner, think about what you have for lunch that week and try and throw some extra food on the stove, in the oven or on the grill. You will be thankful the next day when you all have to do is grab a container out of the fridge the next morning and have an awesome meal for lunch!