This Chef Shows Us Why Meal Prep Is The New Leftovers

There is nothing like cold pizza. I cannot tell you how many times in my early adult years I woke up and grabbed a slice of cold cheese pizza out the fridge. Once I turned 30, life changed drastically for me, beginning with the loss of my father. Weeks later, after doing my yearly physical, I was notified my cholesterol was slightly elevated and I instantly knew it was time for a change. My wife and I vowed to start eating healthy and were in search of a healthier lifestyle mentally, spiritually, and physically. We wanted to be living examples for our daughter.

It is so easy to get caught up in your busy lives and hunger strikes that somehow put your health on the back-burner. I have spent thousands on lunch. Looking back, I used to spend nearly $100 weekly on fast food. It is so easy to make the decision to stop at fast food restaurants during lunch or on our way home from work. It's almost inevitable to resist a Chick-fil-A fish sandwich, a big Mac or even a box of Popeyes chicken.

But we must ask ourselves, are these the healthiest options we are choosing to consume?

Courtesy of Chef Anthony Thomas

I spent a whole year dedicating myself to a healthier lifestyle. Step one began in the kitchen. Instead of stopping at my favorite fast food restaurant on my way home from work, I started stopping by my favorite grocery store. It was a joy to pick up fresh vegetables, wild caught fish and organic meats. The next step was mastering meal prep.

As a chef, so many customers have told me they spend countless hours in the kitchen meal prepping their food, ultimately to give up. I know it may seem like it is time consuming setting aside time to prepare meals ahead of time but meal prepping can alleviate any poor decision-making for your food choices in the future.

Here's a quick list of lean proteins healthy vegetables and great carbs to choose from when going to the grocery store:

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
• Fresh Wild Caught Salmon Filets
• Fresh Wild Caught Cod
• Wild Shrimp
• Brown Rice
• Whole Grain Protein Pasta
• Sweet Potatoes
• Fresh Green Beans
• Asparagus Tips
• Fresh Kale
• Spinach
• Romaine Salad
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Brussel Sprouts
• Zucchini

The food that we consume not only is a part of our daily routine, but it also influences our daily actions and emotions. In addition, a clean diet will help aid in the process of weight loss. I know for most ladies, weight is a subject of conversation daily so counting calories really helps.

Something else that can help on your health journey is a book I created to help with meal prep, "Meal Prep is the New Leftovers: Making Healthy Eating Fun Again". This book is a step-by-step guide on how to help one meal prep from beginning to end and help alleviate some of the mistakes we have with meal prepping. It also includes a 22-day meal plan that tells you what to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks.

To give you a taste, a few of my favorite meals from my book's meal plan can be found below:

Lemon Garlic Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Courtesy of Chef Anthony Thomas

Egg White & Spinach Cupcakes

Courtesy of Chef Anthony Thomas

Buffalo Cauliflower 

Courtesy of Chef Anthony Thomas

Chef Anthony's book "Meal Prep is the New Leftovers: Making Healthy Eating Fun Again" can be found on Amazon (here) and also comes with a 22-Day Meal Plan guide to keep one on track. You can follow @chefanthonydc for more fun, friendly and healthy recipes.