I see soooo many people out there interested in meal prep, but when you’re struggling with hormone or fertility issues, you’ve really got to detox your meal prep!

When you’re trying to eat healthily but you have limited time for cooking from scratch during the week, taking an hour or so to prep over the weekend can be a lifesaver.

Some time-saving strategies I recommend for my clients are:

Breakfasts:

• Hard-boil a dozen eggs

• Make egg muffins or a frittata

• Pre-prep your smoothie ingredients ahead of time and add liquid later

• Make overnight oats or chia puddings

Lunches/Dinners:

• Pack salads

• Make a soup or stew (My Curried Red Lentil Soup or Award-Winning Vegan Chili are perfect

• Cook a big batch of whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, etc.)

• Chop veggies so you can grab and go for quick stir-fries, etc. — or buy pre-chopped veggies

• Roast a bunch of veggies, like Brussels sprouts, beets, broccoli, etc.

• Pre-bake sweet potatoes & potatoes for topping with chili (see above) or dicing for hash as a side with eggs

• Make a spaghetti squash for a couple of nights of starchy veggies

Snacks:

• Stock up on mini containers of hummus & guac, nuts, high-protein bars, meat sticks, etc.

• Pack individual servings of baby carrots, sliced cukes, cherry tomatoes, berries

• Whip up a batch of energy balls like my Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls or BFF Bites

 

The problem is, when you’re making the effort to prep and take care of your health, you don’t want to then sabotage your efforts by packing the fruits of your hard work in storage containers that are bad for your health and bad for the environment. So I recommend detoxing your meal prep by swapping out your containers for healthier ones!

Plastic storage containers contain known hormone-disrupting compounds such as BPA, and yes, even “BPA-free” plastics contain hormone disrupting alternatives… So you want to stay away from those as much as possible.

At the very least, NEVER reheat foods in plastic containers, and never put hot foods directly into plastic containers.

But to err on the safe side, use glass or stainless steel whenever possible. There are so many great alternatives on the market now, that there’s no need to rely on plastics.

Here are some of my favorite food storage alternatives:

Tupperware Alternatives

Glass Meal Prep Containers – These are the ones I use for lunches, and they’re perfect for salads, leftovers, soups/stews, etc. They also won’t break the bank.

These mini meal prep containers are the right size for individual servings of fruits or veggies and will keep them from getting squished in your bag. 

Don’t discount the millennial on-trend mason jar. They’re a classic for good reason — you can pick up a bunch of them for cheap!

Ziploc Baggie Alternatives

Stasher Bags are alternatives to plastic baggies that are made from food-grade silicone and come in a variety of sizes.

I love these Bee’s Wrap wax-coated fabrics for wrapping small items. The best part is that they smell like honey!

Plastic Water Bottle Alternatives

There are a ton of glass water bottles on the market. I like this one, with a stainless steel lid. The large size is perfect for smoothies.

If you prefer stainless steel (let’s face it, I’ve smashed 2 glass ones on the concrete gym floor), this one is a great option. 

If you’re bringing a smoothie on the road, you need a straw! These stainless steel ones come with their own brush for cleaning. 

Miscellaneous

We recently upgraded our dollar-store ice cube trays to these babies, and they’re great! You can push out the ice from the bottom, making them extra easy to use.

Parchment paper makes a great alternative to aluminum tin foil and makes for easy clean up after roasting or baking. 

These silicone cupcake trays are perfect for prep-ahead mini egg muffins and baked oatmeal cups. 

 

Click here to download 28 Healthy Holiday Recipes

Gluten-free, dairy-free appetizers, main dishes (including
vegetarian & vegan options), side dishes (including
grain-free stuffing!) and desserts! 

I hope these items help get you excited to detox your meal prep so that’s as good for the environment as it is for your body!

If you’re looking for more healthy kitchen ideas, check here and here.

What are your favorite kitchen storage items for meal prep? Comment below!

Be well!

Melissa Groves, RDN, LD

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