Food prep. Two words that are associated with gym-goers and fitness fanatics, but in actual fact is a skill that we can all adopt and master to make our lives that little bit easier. Just think about it… you get up in the morning, your breakfast is already prepped and in the fridge, and all you have to do is lift your lunch from the shelf and pop it in your bag, snacks and all included! You get home for dinner, and the only task that needs done is to boil pasta or rice and warm up the rest. Surely that makes an easier life and gives you much more time for family, friends, hobbies and looking after your body and soul. Here are a few tips and basic food prep meals for beginners at breakfast;

Smoothies

Of course you can put some Bran Flakes (or whatever cereal you so wish) in a bowl and pour some milk on top, make some porridge or pop up some toast  – that doesn’t require much prepping. But if you are looking for a nutritious breakfast, or are maybe training and have to fit macronutrients into your day, then a smoothie is a fantastic way to break your fast and fill you up till lunchtime – or if you’re like me, at least till mid-morning!

*Top Tip!*
The night before, look out, chop up and measure all of your ingredients and put them in a tub in the fridge instead of making the smoothie the night before as it sometimes congeals and becomes a jelly-like substance overnight

Food Prep Smoothie: Vanilla Oats

This is just my favourite for breakfast, pre and post workout and for a snack when I’m feeling peckish – I put all ingredients apart from the milk and banana in a tub in the fridge the night before so all I have to do is blend them!

• one banana
• 25g vanilla protein powder (I use My Protein Impact Whey Protein in Vanilla)
• 2 spoonfuls of porridge oats
• 60-80ml Almond milk

*Top Tip!*
For some extra green goodness and nutrients – add a cup of chopped kale

… Blend and enjoy!

Food Prep Smoothie: Mango and Raspberry

This one doesnt need much prep at all as the fruits are frozen but it saves money and time chopping – it’s like the fruit is prepped fro you when you buy it frozen!

• one cup frozen mango
• one cup frozen raspberries
• 80ml coconut water or tropical fruit juice
• tablespoon of greek yoghurt
• spoonful of chia + flax seeds
• teaspoon of honey

*Top Tip!*
You can play about with the fruits and liquids in this smoothie, and try different berries – but because mango and banana are both ‘creamy fruits’ I would only use one of them

Overnight Oats

No fuss, filling and delicious, overnight oats will leave you feeling satisfied at breakfast with more time to enjoy your morning (or get organised!) because they are prepped the night before. Overnight oats are basically a way of making oatmeal without having to make porridge on the hob, you simply add liquid and fruit to good old-fashioned oats and refrigerate through the night! Here is a really basic recipe;

• 1/3 cup of greek yoghurt
• 1/2 cup of rolled oats
• mixed blueberries, strawberries and raspberries
• spoonful of chia + flax seeds
• teaspoon of honey

Layer the yogurt, porridge and fruit in a jar (I like using glass jars, you can pick them up for about £1 in Home Bargains and B&M Bargains!). Cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge overnight so the porridge absorbs all the yogurt. In the morning, take it out the fridge, mix together and add more fresh berries if you wish! Simple!

You can play about with different ingredients in your rolled past, such as banana, chocolate chips, cream cheese and cinnamon or vanilla extract.

Granola bars

Making your own granola bars means that you know exactly what’s going in to them and you can calculate the nutritional values to suit your macronutrient needs. This is a simple peanut butter granola bar recipe that is easy to prepare and cook on a Sunday night. It makes about 10-12 bars, and they can also be frozen.

• 1 cup oat flour (blend rolled oats)*
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• pinch of sea salt
• 2 tablespoon chia + flax
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• tablespoon of maple syrup
• 1-2 tablespoon of water (as you need it)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking tray.

1. In a large bowl add the oat flour, rolled oats, sea salt and chia + flax.
2. Add the peanut butter and maple syrup.
3. At this point, the batter should be a little sticky, but not wet. Add water as needed to get to a sticky consistency.
4. Add in chocolate chips
5. Spread out batter in baking pan (in all corners!) tightly and flatten the top
6. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the edges are going brown

Banana Pancakes

This mix can stay refrigerated for a few days, and is perfect to use if you have kids too! Who doesn’t love pancakes for breakfast?!

• 1 cup and a half of white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
• a pinch of salt
• 2 medium bananas, mashed
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 cup os almond milk
• 3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil

Start by spraying a non-stick pan with cooking spray or melt butter and put on a medium heat