It’s a new year and a new you. Did you know that health improvement aspirations are one of the most common New Year’s resolutions? To help the process, knowing what to eat is just about half of the process when it comes to getting in shape. This is where meal prep comes into place. Some say that six-pack abs are made in the kitchen, so what you eat has a lot to do with your health goals for 2018. To start, meal prepping can be a lifesaver for many reasons. You can make healthy meals ahead of time and save yourself from those impulse candy bar purchases we all make when we are super hungry. In addition, meal prepping ensures that what is going into your body has been carefully prepared for you. You will also save a butt-load of money in the process. Not sure where to start? These five meal prep ideas are here to guide you, whether you are paleo, vegan, or vegetarian. These meals are guaranteed to be healthier for you than processed foods. Get ready for a healthier you in 3, 2…. 1, let’s go!
5 Easy Meal Prep Ideas For Singles
Banana Oatmeal With Blueberries And Turmeric Powder
When we think of meal prep, we hardly think of making ourselves one of the most important meals of the day, which is breakfast. Oats keep feeling full longer than processed grain cereal, and the blueberries and bananas have special properties that boost our immune system. Both fruits are good because blueberries have antioxidants, and bananas have multiple vitamins that are beneficial for you in many ways. Recipe here!
Paleo Chicken And Rice With Broccoli
This meal combo is perhaps one of the most common meals prep foods we can make. Muscle builders resort to the famous chicken and rice with broccoli combo because it has to stabilize grains, protein, and a superfood veggie. You can’t go wrong here if you are eating a Paleo diet. This meal has everything you need in a single batch! Recipe here!
Cauliflower Crust Vegan Pizza
This meal is 100% vegan. With a crust made from cauliflower, which you can buy from select grocery stores and toppings that are all vegetarian, you have had a pizza that you don’t feel guilty about eating. Top it with spinach, olive oil, broccoli, tomato, cilantro, and even green salsa. Mix and match as you see fit. One of the benefits of creating a pizza is that there are nearly an infinite amount of combinations you can try for your pizza. Now you can eat pizza without feeling guilty. Recipe here!
Paleo Tacos With Mozzarella Cheese
Who doesn’t like tacos? They are often prepared with so much effort that it will take an entire evening to have all the food assortments prepared. Tacos can be really healthy for you, and can incorporate your favorite veggies and meats. Take a Sunday afternoon and prepare a bulk amount of 2 weeks or more of your favorite types of tacos, and don’t worry about touching the stove until your next round of cooking. Grab some corn tortillas, shredded beef, chicken, or elk meat, place some mozzarella cheese on that, and add a lot of veggies. Poof! You’ve got yourself some tacos. Soon after, place into multiple ‘one-person’ meal-sized Tupperware meals in the freezer. Recipe here!
Smoothies
You can definitely create one-million different types of smoothies and store them in the freezer. When you buy fresh food, you can freeze it for later use, and grab as you go. Make sure that you have the opportunity to make something that suits your needs. I recommend researching what health benefits some fruits and veggies have, and then adding in what fruits and veggies best serve your needs. A banana, kale, ginger smoothie is one of my favorites, or even an apple, beats, and carrot juice smoothie. Add chia seeds for additional health benefits, they are really good for you! Make a bulk amount, and place in water bottles or mason jars. Store in the freezer accordingly, and pull out each smoothie a day before you use. Recipe here and more here!
Summary
We hope you found some inspirational meals to spin off of. For more ideas on meal prep recipes, check out Pinterest. It’s time to get creative and have fun with meal prep. Your body will benefit, and so will your wallet. Keep up the good work with your goals for 2018, and make sure you eat healthily! You owe it to yourself to be the best version of yourself that you can. Eat right and feel good now. Make the change for a healthier you in 2018.
Danielle
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
This year you can be a champ when you bring the goods this year to Friendsgiving. If you’ve never been to a Friendsgiving, there are guidelines on how it works and how to be a great attendee to your host’s holiday event this year. Friendsgivings can be a safe place for singles to go, simply because you will be in like company!
Friendsgiving is becoming a very popular in America, most likely because Millennials aren’t getting married as early or as much as our Gen-X counterparts, and that America is the country of workaholics. Most people who celebrate Friendsgiving range from those who don’t have a family to celebrate the holidays with, or are a workaholic adult who doesn’t have time to take a trip home. Whatever the case may be, Friendsgiving is a great way to get together with people you care about to be thankful for what you have: your friends, your home, your career, and your health. Of course there are many things to be thankful for, this holiday season is just the time to come celebrate your gratitude towards life.
What To Bring
If you’ve got a friend who has organized the event, you may have been assigned an item or food category of what to bring. It might look something like this:
Last Names & What To Bring (Example):
A -I: Side Dishes
H – P: Drinks
Q – Z – Desserts
The host usually makes the big stuff, like the turkey. If you enjoy preparing meals, then this is a great opportunity to show your skill by preparing something special for Friendsgiving. If you’re not too well versed in the cooking school, stop by your local deli. If you haven’t been asked to bring something, then a bottle of wine or even cider is always appropriate.
What To Do At Friendsgiving
Depending on if the event is hosted at someone’s home, or if it is at a community center, you can always offer your hand to help clean dishes, prepare last minute touches on meals, and even to help entertain the other guests.
Portion Your Plate(s)
Keep in mind that this is a very special event, so bring your best attitude as well. Enjoy yourself, and try not to eat too much food. If you need to, take a spoonful of each dish on your plate, that way you get to try something that each person has brought and you won’t feel super full after finishing your plate. Be careful of seconds, and save some room for the pumpkin pie.
Enjoy Yourself!
The holidays were meant to be enjoyed with great company, so make sure you’ve got plans to be with people you care about during the holidays. There is no excuse to be lonely, because there are always a lot of loving people in the world. Have fun at your Friendsgiving, and remember to enjoy yourself this holiday season!
Cheers,
Danielle
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
When it comes to being single, you’re either living alone, or with a pack of amazing roommates (your parent’s don’t count). Adulting is hard, but we don’t judge. So at the grocery store, what are singles actually buying, and how do their purchasing habits differ from their married counterparts? Let’s explore.
Shopping for an Army of One, or Some…
According to Business Insider, the number of millennials with roommates has surged in recent years. More young adults have roommates, than in previous years. For this, you are either buying in bulk (which is really smart), or you are dividing up the grocery bill with your roommate(s). Singles have gotten smart when it comes to their grocery bill, and many are beginning to meal prep. With roommates, or solo, meal prepping can actually be very effective when you are working towards saving extra money at the end of the month, and you also have more time to control what you eat. Meal prepping is associated with making healthier meals, and avoiding potentially dangerous foods found in drive-throughs.
What’s in the Cart Matters
You’ve just got paid, and your fridge is empty, again. It’s time to head to the grocery store. What do you put on your list? It depends, though what you buy will differ from the traditional ‘married with children’ shopper. Things you don’t need to worry about spending money on generally fall into the family items category. Diapers, children snacks, and chow for your significant other, adds up pretty quickly. When you’ve got your list of items budgeted out and on a piece of paper, you’ll easily notice a smaller chunk of change going towards your food, rather than the opposite. Go ahead and add that extra cash to your emergency fund.
Alcohol
This may not always be at the store, but when singles buy alcohols it is generally for the purpose of socializing. It’s no secret that singles have more of a social life than those who are married off with children. Singles are more self-sufficient and fulfilled. It would only make sense, then, that singles would invest in alcohol, a nice touch to any house party. Elite Daily found that single people drink nearly three times as much as couples do, and spend about $60 on average a week in comparison to their married counterparts of $22 a week.
Other than the basic housing expenses, singles generally allocate their money differently when it comes to spending. Let us know how you spend your hard earned cash in the comments below. Stay secure and live the best life ever in your singles journey.