The proper tupperware is a MUST HAVE when attempting any sort of meal prep.  Without it, your food won't stay as fresh, your fridge will be a cluster of pre-cooked food and the ability to take a meal to go, simply doesn't exist. 

When Jill from mealprepster reached out to me about a review of their tupperware containers, I was, of course, ecstatic.  Despite being well out of my college years - "free stuff" still has quite the enticement for me, especially when it is food related.  PLUS some of my containers were just begging to be retired, and by that, I mean thrown own because they have cracks or chips in the plastic but I'm so particular about my tupperware size and shapes - I've had a hard time finding replacements..... 

I literally use tupperware for every single meal of the day, every week, every month, of EVERY year SO I need my prep tools to be high quality and to withstand the test of time and constant use.
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Immediately after opening the box, I could tell I had high quality product in my hands just from how DURABLE the plastic felt.  I have two other "prep" type brand containers, that while awesome, have chipped and split over time due to how thin the plastic was...

I was able to review ALL three types of mealprepster's containers, here's a quick overview:
1 Compartment - perfect for prepping items in bulk amounts
2 Compartment - the deep compartments made this my go to for a meat & grain container meal
3 Compartment - #foodcanttouch - perfect for portioning out various elements of a meal

All THREE containers had one HUGE factor that I loved: THE DEPTH of the container!
Deeper Container = More Food ​= Happy and Not Hungry Amber 

1. DECIDE WHAT TYPES OF FOODS YOU WILL PREP

• The types of foods will determine the time needed to prep and the tasks as well
  • If you are a vegetarian or vegan, you will spend more time peeling and cutting vegetables 
  • If you prep meat, you will need to ensure you have allocated proper defrost time before prepping
    
    

2. PICK YOUR MEAL PREP DAYS - yes that's right, I said days, as in more than one!

• Picking multiple days/times allows you to spend less time at once in the kitchen
• Select days where you have at least an hour of time to dedicate to meal prep tasks
  • For me, this is usually Friday evening at some point, Saturday Morning and Sunday Morning
• If you have laundry to do or another chore to tackle, make it a game and try and finish your prep before the laundry needs to be changed or the dishwasher is done.
  
  

3. DESIGNATE EACH DAY OF "PREP" TO A SPECIFIC MEAL PREP TASK

• Select days where you have a set amount of time to dedicate to the type of prep task you need to complete.  Prep tasks may include:
  • Peeling/Cutting up of Vegetables and Fruits
  • Bulk Cooking and Cooling of Grains
  • Roasting, Slow Cooking, Frying, Sautéing, Broiling or Grilling of Proteins
  • Putting prepped meals into containers
• Example of MY Meal Prep Schedule: I pick 3 PREP days and cook ONCE per week
  • ​Friday Evening -> GRAINS: Bulk Quinoa, Spaghetti Squash & Potatoes 
  • Saturday Morning -> VEGGIES: Kale, Green Beans & Spinach (Steamed/Broiled)
  • Sunday Morning -> PROTEINS: Make at least two protein varieties to last through out the week, with a "freebie" day where eggs or tuna or something quick may be a dinner option.
  • Cook Sunday/Monday - Depending on our weekend schedule, I will COOK ONCE on either Sunday or Monday to use as another leftover option in addition to our prepped proteins for the week
  • TOTAL: I PREP FOR ABOUT 3-4 HOURS a week but by breaking it up, it's not so bad!
    (Side note: There are 168 hours in a week, so this is LESS than 2% of your week!)

4. BONUS TIP: SNEAK IN PREPPING WHENEVER POSSIBLE 
Racing the clock makes you feel time efficient and makes you move faster! 

• Got five minutes?
  • Get your lunch box ready to go (unrefrigerated items such as snacks, fruit, napkins and silverware) before work the next day
  • Use an apple slicer to dice up an apple for easy eating the next day
  • Pre-Peel and Slice an Orange or Pepper
  • Throw fresh fruit & veggies in a bag to freeze overnight for a breakfast smoothie in the AM
• Got ten minutes?
  • ​Peel and Slice a Cucumber to eat with your lunchs
  • Make your lunch for the next day (my go to is a chicken wrap)
  • Section your lunch snacks off into sandwich bags FOR THE WEEK
• Got fifteen minutes?
  • Prep some Overnight Oats for the week
  • Broil some salmon for a quick dinner for the following night
  • Scramble eggs to heat and eat at a later time

Everyone's life, schedules, and goals for meal prep are different, so these are just some guidelines to help you realize that YOU can meal prep and make it work for YOUR lifestyle!

I started this blog in 2013, and while it's only four years later, SO much has changed for me since the moment I hit "publish" on this baby blog of mine...

I received my Master's Degree in Literacy
I completed a clinical trial at UB called the IBSOS Study
I moved to a different city
I started allowing myself to eat more sweets
I stepped out of my comfort zone with social situations
I challenged my intestines with new foods
I landed my dream job
I became engaged to the man of my dreams
Calf Strain, Quad Strain, Stress Fracture, and Hip Flexor Damage are just a few of the injuries I've had
I stopped going to the gym as much as I used to
I started year two of my dream job 
Blogging became something on the back burner for me..
We bought a house, and moved again, into our "forever home"
I, became We, in the life that we are slowly creating together

My identity of WHO I AM, and WHAT I associate myself with has changed, you can read more of that here, on my updated ABOUT ME section 

And, while SO many things have changed, for the positive, there are still a few constants, I STILL:
- meal prep every single weekend
- am obsessed with the color pink
- love eating, or thinking about eating
- promote positivity
- enjoy working out, but I take more rest days now
- advocate for IBS and thriving with your symptoms
- have to be gluten free - silly Celiac Disease

In its early stages, the blog was something I updated weekly, and kept up with all social media promotions for - but now, as I am growing older and finding less of a life focused on eats and exercise, I'm not quite sure of the path for the blog.  I guess time will only tell, but the MAKE OVER is my attempt to make the blog a bit more mature.  A fresh look for a fresh start of posting.  Meal Prepping is what is most popular for my blog, so maybe I'll lead with a few posts on that, or maybe I'll continue my happiness series I started, but never really finished....then again, if I am following my own advice, then I just need to do more of what makes me happy :)

Stay Happy & Healthy