Hot Prepper
I have recently become a food prepper. More accurately I should say I have tried to become a food prepper. I’ve only been doing it for a couple of weeks. In an effort for my husband and me to eat healthy, better-portioned, balanced meals during the week (mainly for lunch), I have jumped on the food prepping bandwagon. The kids are into it too, but it’s mainly for us old folks. Here’s what I have learned…

Having a variety of pre-portioned meal choices that ready for you to grab on the way out the door to go to work is fantastic. Finding different recipes for tasty meals is easier than ever because there are some great cookbooks out there and not all of them are Keto books. (I’m not doing Keto. Too restrictive. I’m just making healthier choices.) Even better, the variety of flavors is unlimited. In fact, for those people like me who prefer a bit more International flavor, there are so many options to choose from. Eating this way also forces you to find the freshest ingredients possible and you will be proud to look into your shopping cart and see all of the fruits and vegetables. (Gold star for you!)

I have also learned that having good meal containers is a must. It is also a pain in the neck. Good reusable containers are great…but you have to store them when not in use. I don’t know what it’s like in your house but in my house, the “Tupperware/Gladware” situation is a nightmare. And, while I did find some really great containers on Amazon, I have now only added fuel to the dumpster fire that is my food storage predicament.

Another thing I learned? Food prepping takes time. Part of the reason I wanted to get into this was to save time on the busiest days during the week and while I knew that to do it the way I wanted would require an entire Sunday to get everything ready, the reality is I don’t always have an entire Sunday. Doing it on a slow night during the week is an option. But, again those are few and far between. There’s a reason that people out there have meal prep businesses and are doing very well at it.

So my conclusion about my little experiment is this: Food prepping is totally worth it—but not if it causes you even more stress. My plan for going forward will be to prep when I can, freeze when I can, and not be beholden to the perfect vision of multiple meal choices for multiple days in an organized refrigerator that resides in the clean kitchen that lives in my head.

This recipe for Turkey Burrito Bowls is one that I plan to make whenever I can regardless of food prep planning because it’s darn good…

Turkey Burrito Bowls
Yields 4 servings
Adapted from Damn Delicious Meal Prep by Chungah Rhee

Ingredients
2/3 cup cooked brown or white rice

For the yogurt sauce
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced, or more to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

For the turkey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey dark meat
1/2 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups grilled fresh corn kernels (frozen will also work)
1/2 cup pico de gallo (homemade or store-bought)

For the garnish
1 lime, cut into wedges
Grated Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

Directions
Make the rice
Cook the rice according to package instructions.

Make the yogurt sauce
Whisk together the yogurt, chipotle pepper, garlic, and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Prepare the turkey
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, onion, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the turkey has browned and is cooked through (about 3 to 5 minutes). Drain the excess fat.

Assemble the bowls
Divide rice into your meal prep containers. Top with the ground turkey mixture, black beans, corn, and pico-de-gallo. Your bowls will keep covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through. Drizzle with yogurt sauce and garnish with lime.