Meal Prep: Tilapia

One of the most common things I'm asked about is meal prep.  Preparing your meals in advance is the best way to avoid binge eating, cheating on your diet and to cut your food costs down.  If you're eating small healthy meals every 2-3 hours throughout the day, your body's metabolism will increase and it will run more efficiently, therefore making you feel and look better.

I'm sure there will be other blogs in the future about other types of prep with recipes and such, but for this one, I'm going to go through the prep that I just finished for this week.  While you don't have to eat strictly fish, this post is just how I did the meal prep for my tilapia meals.

The Details

First, I bought the big bags of frozen tilapia fillets; the kind in individual packages.  I also purchased the simplest rice and frozen green beans (no additives).  Then I filled the sink with the individually bagged fish, added hot water, and let them thaw (it doesn't take long at all).

Thaw the frozen tilapia

As you'll also notice in the photos, I took a large pan and wrapped it in foil.  Then, while the fish was thawing, I sprayed the pan with some no-calorie butter flavored spray.

Spray the pan with no-calorie butter flavored spray

Then I sprinkle the pan with my choice of seasoning for that batch (this happened to be the Mrs. Dash, but you can use whatever you prefer).

Sprinkle the pan with seasoning

Then I remove the thawed tilapia fillets from their individual packages, and lay them on the pan.  Then sprinkle some seasoning on top of them.  You can lightly spray the top with more of the no-calorie flavored spray if you'd like as well.

Sprinkle more seasoning on top of the tilapia

Then I popped the fish in the oven and baked at 350* until done (usually about 20 minutes).  Also, try covering them with more foil to keep them from being dry-tasting.

Then, while the fish was cooking in the oven, I cooked my rice and veggies on the stove top.  (Multi-tasking and finding quick ways to cook things is the only way to make it through meal prep.)

Cooking veggies and rice on the stove top while tilapia bakes

After the rice and veggies were ready, I set out my VersaTainers that I purchased here, and I began measuring out my allotted portions for each meal.

Set out VersaTainers

Dispensing individually measured portions into each meal

Then when the fish was fully cooked, I brought out the scale and weighed each portion of fish into each meal.

Beginning to weigh out the tilapia... note, the amount shown here is only for demonstration purposes. I eat more!

Then after every meal was prepared, I put the lids on them, sorted them, and put one full day's set in the refrigerator for the following day, and the rest in the freezer.

Stored meals in the freezer

What I usually do is bring one day's meals out of the freezer the day prior to eating them, and let them thaw in the refrigerator.  Then I pack them in my bag with waters and ice/gel packs in the morning, and take them to work with me.

Packing meals and water for the day

Then when I am ready to eat my meals, I microwave them for about 1:30-2:00 minutes, and eat.

Also, if you ever don't have the time to do your own prep, check out Food From Above on their Facebook page here.  Casey is fantastic and can prepare your meals specific to your needs with excellent service.

I hope this helps you guys who have been asking about my meal prep process.  I will post more in the future with other tips and types of food as well...enjoy!