TIPS FOR CRUSHING #BowlLife

At Street Parking our community is big fans of using the #BowlLife method when building meals. This is a method where you pick the foods you enjoy eating and combine them in a bowl for your meals. In this newsletter longtime OG Street Parking member Shanique Allen will dive into 5 ways to make your #BowlLife and meal prep super simple!

TIP 1: ADD FLAVOR

If you do nothing else to enhance the palatability of your food, make sure to add flavor. This ensures you stay interested in the food you make, reduces the risk wasting food because you can’t eat it, or ordering takeout because you can't eat it.

So, add flavor in ways that make the most sense for you.

This can look like simple salt and pepper, adding a different flavor profile with herbs and spices or simple sauces premade or homemade with Street Parking food chart compliant ingredients.

TIP 2: KNOW THE BEST WAY TO REHEAT YOUR FOOD

Since many of you will meal prep for days at a time, you’ll have the need to reheat your meals. However, reheating meals might produce different results in the taste and texture of the food, making for a not so enjoyable eating experience.

So, here are a few ways you can reheat food to make it taste just as good as if it was freshly made.

• On the stove in a pan.

• In the oven while covering up with foil paper to retain moisture.

• In the microwave making sure to cover the food with a wet paper towel.

TIP 3: UTILIZE PREPARED/PACKAGED FOOD

Where you are looking to cut back on your meal prep time and effort, utilize those foods that have already been prepackaged or pre-chopped. Shop the bulk foods section in your grocery store or at wholesale stores like Costco or Sam’s Club. Make use of canned, frozen, and pre-cooked or pre-seasoned (be sure to check that the ingredients are simple and food list compliant) so that it’s one less barrier to putting your meals together.

Note that some prepared foods (example cut fruits and vegetables) will cost more than those that you would prepare yourself.

TIP 4: USE COOKING METHODS YOU ENJOY

If you want to enjoy your foods, use cooking methods that both allow you to create foods you can enjoy and match the level of effort and energy you’re willing to put out.

This may look like:

• Utilizing your slow cooker because you want fall-off-the-bone pork tenderloin all the time.

• Using the Instant Pot because it makes rice cooking a breeze.

• Turning on the air fryer because it cooks up crispy potatoes you love.

• Opting to use the microwave to steam veggies in a bag.

TIP 5: KEEP IT BASIC

Of all the tips to consider when putting your meals together, keeping it basic is the most important one.

This means focusing more on ensuring your meal has a protein, veggie, carb, and fat source than on whether it's grass fed and all organic. Not that those aren’t beneficial as far as quality goes, but in the grand scheme of building healthier eating habits, they mean a lot less if you’re currently struggling with putting simple meals together. 

The more basic you can keep things, the easier it will be to manage, the better you’ll be at staying consistent and the lesser the chance of you being overwhelmed.