This post is sponsored by Ziploc®.

Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

I know I’ve said it one too many times last year and my poor husband must be sick and tired of me saying it.

The problem was clear to me. I needed to adopt a method of simple meal prep because my eating habits were draining my energy.

Most of my meals were handed to me through a drive-thru window or I would often times forget to eat altogether. My days consist of running from here to there visiting with clients, in and out of showrooms, or stationed at my computer bogged down with administrative tasks. My mind was so focused on checking items off my to do list.

The important life lesson I learned after suffering from debilitating headaches and missed deadlines is that self-care is essential to a healthy lifestyle.

I decided to take a few minutes to make a few healthy meals ahead of time so they would be ready to eat when I need to grab and go.  I started with fresh chicken, green vegetables, baked sweet potatoes, fresh fruit, and my favorite Ziploc® products—the Ziploc® Containers with One Press Seal and some storage bags I had.

I love using marinades to season my meat. In my opinion, if it’s not flavorful then it’s not worth the calories. I threw a couple of chicken breasts, a dash of soy sauce, and tablespoon of my favorite jerk seasoning into the Ziploc® storage bag and sealed it. After allowing it to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge, it was ready to be cooked.

Fire up the grill, stove top or otherwise, add your seasoned meat and inhale the yummy flavors.

When you think about true convenience foods, fresh vegetables fit the bill. They can be eaten raw or steamed to your desired tenderness. Steamed broccoli is one of my all-time favorites.

Once everything is done, portion all cooked food into the Ziploc storage containers.  The new space saving design allows for easy stacking. I love filling the smaller containers with fruit and inserting it into the larger one.

With a simple press into the middle square at the top of the container, I am done. This container goes along with me to work. The others I stack in the fridge so my husband to also enjoy a simple, tasty meal while he works at home.

What’s even better about this process is that your meals are portion-controlled and will assist you to stay focused in your weight loss efforts. We all need to get rid of a few holiday pounds, no?

 What are some of your favorite healthy go-to meals?  Do tell…