How to Meal Prep for Success on a Candida Diet

One of the proven methods to succeed in any journey or challenge is to come prepared, or in other words, stay ready so that you don’t have to get ready. I’d say the foolproof way to stay consistent with your newly adopted eating habits is to do everything you can to build the right habits, environment, and routine that will make it hard to give in to temptation.

Because the Candida diet is so unique and there is a select range of foods you can eat, learning how to properly meal prep can be an excellent way to stay on track with your Candida diet.

In this blog post, I will share five tips that will stack the odds in your favor when it comes to being consistent with the candida diet. I will preface that there isn’t a one size fits all routine, but if you keep showing up and putting just 1% more effort each day into your new eating habit, you will make a difference.

Plan your meals

Rule number one: create a plan. The candida diet comes with a set of rules and guidelines as far as the type of foods you should be eating. Take this outline and start to plan out your meals by shopping for groceries that align with foods on your to-eat list. I’m already doing so much on a day-to-day basis, the last thing I want to have to think about is what to eat. Planning my meals and writing down what I’m going to prepare helps me stay on track, reduces the chance of junk eating, and helps me stay disciplined. Keeping it very simple, repeatable, and consistent will be the way of the game as you’ll come to see in the steps outlined.

Use a List when Grocery Shopping

Once you have an idea of the meals you want to eat, break out the food items you need and take it with you to the grocery store. In order to keep myself accountable and ensure my grocery runs are productive, I’ll jot down a quick list before heading out so I stay on track (and within budget). This is completely up to your preference as you can opt for printouts that come with a food list. Simply check off what’s needed for the week and go from there. The most important part here is to stock up on staples like non-starchy vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Choose organic produce whenever possible, and avoid packaged and processed foods.

Prep your ingredients

After you’ve gone grocery shopping, it’s time to prep your food. Yes, there is a step before cooking, but only if you want there to be. Prepping your groceries means seasoning your meat, chopping your vegetables, and dividing things into smaller portions so that when you’re ready to cook you can do so a lot faster and easier.

For example, since you’ll be increasing your vegetable intake a lot during a Candida diet, you’ll want to cut, wash and store your vegetables so that you can prepare them faster. I created a video showing how I meal prep my vegetables such as leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables, you can watch it here or below. The idea is to do things with intention so that it makes it hard to slip up during your cleanse.

Use meal prep containers

Following my previous point, once you prep your proteins and veggies, you’ll want to store them in the appropriate spaces. For meats, I’ll season them and store them in glass containers in the fridge, or ziplock bags and place them in the freezer for later use. Similarly to that, my vegetables will be stored in ziplock bags and/or glass containers so that I’m simply taking the food from the fridge to the stove and cooking it within an hour or less. Use freezer-safe containers for meals that will be frozen, and make sure to use up refrigerated meals within four days.

Cook and portion size your meals

The last step to meal prep for success, once you’ve achieved all the other points, is to cook! I did mention portion size, and this part is completely based on your preference. I prefer to cook my proteins once or twice a week and portion it out throughout the week (take as I go) however others may prefer to place meals in separate containers. That way, once you’re ready to eat, take out your container, warm it up, and eat. However, the way you go about it is completely up to you.

Conclusion

In conclusion, meal prepping on a Candida diet can be a great way to stay on track with your dietary restrictions and save time during the week. By taking control of what you eat, being intentional, and properly preparing for it you are setting yourself up for success because you’ll be minimizing your chances of binge-eating or eating outside of your temporary dietary restrictions. Remind yourself that you are doing yourself a favor and focus on nutrient-dense foods like non-starchy vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Plan to have a variety of colors on your plate, and make sure to incorporate foods that contain anti-inflammatory properties. If you skip a day or week meal prepping, don’t stress, just get back on track whenever you can and remember it’s all about progress, not perfection.

To follow more of my journey, subscribe to my Youtube channel, and to download my free weekly candida meal plan, sign up here.