I don't remember when it started happening precisely and unlike most major changes in my life, this one can't really be traced back to a decision or a moment. But at some point last year I slowly but surely started taking meat out of my diet.
I still ate meat during the holidays and on special occasions, but for the most part, it just hasn't even appealed to me. And in the absence of cooking meals around meat, I started to default hardcore to carbs... pizza and pasta more often than not.
While I wouldn't call myself a vegetarian just yet, I am definitely trending that way. And now that I've noticed this development, I realized I needed to start figuring out how to craft an actual plant-based diet instead of nervously retreating to pizza when I'm not sure what to make.
So I was really glad when Eat Clean Meal Prep reached out offering me a trial of their meal prep service. I've always been interested in meal prep services, but wasn't sure if I would like the food or if would make the most sense financially. Most importantly I was concerned about the abundance of plastic packaging as I'm trying to go plastic-free. But the trial seemed like the best way to give it a shot and break out of my carb-loading rut.
I requested a plant-based meal plan and came home from a girl's weekend away to a ton of delicious food and cold-pressed juices. Here's what I ended up with and what I thought...
What I Got
- 5 overnight oats, some with fruit
- 5 cold pressed juices
- 2 lunches
- 3 dinners
- 3 seasonings
I returned from a girl's weekend away in San Clemente to find my Eat Clean Meal Prep meals waiting for me in the fridge (thanks husband) after getting delivered earlier that day. As embarrassing as it is, I am a horribly picky eater so I immediately checked out all of the meals to see if my worst fears about meal prep services had come true.
I was relieved to find that there were only a few "questionable" ingredients. In two of the overnight oats, there were unidentifiable fruits (which I later learned were apricots and dates via my internet sleuthing skills). Then there was one meal with tofu (which I've never tried) and one with tempeh (also foreign to my palette). There would be some adventure and new experiences involved after all!
I drank one of the cold pressed juices, the Ultra Cleanse, to kick off my week and it was delicious. I think it helped me to battle the cold that was about to take me out for the rest of the week.
The next morning, I fought my icky sick feelings and left to pick up Megan for our Desert X road trip. I liked that I had a breakfast ready for my on-the-go morning. I had the overnight oats with dried cranberries in it and the Power Trip juice. Both were delicious and were a nice, healthy way to jumpstart my morning.
The rest of the week though? I was homebound, as my burgeoning cold attacked with a vengeance the next day. But I was stoked to have healthy meals, breakfasts and juices ready for me when I didn't feel like getting out of bed, let alone cooking.
The Verdict
By Sunday, I had surprisingly not gotten around to a couple of my meals. Another fear of meal prep services: wasted food. We go out to eat way too much and I have a hard time eating what I have if I'm craving something else. I ended up giving one of my meals, the tempeh-focused one (I chickened out!) to a friend and had to toss another. And I had to toss one of the breakfasts (the one with the dates.. I know! I'm a baby!).
Of the meals I did eat though everything was delicious and nutritious. Some things were a little bland, so the seasonings came in handy and I started adding cinnamon to the oats. But I'd prefer bland than overseasoned, this way I could add flavor to my preferences.
But my favorite dish? Definitely the Buffalo Tofu Wrap. Who knew I loved tofu?!
And as for the packaging, I found out that most of the containers Eat Clean Meal Prep uses are plant-based and compostable. I washed them all out to reuse them for now, but I will definitely find out which ones are compostable and make sure to compost accordingly.
All in all, I ended up loving all the food I ate, not feeling too guilty about the packaging and after looking it up, I found their prices exceptionally reasonable, especially for the quality. It definitely got me thinking more creatively about how to approach my plant-based diet.
I think for me, the Eat Clean Meal Prep service is most appealing for hectic weeks or weeks when I could use a reset in my diet. Definitely excited to support this eco-conscious, local business in the future!
