A while back, I asked on my Facebook page what was, in your opinion, the most important element to be successful on the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol (also known as AIP diet). Your answers were pretty unanimous: a positive attitude, patience, commitment. I also think that having your family on board is a big part of success. But what topped the list was definitely meal planning and food prepping. There is nothing worse than when you are hungry, opening the fridge and realizing that there is nothing quick and easy to prepare. That’s when you might eat something less than optimal for your health, or worse, fall off the wagon!
I have been following the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol for years now, and still it is very important to have a supply of fresh vegetables, meat, fruits, and healthy snacks ready at all times. There is little by way of AIP convenience foods that we can buy in grocery stores, so the responsibility to plan ahead and prep your food falls to you.
Here is the trick I use to save time in the kitchen:
When I come back home from a trip to the grocery store, I unpack all my vegetables and immediately start chopping, cutting, and prepping. Then I store everything in resealable plastic bags in my refrigerator. When I have to cook later, all my veggies are ready. All I have to do is grab a few handful, mix them together, and pop them in the oven.
Why do I do this?
Because in my experience, the best way to quickly put a healthy meal together is to have all the ingredients ready! Especially if you are very busy! It is also easier to prep all your vegetables all at once, instead of having to do the job every day during the week. This will save you so much time in the kitchen and help you stay on track with your healthy diet!
Example of my shopping list:
- 1 cauliflower head
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 pound carrots
- 2 large leeks
- 3 medium zucchinis
- 1/2 white cabbage
- 1 bunch of kale
- 2 bunches of broccolini
- 2 bunches scallions
- 1 big sweet potato
Equipment needed: wooden cutting board, chef’s knife, vegetable peeler, containers (can be resealable plastic bags).
There is no specific technique to follow; just chop away! If you have children and they are old enough to handle a knife, recruit them for the job!
When I am finished chopping my vegetables, I store everything in resealable plastic bags that I keep in the lower part of my refrigerator (lower shelf or the bottom drawers). You can also store your vegetables in glass containers, but I personally don’t own that many big glass containers! I even wash and reuse the plastic bags several times.
With this technique, I can just grab a few handful of vegetables, mix them together and roast them in the oven for a quick and easy side dish to go with a piece of meat or fish. I always add extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt, and some kind of dried herbs for the seasoning. Roast in the oven at 350° F until the vegetables are tender.
See in the pictures below some ideas on how to mix vegetables together for a tasty and healthy meal!
If you would like to learn more about batch cooking and meal planning, here are a few good resources from fellow AIP bloggers:
- Learn to batch cook AIP style (videos and complete meal plans) with Mickey Trescott from Autoimmune Paleo
- 28 Days of One Pot AIP Meals by Christina Feindel from A Clean Plate
- Batch cooking 101 with Mickey Trescott from Autoimmune Paleo
- How to spend less time in the kitchen and AIP batch cooking with Samantha from Sweet Potatoes and Social Change
- AIP – Freezer and batch cooking on Pinterest
- Easy AIP meals without meal planning by Rachael from Meatified
- Batch cooking for AIP by Bethany from Adventures in Partaking
- AIP paleo batch cooking for non cooks by Tara from Paleo Cajun Lady
- Meal planning – A Paleo AIP survival tool by Eileen laird from Phoenix Helix
- Template for success: preparing a healing diet by Emma from The Bacon Mum
- Why you should meal plan on Don’t Eat the Spatula
This is so smart, so reasonable but not entirely realistic for those of us struggling with chronic pain or exhaustion. I seldom have energy to process anything when I arrive home from shopping. I am doing well to get the perishables in the fridge. Right now my hubby is doing most of the shopping and I am struggling through the pain just to ocassionally put together enough food to last a few meals.
Times like this we need a cook/housekeeper.
Hello there 🙂
I have been in your shoes (you can read my story on the blog and how I dealt with debilitating symptoms due to my autoimmune disease) and I understand your comment. If you are not feeling up to doing all this work when you come back from shopping, that is totally ok. Maybe you can put off this task to the next day? Or ask someone to help you do the work (even better). Healing can be slow and we have to take baby steps. Good luck.
When do you wash the vegetables?
Actually, since I buy organic vegetables, I don’t wash them! Except for leeks, because they have too much dirt on them. But the rest, I don’t wash because I want to get all the good bacterias from the ground 🙂
I’ve seen organic lettuce being picked up from the floor of my Whole Foods and put back on the shelf. That’s the only reason I wash all veggies and fruit. :))
I just found your website today and I love it – thank you!
This is such a great idea – I am going to give it a go next time I do the groceries! May I ask… how long do the chopped veggies keep? Do they not go brown or soggy or anything like that?
Hello Karina!
And welcome to my blog 🙂 I keep the veggies up to 4-5 days maximum in the refrigertor. Some keep better than others, so the first ones to go are the ones that won’t keep as well, like lettuce or white sweet potatoes (they turn brown quickly).
Hi Sophie! Love the blog! This is a great idea that I want to implement. I can’t always locate organic produce, so I always wash everything. Do you wash or rinse your produce – at all; before prepping; or before cooking? I know washing it ahead of time may cause it to become a science experiment in my produce drawers more rapidly! lol Thanks much! Lori
Hello Lori 🙂
Since I buy organic vegetables, I don’t wash them, except leeks. I don’t wash them because I want to get all the good bacterias coming from the ground!
I’ve started AIP / Nightshade Free a couple of weeks ago. Feeling so much better and I’ve lost twelve pounds!!!
I also find it SO MUCH EASIER when my veggies are prepped. I can stir-fry, roast, add some sort of gravy, eat them with meat or without. It’s been the key to my success. I don’t have to plan my meals ahead, I just peek in the fridge and see what I’ve got and what appeals to me at the moment.
Thanks for more great suggestions!!!
Hello Becky,
Congratulations on starting the AIP diet! It sounds like you’ve got a good plan going for you. Good luck 🙂
Hello , I would like to know do you warm up your vegetables thru out the week or do you eat them cold ?
Hello Lori,
For the most part, I roast them in the oven or fry them in a skillet (except for the lettuce). So all my veggies are cooked.
Found this article through Paleo Leap. I think you’re idea is an awesome one. I try to buy local and fresh (I live in a farming community so it’s pretty easy in late Spring, Summer, and early Fall), but I do live in the northeast US so I don’t have access to local produce year round. I have 2 questions for you. Do you ever freeze any of this produce? I know some things can be frozen and some can’t. Also, for years now I’ve searched for a blogger who thoroughly explores the ins and outs of store bought frozen veggies and tasty ways to prepare them, but to no avail. I’ve found an article or recipe here or there that’s been helpful, but nothing in depth. Do you know where I could find in depth information on this topic? It can be SO convenient to have veggies in the freezer and not have to worry about the prep or spoilage of fresh. And from everything I’ve read frozen veggies are often much fresher than what you find in the grocery store. Thanks!
Hello Diane 🙂
I rarely freeze my vegetables. I prefer to buy often and eat them fresh. But if I had to choose between frozen and canned, I would definitely go frozen! Unfortunately, I don’t know of a specific resource for frozen vegetables. Good luck!
Thanks for taking the time to answer 🙂
Do you find that the veggies dry up a bit once they are chopped? Like in a few days will the be a bit dried out? Thanks for the helpful article 🙂
Hello Melissa,
Not really. I use my chopped vegetables within 3 to 4 days and they still look good. I keep them in the bottom drawer of my fridge though with the “moisture thingy” open!
Hi, thanks for this idea. I read somewhere that cut vegetables start losing their vitamin content. So if you cut vegetables you should cook and eat them ASAP rather than cut and store to be used later. Is this a myth?
Hello Ruth,
It is true that cutting your vegetables too long in advance isn’t recommended. If you keep them 3-4 days in your fridge, it is fine tough. I prefer to have pre-cut vegetables on hand and make sure I eat my daily dose though. And cutting them in advance is the best way, for me, to eat lots of veggies!
Hello, it is really true that there are no more vitamines in cutted vegetables , even after a few hours!
Why don’t you cut them and freese them? So,they keep almost all the vitamines?
Youndon’t have to defreese them when you use the oven
If you don’t have plastic baggies, another cheap and Eco-friendly option is washing and reusing the clamshell containers that you buy salad greens in. They stack well! Can’t wait to try your recipes, they look so tempting. Good work!
Thanks for the tip Amy 🙂
Hi Sophie!
Just came across this post (actually, I think I read it the other night but forgot about it!) and wanted to share an idea for those who are like me and not only have stamina issues but also enough food sensitivities that entrusting someone else with meals can be risky: ask those helpful friends and family members to come over for 30-60 minutes and help you prep your produce. That way, the produce is prepped and your meals will still include only what is safe.
Thank you Sarah! That is a great tip 🙂
Hey there Sophie. I did do this prep and had to throw out a lot of food. I used bags and perhaps did not get enough air out? Any ideas would be great and I will try again. Thanks.
Hello Taffy,
My first thought is that you kept them for too long before using them. 4-5 days is a maximum I would say. Also, eat first vegetables that are more fragile, like lettuce, then dark leafy greens, and lastly root veggies. Maybe also reduce the quantities of produce you prep. Maybe you won’t have enough next time, but that will help you gauge the quantities you need. I hope this helps!