MEAL PREP: An Option For Anyone

Any college student knows how hard it can be to maintain a healthy diet. Convenience, unfortunately, can become our biggest downfall when it comes to what we put in our bodies. With so many food options available around us, it can become easy to neglect healthy eating habits.

That’s where meal prep services come into play. According to Healthline.com, a “meal prep” is defined as, “the concept of preparing whole meals or dishes ahead of schedule.” Anyone can meal prep, but how many actually have the time or know where to begin? As a college student, I definitely don’t have the time to create clever meal plans that will satisfy my diet, which includes being gluten-free as much as possible.

Companies such as Twenty-Five Eight, Mighty Mealz, and EatNakedLA all provide meal preparation services at different costs based on different nutrition- al needs. I decided to try out a few meals and snacks from the company Twenty-Five Eight. I was sent over Chimichurri Chicken Empanadas, Maple BBQ Grass- Finished Beef, Tahini Chocolate Caramels, No-Sugar Flourless Chocolate Chunk Cookies, No Bake Cookie Dough Bars and lastly, their Vanilla Almond Mylk. A little background on the brand is that they are mostly targeted, but not limited to, mothers within all stages of motherhood who are always on the go but still want to eat as organically as possible, which refers to a diet that considers pre-birth, pregnancy and after birth. CEO Erica Mock, came up with the idea for her brand after her pregnancy when she realized she wanted a more accessible way for organic foods at a convenience, which then sparked Twenty-Five-Eight.

What makes this company stand out is the solid commitment to the way in which their food is prepared. “I personally vetted our sources of all animal products to know that these animals were cared for the way nature intended, pastured on land and free to roam, with no crowding,” Mock said in an interview by Voyage LA. Beyond quality, their food is organic and nutrient dense as well. For those who are consumed with school or work but still crave tasty healthier alternatives, companies such as Twenty-Five Eight might be a good option to look into.

The brand’s principles include: beyond organic ingredients, soy free, dairy free, (except their grad fed ghee) vegetable oil free, no refined sugars and no glutinous ingredients, only seasonal/local ingredients and lastly no gmo’s. What more can you ask for? They even have vegan and animal protein options available upon customization.

For those that are not sure where to begin their meal prep journey, it is not limited to mothers but it is also available to college students on the go. Their website is user friendly and only asks for two things to begin a plan, ZIP code and email, that’s it. Once you complete that, anyone can begin to curate their meal choices based on preference and need. There are options such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner available to even those that only want a specific meal in the day; such as a college student during lunch, this is a helpful option to have. Not to mention, they also carry their own healthy snacks available for purchase under the “pantry” tab, located on their website. From Collagen Almond Butter Bites to Paleo Cookie Dough Bars, there is something for almost everyone with a sweet tooth to enjoy.

As for their menu, it changes weekly which allows consumers to try out different food varieties and eliminates the repetitiveness. Their dinner choices this week included, Wild Caught Salmon with veggies + Ginger Chutney, to Lemongrass Five Spice Grass- Finished Steak + Curried Cashews. Delish! They also make their own Vanilla Almond Mylk and No-Sugar Flourless Chocolate Chunk Cookies, yum!

Overall I gave her meals and snacks a 10/10 for ultimately the quality yet tastiness. This was a huge success because as a consumer we want to be able to eat healthy meals without compromising the taste. I loved the vari- ety of her meals and the fact that I was able to indulge in dessert without feeling guilty either. In addition, to the fact, all my meals were gluten-free since I am sensitive to gluten, made the meals the ideal fit. My favorite was the Vanilla Almond Mylk and No Sugar Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies. You can check out the brand at their website: www.twenty-fiveeight.com or follow them @ twenty_five_eight on Instagram to stay updated.