gastro & gusto EATING HEALTHY
BE PREPARED
Save time, money and calories with make-ahead meals by HANNAH BURKE
F
or college students, instant ramen, dollar menu items and vending machine snacks make for fast and frugal dinners, but David Solomon and Felipe Souza refused to fall victim to the “freshman 15.” Between their classes and shifts at a Tallahassee dive, the childhood best friends, who grew up together playing sports and going to the gym, maintained an active, healthy lifestyle that included delving into the art of meal preparation. More than just an internet “life hack,” meal prepping involves making and portioning dishes ahead of schedule to ensure a balanced diet. You’ve likely seen videos online of influencers sharing their favorite big-batch recipes, but this fad is nothing new for gym rats, senior citizens and those with dietary restrictions. Ideal for shedding pounds, bulking up or maintaining weight, make-ahead meal plans are catching on and can be tailored to any lifestyle. “I was actually doing MMA training at the time, and meal prepping helped me lose the weight,” Souza said. “Sundays and Wednesdays, I would make these meals for David and me. Our co-workers grew curious and even offered to pay me to make some for them. I told David we should get licensed and insured and actually do this.” Solomon and Souza now co-own a meal delivery service, Prep Pros, in Tallahassee. Subscribers receive one to four meals daily and, based on their fitness goals, can customize their dish’s protein, carb and caloric proportions. “I’m our company’s No. 1 customer,” Solomon said. “I’ve been eating these meals for the past four years, and when I have to travel, I notice a difference in how I feel. I miss them. Even visiting my family this year for Thanksgiving, I noticed how time-consuming it was thinking about what to make, actually cooking and doing the cleaning that followed.” Ashley Cole and her husband and business partner Ross Cole provide a similar service along the Emerald Coast at Healthy Coast Meals. Cole, a fitness nutrition coach and professional fitness competitor, began meal prepping to help her deal with Crohn’s Disease.
40
June-July 2022
EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM
← Storing food in glass containers, according to the eco-friendly products provider, MightyNest, ensures that no stains or chemicals are transmitted to your next meal. Plus, glass is highly transparent and heats up well.
“With that diagnosis, I had to learn to eat a certain way,” Cole said. “For me, that meant gluten-free everything and anti-inflammatory types of food — nothing processed, and whole, natural-type meals.” Cole said she grew up in New Orleans, where she says that “food is life.” The prospect of eating bland, boring meals every day was a downer, but she quickly learned flavor needn’t be sacrificed for healthfulness. “I taught myself how to make food that was good for me, and it turned into something I really liked to
HEALTHY COAST MEALS
Visit healthycoastmeals.com to customize a meal plan, and let the Coles do the cooking for you. Online order pickups are available at three GrabN-Go locations: FORT WALTON BEACH 350 Eglin Parkway NE CRESTVIEW 1900 S. Ferdon Blvd., Suite 180 DESTIN 36150 Emerald Coast Parkway, Suite 107
photography by LINDSEY MASTERSON
