When you’re meal prepping, it’s crucial to know how much of each ingredient you’ll actually be consuming. Serving sizes on food labels help you determine this. For instance, if you’re looking at a box of whole grain pasta that states a serving size of 2 ounces dry, you can plan to cook enough for four servings if you’re making a meal for the week. This means you’ll need 8 ounces of pasta total.
In this case, you might also notice that the label provides nutritional information per serving. If each serving has 200 calories, you’ll know that your entire pasta dish will total 800 calories. Understanding serving sizes allows you to accurately measure ingredients and control your portion sizes for a healthier meal prep.
Note: It’s important to be aware that serving sizes can sometimes be misleading. For example, a snack package might list a small amount as a serving size, which can lead to underestimating the total calories if you eat more than one serving.
When planning meals, especially for the week, you might want to keep your sugar intake in check. Labels now highlight added sugars, which can be a hidden source of empty calories. For example, consider a yogurt that lists 15 grams of total sugars, but only 5 grams of that comes from natural sources like fruit. The label indicates that 10 grams are added sugars.
If you’re meal prepping breakfast or snacks, you can choose a yogurt with lower added sugars, allowing you to create healthier recipes without compromising flavor. This can help you maintain energy levels throughout the day and avoid sugar crashes.
Variation: Look for products labeled as ’no added sugars’ or ‘unsweetened’ to make healthier choices while meal prepping.
If you have specific dietary requirements, reading food labels becomes even more essential. For instance, if you’re following a gluten-free diet, look for products labeled as ‘gluten-free.’ Consider a packaged snack like granola bars. Once you find the gluten-free option, take a moment to read the ingredient list.
You might see ingredients like oats, nuts, and honey. If you check carefully, you may find that some bars contain ingredients like wheat or barley, which are not gluten-free. Choosing bars that clearly list gluten-free ingredients ensures that your meal prep aligns with your dietary needs.
Note: Always check for cross-contamination warnings if you’re highly sensitive to gluten, as some products may still be processed in facilities that handle wheat.