How do I Meal Prep on a Budget? With Elia Wolberger
Food costs are typically the second highest monthly expense people have after where they live, and it's a topic we're frequently talking about with our clients at Financial Gym. So this month's podcast theme is dedicated to food!
Joining me today is Elia Wolberger, personal chef, Meal Prep Expert, and founder of the Feed Your Sister website, to talk about the importance of meal prepping for your physical, mental, and financial health. We talk about how meal prepping changed our lives and how you can implement the process no matter what you have going on in your personal life.
What are we drinking?
Elia Wolberger - Iced Matcha Latte
Shannon - Coffee
Podcast Notes
How did Feed Your Sister and meal prep coaching become your career?
Elia has always loved cooking and started the blog, Feed Your Sister in 2010. She doesn’t have formal training but loves nothing more than feeding her family and friends.
In 2016, she got an email with an opportunity. A client was looking for someone to cook for them and, through that and word of mouth, started cooking privately for other clients.
There is a lot of power in meal prepping, and she is passionate about helping others. This led her to coach others and teach them to meal prep.
Right after housing, food is the biggest line item in most people’s budgets. With inflation over the last year, people really feel the rising costs.
Shannon first got into meal planning/prepping through the blog sphere. It’s part of working on your finances. When she got into a good flow, she noticed the difference in her budget, physical and mental health.
How do we start meal prepping?
Having a plan is everything. We are all busy, but creating a plan allows you to be in control and flexible when needed.
The first thing to start is cleaning everything and inventory what you have. If something is expired, throw it away. It’s taking up space in your fridge and your brain.
The goal is to use your inventory to plan your meals and shopping trips.
Even for those of us with small kitchens, we have more in our fridge, freezer, and pantry than we think!
Getting your kitchen clean and organized is the next step. You want it to be functional and make it a space you enjoy spending time in.
Learn what you like to cook and start making your plans around it. Review what you’ve ordered for takeout in the past and figure out what you can make at home.
Save eating out for the dishes that you can’t quite make at home.
What are some quick tips for people getting started?
Meal prep is the ultimate form of self-care and a lifelong journey.
Learning the basics is great because there are different seasons of life. You will be on top of your meal prep at some points and not so much at others. If you learn the basics and make it a habit, you can always come back to it.
Try a pantry clean-out challenge. Making it a fun game rather than a chore can help with motivation.
Freezer meals are great for everyone, but especially for people living alone. You can make a batch and freeze the rest for another time.
Learn to love the freezer. There is so much that can be frozen from fresh, and items like frozen vegetables, shrimp, and other proteins are great for the meal prep toolbox.
Be patient; this is a skill. You will get better with more practice.
Get the whole family involved. You can cook meals you enjoy eating together, and they’re learning an important life skill. Teach them how important it is for the family budget and quality time.
Resources:
Takeaway: My biggest takeaway is the importance of just trying meal prepping. It’s something I never thought I could do or be good at and it’s changed my life and I hope it will change yours.
Random Three Questions
What is the craziest thing you’ve found in someone’s pantry or fridge?
What is a show you like to binge?
If you were given $50,000 to travel anywhere, where would you go?
Connect with Elia Wolberger
Website: http://www.feedyoursister.com
E-Book: Everything but the Kitchen Sink
Instagram: @feedyoursister
Facebook: Pantry Party Facebook Community
If you have any topics you would like me to cover on this podcast, or if you’d like to get in the financially naked hot seat, I encourage you to email me at Shannon@fingyms.com, or join the private Martinis and Your Money Face, and let me know what you want to hear.
A recent Financial Health Network study revealed that only 31% of Americans were financially healthy. Only 23% of women and only 15% of black people were. Financial health is a crisis in the US but it doesn’t need to stay that way. At the Financial Gym, we’ve spent the last 10 years working one-on-one with our members to help them achieve their financial health goals.
With a 90% success rate and with memberships starting as low as $35 a month, Financial Gym is not only the inflation-proof source for financial wellness for anyone but also a trusted and capable partner for your financial wellness journey. Head or send friends to, financialgym.com and schedule a warm up call today. As a reminder, our warm up call team is staffed with amazing and current Financial Gym clients that can answer any of your questions about our program without any pressure to join. The call is free, so you have nothing to lose.