Meal Prep to This Hip Hop Playlist
A huge part of meal prep is the music you play. When you’re washing a huge head of kale or chopping a bag of carrots with no end in sight, music is what gets you through. Hip hop music typically delivers lots of energy, and is a great soundtrack to your next meal prep adventure. Plus, there are a bunch of hip hop songs with food themes.
What if someone made a playlist of them that also included meal prep ideas inspired by those very songs? We did, and it’s here for your listening pleasure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBwAxmrE194
Do you put cream in your coffee, or do you use almond, cashew or oat milk? This song may not be about actual nut milk or cream, but if you’ve ever bought a big bag of cashews, you probably did feel like cash does indeed rule everything around you. (CASHews… get it?) The general rule of thumb for nut milks is one cup of soaked nuts to four cups water. Blend and strain (no need with cashews) and use in smoothies, in place of coffee cream, on oatmeal, in chia pudding, the list goes on…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x5NCDYB1Lc
“The egg, a symbol of life” packs around 6 grams of protein and is your meal prep MVP. Whip your eggs into a veggie-loaded frittata that you can eat at any meal (cold, hot, whatever!), or hard boil a bunch to add to salads, bowls or just eat them for breakfast. “Sometimes hard-boiled [8.5 minutes], sometimes runny [6 minutes], eggs come from a chicken, not a bunny, dummy.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A95J_QzzWAQ
Let’s pretend for a second that Dram and Lil Yachty are in fact rapping about broccoli. Rich in calcium and fibre, broccoli is an amazing addition to your meal prep game. Buy a couple heads and roast them, steam them, throw them in a frittata. Or try this: toss steamed broccoli with white beans, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and pesto (there is no shame in store-bought) for a very easy salad that can chill in the fridge all week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q9uouUrPt0
According to the CDC, 90% of Americans consume too much sodium. If you’re cooking most of your own food from scratch, you probably don’t have to worry about consuming too much salt. Salt is an important nutrient that your body needs, just make sure that you’re not eating too much prepared/fast food, and at home, use a high mineral salt like Himalayan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKrhWC_uJs0
I bet this catchy little number is making you want to dance. Do you think that ScHoolboy Q is rapping about healthy people’s favourite alt burger bun, the humble collard green? Try making your own collard-wrapped burgers: carefully remove the inner rib and steam those hefty leaves, allow them to cool (they can happily hang in the fridge all week). Use them to wrap any type of burger or filling when the mood strikes you. You are a sandwich artist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGL2rytTraA
Fun fact: Kelis studied cooking at Le Cordon Bleu, developed a line of sauces, and even wrote a cookbook. Take a quick break from meal prepping with this smoothie, which tastes sort of like a milkshake that brings all the boys to the yard: blend frozen or fresh strawberries with nut milk, a small scoop of peanut butter, and vanilla protein.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otRJC960u6g
When Action Bronson was a chef in New York, I bet he spiced up all kinds of food with hot peppers (the active compound in hot peppers is called capsaicin, which provides some health benefits). If you want to step in hotter this year, try making your own hot sauce. It may sound intimidating, but it’s so simple. All you need is fresh hot peppers (be careful when cutting them!), garlic, onions, vinegar, salt and something sweet, like carrots, peaches and/or pineapple.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-_PHQ8sSvA
The whole idea that animal proteins raise cholesterol has been debunked. But without a doubt, there’s a health and environmental benefit to eating more plant-based foods—just aim for plenty of variety. “Strictly collard greens and a occasional steak/Goes on my plate/Asparagus tips look yummy, yummy, yummy/Candied yams inside my tummy/A collage of good eats, some snacks or nice treats/Apple sauce and some nice red beets.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9mpu0n7BFY&list=PLvRpWCHFC8Pz6tUkUj9lAK0WK3sqJalvM&index=2
Do yourself a favour and listen to all the words in this song because there’s just so much wisdom about life and health. I’ll end this meal prep playlist extravaganza with some wise words: “They say you are what you eat, so I strive to be healthy my goal in life is not to be rich or wealthy cause true wealth comes from good health, and wise ways we got to start taking better care of ourselves.” Word.
What if someone made a playlist of them that also included meal prep ideas inspired by those very songs? We did, and it’s here for your listening pleasure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBwAxmrE194
"C.R.E.A.M." by Wu Tang Clan
Do you put cream in your coffee, or do you use almond, cashew or oat milk? This song may not be about actual nut milk or cream, but if you’ve ever bought a big bag of cashews, you probably did feel like cash does indeed rule everything around you. (CASHews… get it?) The general rule of thumb for nut milks is one cup of soaked nuts to four cups water. Blend and strain (no need with cashews) and use in smoothies, in place of coffee cream, on oatmeal, in chia pudding, the list goes on…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x5NCDYB1Lc
"Egg Man" by The Beastie Boys
“The egg, a symbol of life” packs around 6 grams of protein and is your meal prep MVP. Whip your eggs into a veggie-loaded frittata that you can eat at any meal (cold, hot, whatever!), or hard boil a bunch to add to salads, bowls or just eat them for breakfast. “Sometimes hard-boiled [8.5 minutes], sometimes runny [6 minutes], eggs come from a chicken, not a bunny, dummy.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A95J_QzzWAQ
"Broccoli" by Lil Yachty
Let’s pretend for a second that Dram and Lil Yachty are in fact rapping about broccoli. Rich in calcium and fibre, broccoli is an amazing addition to your meal prep game. Buy a couple heads and roast them, steam them, throw them in a frittata. Or try this: toss steamed broccoli with white beans, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and pesto (there is no shame in store-bought) for a very easy salad that can chill in the fridge all week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q9uouUrPt0
"Salt Shaker" by Ying Yang Twins
According to the CDC, 90% of Americans consume too much sodium. If you’re cooking most of your own food from scratch, you probably don’t have to worry about consuming too much salt. Salt is an important nutrient that your body needs, just make sure that you’re not eating too much prepared/fast food, and at home, use a high mineral salt like Himalayan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKrhWC_uJs0
"Collard Greens" by ScHoolboy Q
I bet this catchy little number is making you want to dance. Do you think that ScHoolboy Q is rapping about healthy people’s favourite alt burger bun, the humble collard green? Try making your own collard-wrapped burgers: carefully remove the inner rib and steam those hefty leaves, allow them to cool (they can happily hang in the fridge all week). Use them to wrap any type of burger or filling when the mood strikes you. You are a sandwich artist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGL2rytTraA
"Milkshake" by Kelis
Fun fact: Kelis studied cooking at Le Cordon Bleu, developed a line of sauces, and even wrote a cookbook. Take a quick break from meal prepping with this smoothie, which tastes sort of like a milkshake that brings all the boys to the yard: blend frozen or fresh strawberries with nut milk, a small scoop of peanut butter, and vanilla protein.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otRJC960u6g
"Hot Pepper" by Action Bronson
When Action Bronson was a chef in New York, I bet he spiced up all kinds of food with hot peppers (the active compound in hot peppers is called capsaicin, which provides some health benefits). If you want to step in hotter this year, try making your own hot sauce. It may sound intimidating, but it’s so simple. All you need is fresh hot peppers (be careful when cutting them!), garlic, onions, vinegar, salt and something sweet, like carrots, peaches and/or pineapple.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-_PHQ8sSvA
"Ham ‘N’ Eggs" by A Tribe Called Quest
The whole idea that animal proteins raise cholesterol has been debunked. But without a doubt, there’s a health and environmental benefit to eating more plant-based foods—just aim for plenty of variety. “Strictly collard greens and a occasional steak/Goes on my plate/Asparagus tips look yummy, yummy, yummy/Candied yams inside my tummy/A collage of good eats, some snacks or nice treats/Apple sauce and some nice red beets.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9mpu0n7BFY&list=PLvRpWCHFC8Pz6tUkUj9lAK0WK3sqJalvM&index=2
"Be Healthy" by Dead Prez
Do yourself a favour and listen to all the words in this song because there’s just so much wisdom about life and health. I’ll end this meal prep playlist extravaganza with some wise words: “They say you are what you eat, so I strive to be healthy my goal in life is not to be rich or wealthy cause true wealth comes from good health, and wise ways we got to start taking better care of ourselves.” Word.