Neris Lovette never considered herself much of a planner. “I was the queen of last-minute dinners,” she admits. But after a routine checkup flagged rising cholesterol levels, she knew she had to start cooking with more intention.
“I didn’t want to live off oatmeal and grilled chicken forever,” she jokes. “And I didn’t want to spend hours prepping either.”
So she challenged herself to design a heart-healthy meal prep routine that was practical, not perfect. No elaborate recipes. No fancy gadgets. Just food she could batch on Sundays and enjoy all week without boredom or burnout.
She started with what she already liked—soups, roasted vegetables, baked fish—and tweaked them with heart-healthy swaps: olive oil instead of butter, less salt, more herbs, and lots of fiber-rich sides. Her biggest discovery? It didn’t have to be boring. “Once I started playing with spices and sauces, everything came alive,” Neris says.
The best part wasn’t the food, though—it was the peace of mind. “I didn’t have to wonder what was for lunch or stress about dinner,” she says. “And my body felt better too. Clearer, lighter, more balanced.”
For Neris, heart-healthy eating became less about fear and more about freedom. “Meal prep saved me time, money, and worry,” she smiles. “And it’s probably saving my heart too.”
