Picture this. You’re sweaty and drained, putting away your gloves and downing some water after kicking booty in Throwdown or Total Body or Fighters. You know you have a window to get some protein to those muscles but, bad news, you didn’t get to the grocery store over the weekend and your cupboards would make Mother Hubbard’s look grand. So what do you do?
A. Race to the grocery store for chicken and salad. You can get there, get home and get cooking to have something ready in about an hour. Probably.
B. Blend up a protein smoothie when you get home and call it good.
C. Throw your hands up in defeat and opt for the drive-thru or take-out. You’ll get back on the good nutrition wagon tomorrow.
We won’t lie – these options are all bad. In a pinch, option two is probably your best bet but because real food trumps protein powder pretty much every time, we have some exciting info for you. Someone new has moved in just up the hill from Freestyle, and it’s going to benefit you – big time.
Meet Paleo Nick and his latest endeavor, Ice Age Meals. Get this – they’re frozen Paleo meals with an ideal macronutrient ratio. Instead of stocking your freezer with Hungry Man Meals (don’t eat those, btw) and bland vegetarian numbers and frozen pizzas, get yourself a few of these. And then go back to that Q&A at the top of this post, and this time add option D. Heat up a butternut squash lasagna, or chipotle turkey chili, or even some ribs n’ sweets, all of which are waiting patiently in your freezer for an occasion just like this one. Your meal will be ready to eat in about eight minutes (25 if you’re feeling fancy and use the oven), and your body and taste buds will both be thanking you.
Don’t let the “frozen meal” thing throw you off – these things are surprisingly tasty. Ice Age Meals has a varied selection of frozen meals that are an ideal go-to in a pinch. You can heat something up for a quick breakfast, as a lunch option when your coworkers are ordering in, or for dinner when your other options are seriously limited.
We know you’re working your tail off in class, and you’ve heard us say it again and again – make sure your nutrition supports all that hard work. Tossing a few of these meals in your freezer is like insurance, you know? You’ll always have something nutritious, tasty and ready to eat, no matter how bad your fridge is looking.
Ice Age Meals is in the Scolari’s shopping center at the top of McCarran, just up the hill from Freestyle. If you’re facing the grocery store, it’s the last storefront allllll the way to the right, kind of tucked behind the bank. You can mosey over Monday through Friday between 7 am and 4 pm, and look for Saturday hours to be added soon as well. Meals are $9.99 apiece or 12 for $99.99. Remember – insurance.