What is Meal Prepping?
Preparing meals or specific meal portions in advance to make feeding yourself during the week easier is known as meal prep. Preparing meals is excellent because you can make it as complicated or simple as you wish. It might be as easy as rinsing your produce or as complex as preparing all of your meals for the week. Meal preparation is not a one-size-fits-all procedure, and everyone’s version of it will look different. What works for you might not work for someone else, and vice versa. The overarching objective is to make your weeks less stressful when it comes to feeding yourself and to give you a sense of greater control over what you eat.
Start Simple
It can get overwhelming in the kitchen, therefore starting out with prepping one meal and working your way up from there is a great place to start. Once you get a feel for it and get a rhythm down, you can start increasing the amount of meals you prepare and get a better idea of how to fit a meal prep day into your schedule.
Which Meal Should I Prepare?
Do you struggle with eating breakfast in the morning? Or maybe you want to start bringing snacks to work? Identify the meal you struggle with the most and focus on that meal. Although it might seem trivial starting out with one meal, over time you will start to notice the benefits of meal prepping, it is all about the baby steps!
Mark Your Calendar
Select a day when you will have enough time to make your particular food. Schedule it on your calendar and reserve the time. For you, this might be a Sunday evening or a Wednesday afternoon, depending on your schedule. On your calendar, note the advantages of meal planning for you so that you can refer to it when you are tempted to skip the preparation.
STEP 1: Make a Meal Plan
Starting out by sticking to tried-and-true recipes is a fantastic idea, but you may also explore culinary inspiration on Pinterest, in cookbooks, and in your family’s old cookbooks.
Psst → Follow our Instagram and Facebook to find healthy recipes for both adults and kids!
STEP 2: Make a Grocery List
Check your pantry to see what you have and what you’ll need for the meal. Write down your list and head to the store! To keep it easy and organized, use a Notes app in your phone to create a grocery checklist so that it can sync across all your devices. You can start a list on your laptop while searching for recipes at home, then pull it up on your phone while you are shopping.
STEP 3: Prep
Once you have a designated block of time and your groceries, it’s time to prep that meal! Above all else, have fun during this process, play some music, turn on a podcast or get a family member involved to cook with you! Remember to start with one meal and work your way up!
The Bottom Line
Meal prep looks different for everyone. It can even look different week to week based on changes in schedules and needs. Whether you like to cook individual portioned meals for breakfast or dinner, or cook just enough for 2-3 days of lunches, experiment and find what works best for you. If you need additional guidance on meal prepping, or assistance in figuring out what healthy eating looks like for you, reach out to a Health Coach at Allied Wellness!
