Meal prep has become a common practice for people looking to take control of their weight and health via the food they eat. In today’s growing world of nutrition, more and more resources are becoming available to help individuals make smarter choices.
Finding the Value in Meal Prep
Meal prepping refers to the act of preparing food in advance to not only save time, but to make sure healthier foods are consumed. When crazy schedules get in our way, how often do we just say “oh well…” and reach for something convenient like a cheeseburger or a bag of chips? Plenty of times! That’s just the nature of things when we’re pressed for time.
Meal prepping, on the other hand, can help us balance our schedule with the foods we eat to maximize our health. The idea is that when we have healthier foods at our fingertips, we are more likely to eat them instead of other potentially harmful foods.
Simple Tips for becoming a “Pro” at Meal Prepping
The concept of meal prepping can seem daunting at first. Where do you start? What all do you need? How do you get into the meal prep mindset to make sure you succeed? These are all common questions, but we’re here to answer them for you.
Consider these tips before embarking on your meal prep journey:
Pick a Day for Preparation
Choose a day of the week (or a specific time of day) where you have ample time to prepare food for the week ahead. For most people, this is on a Saturday or Sunday when work obligations don’t get in the way. For others, it’s a quiet weeknight where fewer crowds are at the grocery store. Try to pick a certain day and time and stick with it.
Stock-up on Containers
You’ll soon realize that Tupperware is your best friend. It’s good to have a collection of many different containers that will hold all kinds of foods. For example: stock-up on portable soup bowls, containers with different compartments inside, plastic baggies in a variety of sizes, containers meant for lunch/dinner leftovers and a handy dandy lunchbox.
Develop a Menu
This is the fun part! Try to brainstorm healthy, creative meals you’d like to eat in upcoming days. It might help to write-out a menu to stick on your fridge and bring with you to the grocery store. Aim for a variety of foods such as lean proteins, plenty of produce, whole grains and low-fat dairy. It’s important that your meals are balanced and colorful!
Get Crafty in the Kitchen
You’ve got all the essentials on-hand. Now it’s time to do the “hard” work! This is the time for you to get extra creative and prepare your meals in a way so they don’t get boring. Why not whip our your crock-pot, blender and oven trays? You aren’t limited to frozen/refrigerated meals. You can utilize your stove, oven, air fryer… you name it!
Store Your Foods Properly
You’ve worked hard to prepare your meals. Your next step is to store them away for future use so you don’t have to worry about finding healthy foods later on. Freeze them, refrigerate them or keep them in eyesight on the counter… all depending on what foods you’ve selected and how they were prepared. Your main goal at this step should be to make sure your meals are easily seen so that when you’re pressed for time, there’s no hesitation — you just grab and go!
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