If you are a workaholic or busy with your family all week long, it will be difficult to spend hours every day cooking meals for you and your family. On the other hand, if you are trying to eat healthy and stick to a diet, preparing meals every day can be hectic. Don’t worry, we got you covered. Here are some meal prep ideas to make your life easier.
1. Come up with meal prep ideas
If you want to succeed in your meal prep, you need to have a plan first. Think about what your favorites are. If most of them are unhealthy food, you need to think again. Ensure you include all nutrients in your meals: grains, veggies, meat, healthy fats, and fruits. There is more to cook than one would think if they want to eat healthier. Plan your meals according to your likeness for 7 days. Add variety and change things to spice it up.
2. Shopping for your health is exciting
Once you complete what you are going to cook throughout the week, the next thing you need is a shopping list. List down what are the ingredients that you need to cook your meals and go buy what you need. Most people buy what they need for the whole week at once But there’s no rule about it. If you are buying supplies for the next 3 days, nobody is stopping you. Go have fun at the grocery store.
3. When am I cooking all this?
Picking a day to prepare your meals is not really a big deal. Most of the people doing meal prep for the week do it on Sunday or Saturday. But if you are someone who works full-time over the weekend, picking some other day would be the wiser choice. This will take a few hours to prep your meals from A to Z. Clean your supplies, cut them, cook and prep them, and hygienically store them. Because you plan to enjoy these meals throughout the week. Which brings us to the next step.
4. You need proper containers
Having a plan for meal prep ideas is not enough if you don’t know how to store them. If you are prepping meals for the next 7 days planning 3 meals a day you need at least 21 containers to store the food. They must not leak in or out and if they are microwave-safe then that is a plus sign. Make sure you do not store two meals in one container even if they are separate compartments because there is a risk of contamination once you open up a container.
5. Prep Your Ingredients separately
This is a golden rule when it comes to meal prep ideas. We need variety and excitement in our lives. Meal prep is also the same. Make sure you select a variety of food options for your meals. Unless there is a specific reason, do not repeat the same meal in a single day. Prepare these meals separately. If you are cooking meat, cook them separately. Veggies must be cooked separately. If there are any fresh-cut items like salads, fruits, and mushrooms prepare them separately. This will help you avoid any cross-contamination. You’ll thank me later.
6. Portion Out Your Meals
Once you are done with cooking, divide your meals into separate portions. This will help you to reduce overeating and also help you to take meals on the go. It would be ideal if you could use measuring cups or a small scale to get a good understanding of how much you consume. Use the pre-prepared containers and portion out your meals. Make sure you come up with new meal prep ideas as you move along.
7. Proper storage is also important
Once you have rationed your meals you need to store it so it will not go stale. Otherwise, this whole effort was for nothing. If you have a fridge, put the meals that you are planning to take in the next 2 or 3 days in the fridge and the rest goes in the freezer. Make sure you take the meals stored in the freezer the night before you consume them to thaw in the fridge.
8. Mix and Match
Please remember preparing the meals is just part of the journey. You also have to eat it and keep eating it for the next 7 days because we are not quitters! And more importantly, we were raised better than to throw out food. Make sure you mix and match your meals according to your cravings and also to have a balanced meal every time you can.
9. Stick with It
A rookie mistake most people make when they are doing meal prep is not sticking with it to see the results. If you want to see results on this journey you have to stick with the meal prep plan for at least 3 weeks. Otherwise whatever the goal you set for yourself will not be achieved. You would spend hours preparing the meals and give all that up so you can order takeout food. Let’s not be that guy.
10. Focus on Healthy Food Choices
The whole point of meal prep for a week is to focus on healthy food so you can take care of yourself. When selecting ingredients for your meals look for lean meat and natural protein sources. You can go with chicken, turkey, beef, or plant-based options like tofu, beans, or oats. Mix your meals with colorful vegetables, fruits and also make sure you get healthy fat and
A balanced diet rich in natural and healthy foods can help you maintain a healthy weight, boost energy levels, and improve overall well-being. Also, preparing your meals in advance makes you less likely to reach for processed or unhealthy options when you’re in a hurry. Meanwhile, this will help your wallet. Trust me on this one.
With meal prepping, you’re not just saving time but investing in your health.
