Meal prepping is one of those things that a lot of people would love to do, but just can’t get used to. Whether you get bored of the same meals over and over again, or you run out of ideas for healthy and tasty meals really quickly, it can get hard. Some people struggle with a big cooking day and some people find themselves going through their prepped meals far more quickly than they hoped.
So, whether you’ve tried and stumbled before or you’re thinking about starting meal prepping, here are a few tips to help.
The Benefits of Meal Prepping
First, let’s look at the benefits of meal prepping. If you want easy, healthy meals that are convenient throughout the week, this is the option for you. It also helps you control your portion sizes, which is great if you’re trying to lose weight or reach certain fitness goals.
Meal prepping is great for busy people like students and working professionals who don’t want to cook a meal every night and prepare breakfasts and lunches. It can also be a handy way to save money because instead of ordering a meal, you can eat something you’ve already prepared.
Sometimes it helps to know why you want to do something, as it gives you the motivation to get it right.
Meal Prepping Breakfasts
One of the biggest pitfalls people stumble into when trying to meal prep for the first time is doing too much, too soon. If you jump right into trying to prep every meal you eat in advance, you set yourself up for failure.
Instead, ease yourself into it. You might decide to stick to a minimal meal-prepping lifestyle, and that’s okay.
One of the most common and helpful ways to meal prep is to prepare your breakfast in advance. You can do this before bed, saving you so much time and stress in the morning while ensuring you have a healthy meal ready to set you up for the day. Whether you want overnight oats or a simple chia seed pudding, you can get it ready to enjoy. Even better, you can tweak it either the night before or in the morning for some variety.
Meal Prepping Ingredients
Another way to meal prep without preparing a load of whole meals for the weak is to prep ingredients instead. This is a fantastic way to save time, make sure you have fresh meals for the week, and introduce some variety to your day. Yes, it requires a bit of cooking and putting things together on the day, but you’re still saving loads of time and this might be more viable for your lifestyle.
For example, you can prepare a load of vegetables for the week ahead. Simply by slicing and chopping them, you have them ready to put into a meal as and when you need them. This will save you loads of time and effort when cooking.
Another option is to marinade meats in advance. Mix it up with different marinades, then freeze the portions of meat so they’re ready to go when you want them. Or, if you don’t need such a long-term solution, cook the meat ready for lunches and other meals for the next few days.
Adding Variety To Your Meals
One of the biggest downfalls of meal prepping is boredom. By meal-prepping ingredients rather than meals, as mentioned earlier, you can cut down on this. Spices and other flavorings are your best friends. You can use most of the same ingredients, but end up with a very different flavor profile if you use different spices when cooking.
Another option is to prepare meals and freeze them. This is great for larger meals like dinners. You can make a double or triple portion, then freeze the leftovers in containers. So, when you need a quick meal, simply defrost and cook it.
You can also only meal prep a few days in advance, rather than for the whole week. Yes, you’re cooking more often, but it means that you can mix things up a lot more.
Portion Control
Don’t forget to make use of containers when meal prepping. Weigh your meals and give yourself a healthy portion that won’t fill you too much, but also won’t leave you hungry for more. Think about your weight and diet goals. If you want more protein, add more meat and less carbs to the meals. Think about your needs when portioning the food, and don’t forget to allow for snacks.
