Picture this: It's Monday morning and you grab a cup of coffee and get ready for work. Halfway through, you realise you forgot to pack your food. How many times has it happened to you? This is probably how every other workday feels. Do you know? Meal prepping can be the solution to this problem. So before you skip your next meal or binge on some extra fries, let's start by understanding, what is meal prep, things to keep in mind and how you can do it.
What Is Meal Prep?
Meal prepping is the act of preparing meals in advance for the week or a few days. The goal of meal prepping is to save time, money, and energy while ensuring that you have healthy, nutritious meals readily available. Meal prepping can involve cooking, portioning, and storing meals for later use.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Meal Prepping
Before you start meal prepping, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
1) Plan Ahead
Planning is one of the main components of meal prepping. Take some time to plan your meals for the week, make a grocery list, and purchase all the necessary ingredients.
Also Read: The Role of Macronutrients in Your Diet: Protein, Carbs, and Fats
2) Choose Healthy Recipes
Meal prepping can be an opportunity to experiment with healthy, nutritious recipes. Choose recipes that are easy to prepare and can be stored for a few days without spoiling.
3) Portion Control
Portion control is essential when meal prepping. Make sure that you are portioning your meals appropriately to avoid overeating.
4) Storage
Proper storage is critical to ensure that your meals stay fresh and safe to eat. Invest in high-quality storage containers that are leak-proof and microwave-safe.
How To Meal Prep For A Week
Now that you have a better understanding of what meal prepping is and things to keep in mind, let's dive into how you can meal prep for a week of healthy eating:
1) Choose Your Recipes
Start by choosing healthy recipes that you enjoy and are easy to prepare. Look for recipes that use simple ingredients and can be cooked in bulk.
2) Make A Grocery List
Once you have chosen your recipes, make a grocery list of all the necessary ingredients. Make sure to include enough ingredients to last for the entire week.
3) Grocery Shopping
Head to the grocery store and purchase all the ingredients on your list. Consider buying items in bulk to save money.
4) Cook Your Meals
Cook your meals in bulk and portion them out into storage containers. The only thing to keep in mind is that you are marking the containers with the right date and macronutrient content.
5) Store Your Meals
Depending on how long you intend to keep your meals, store them in the refrigerator or freezer. Use high-quality storage containers that are both leak-proof and microwave-safe.
Also Read: 5 Ways To Measure Your Fitness Progress Other Than Scale Numbers
6) Reheat And Enjoy
When it's time to eat, simply reheat your prepped meal in the microwave or oven and enjoy a healthy, nutritious meal.
Pro Tip
- Make meal prepping a weekly habit to save time and ensure that you always have healthy meals available.
- Consider investing in a slow cooker or instant pot to make meal-prepping even easier.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with new recipes and flavours to keep your meals exciting and enjoyable.
