5 Tips to Make Meal Prep Easy

When we think of fast food, we often think of processed, high-calorie, no-good junk food. But even with the busiest schedule, it actually is possible to eat healthy while on the go all thanks to meal prep.

What even is meal prep?!  It’s preparing key ingredients or even whole meals ahead of time, so you can eat food that will fuel your body with what it needs when you need it.

Maybe you want to eat healthy foods to help you lose weight, maintain your health or give you energy for training or other activities you enjoy, but you often find yourself short on time and reaching for quick fixes. Take away food, chocolate bars, or whatever you can pick up from the gas station end up being staples in your diet. 

Inevitably, you end up searching out the best supplements for gut health and possibly asking yourself the question, “why am I always hungry and tired?”

Forget the supplements and introduce healthy meal prep into your life! A busy life can be a bit overwhelming sometimes but getting organized, finding a small window of time, and dedicating that window to prepare yourself for healthy eating throughout the week will save you more time later in your week and a whole lot of stress. In addition, you’ll also be making sure you eat the foods you really want to be eating and ultimately saving money.

Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, with these 5 tips, we have got you covered!

MAKE A PLAN

Do you have a nutrition plan to follow? An approved list of foods to eat from? Or just want to have food you enjoy ready to go? Lay it all out, meal by meal, and create your shopping list. Don’t feel overwhelmed here! If you are new to this, let’s start slow. Even getting one of your meals planned out each day is a great start and will save you a big headache each day.

GET PREPARED

Go shopping! Get all your ingredients in stock and some containers for your food. Whether you need big Tupperware boxes if you are batch cooking key ingredients like rice, lentils, or stews, or smaller ones for storing prepped veggies ready to cook or portioning out the exact meal, it is helpful to have a variety of containers and bags.

START PREPPING!

Wash and chop your vegetables, set your meat to cook, make your sauces… whatever ingredient, meal or recipe you are preparing, let’s get cooking! You are investing time now for you that’s going to pay dividends later. Time efficiency is key but enjoy this moment, put on some music, a nice apron, and enjoy the process.

PORTION SIZED PACKAGES

For real simplicity, you can put individual servings in different containers so you can literally grab and go when you are running out the door to work or arrive home late and hungry. This way, you won’t be tempted to put an extra spoon of food on your plate that you had not planned and can make sure you are on target with your eating plan. Even portioning out snacks like a serving of almonds can be a great idea, rather than just grabbing a quick handful when hungry and accidentally overeating.

FREEZE!

The food you make for the week might not be looking so great after a full 7 days in the fridge, so where appropriate, pop some meals in the freezer for later on. Any extra servings or ingredients that you might end up with can also be kept here as a backup, an emergency meal, or simply some more variety in your food for the week.

We all lead busy lives these days, and having time to meal prep may look like a luxury. But in reality, with a little planning, you will give yourself time back every day, fuel your body the way you want to, and feel great! No more stress about what to eat or having mouthfuls of ‘something quick’ while you wait for your actual meal to cook. You might already know many healthy foods to help you lose weight, but unless you incorporate them into your food routine, you won’t feel the benefits.

Take control of your nutrition, find a little time for yourself, and make yourself and your health a priority. Your future self will thank you for it.