Meal prep is one of them things that people know it would be better if they did it but struggle to find the time or motivation to get organised and do it. In this blog we will explore the benefits of meal prep and how you can get started without over complicating it.
What is meal prep?
Meal prep is where you make your meals for the upcoming days all at the same time. Meal prep is often used by individuals who have a busy schedule and are looking to reach some fitness related goals.
What are the benefits of meal prep
The benefits of meal prep much out weigh the negatives. Below you can see a list of some of the benefits.
- Keeps you in a routine
- Can easily track calorie and macro intake
- Don't have to think about what you need to eat
- Cost efficient
- Increases likelihood of eating whole foods
- Time efficient
- Can manage portion sizes
How to start meal prepping
Get a plan in place
If you are working Monday - Friday, you need to find the time to meal prep and putting a plan in place should be the first step. For example, on Sunday evening you can meal prep meals that you will eat Monday-Wednesday and then on Wednesday you can prep Thursday- Friday meals. This means that all the food will stay fresh and you don't have to cook all the meals for the week in one day.
Pick meals that are easy to make
By picking meals that are easy to make and separate into portions, it will seem like less of a chore when it comes to prepping. Below you can see some meal prep ideas:
- Seasoned Chicken, Rice, Veg
- Tuna Pasta
- Lean meat, stir fry
- Chicken wraps
- Overnight oats
- Breakfast burrito's
Get a nutrition plan in place
If you have some fitness goals that you are trying to achieve, you should set some nutritional targets. If you set a calorie and macro goal, meal prep will become more organised and it will make it easier to hit these nutritional targets.
Conclusion
Meal prep is a great technique to use if you are a busy individual and it can be an efficient way to hit your nutritional goals. Try your best to stick to a routine and meal prepping will become a habit once you do it so many times. There isn't any real negatives to prepping your meals and it comes with big positives.
