We’ve all been there – you come home after a long day and just don’t have the time or energy to come up with a meal…so you order in. Even worse, if you do commit to cooking, then by the time you chop, measure, cook, eat, and clean, it’s basically time for bed. This is where meal prepping can really save you!

What exactly is Meal Prep?

Think of meal prep as simply lending a helping hand to future you. Ask yourself the following question: What can I do ahead of time to make the cooking process shorter and easier during the week? Meal prep could look like any of the following:

Ask yourself: What can I do ahead of time to make the cooking process shorter and easier?

Where Should I Start?

Make a menu for the week.

Find recipes that interest you and that offer balance (aka contain both protein AND veggies). You can find lots of great recipes online, in cookbooks, in magazines…. the options are endless.

Make your grocery list.

Always go to the store armed with with a list - and stick to it.

Grocery shop.

Can’t cook without the ingredients!

Prep and put away vegetables NOW.

Devote a minimum of 30 minutes to washing, chopping, and storing your ingredients when you come home from the grocery store. If you have more time to spare, great! Throw some meat into a slow cooker and package up a few lunch salads while you’re at it. However, you can always just prep a few days at a time. No need to do it all at once.

Practice, practice, practice!

Just like any new skill, you have to practice meal prep before you get really good at it! Don’t give up – planning ahead and prepping your meals is one of the best ways to keep your nutrition on track. Commit to just a few meal prep steps every week and future you will be grateful.