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First, you will want to invest in reusable meal prep containers. You can find them on the tools I use page at a very affordable price. Also, invest in a lunch bag or two. I say or two because you will want one to be big enough to hold your breakfast, lunch, two snacks, and water during your work week. A smaller one for when you are away from home for a while, you will need to pack snacks and water.
My snack bag became like a 2nd purse for me because I love to snack!!! Carrying snacks has really helped keep me from buying unhealthy foods.
The first thing to decide for your actual meal prepping, are cooking for the whole week, weekdays only, or are you wanting to divide it in half and have two meal prep days.
My recommendation is to cook for the week if you can. I have personally meal prepped for each of the three ways. When I divided it in half I struggled a bit prepping for the 2nd half not wanting to go through it again so soon.
When I prepped for the work week only, I found myself eating poorly for the weekend. I justified myself by saying it’s the weekend, I deserve a cheat meal right, but my cheat meal turned into a whole cheat weekend!!!
If you can get it out of the way at once, it’s much easier.
Next, you will want to determine what day you are going to do your meal prep. I find that Sundays seem to be a little more relaxing and laid back for people. If you work M-F then Sunday is used to mentally prepare for the workweek so why not do meal preparation too.
Create your grocery list a couple of days before you do your meal prep. I like the shopping app Flipp. Flipp will show you where the best deals are for the items you plan to buy.
Choose another day to do your grocery shopping. I usually create my list on Thursdays, shop on Friday, or Saturday and do my meal prepping on Sundays. Once you get the hang of it, it will be seamless.
Utilize your small kitchen appliances such as crock pots, nutribullet or blenders, air fryers even the grill outside. If you use your grill, you can grill all of your meat and some of your vegetables on the grill at the same time. Asparagus and cabbage are great on the grill, so are mixed vegetables. Wrap them in foil with a little olive oil, and season to taste.
Use your stove and oven. Turkey breast and baked sweet potatoes cooked in the oven. You can cook your rice, quinoa, or couscous on top of the stove. If you like lentils, beans, or peas cook them on the stove as well as green beans, or you can put them in the crockpot.
To add a little variety with your chicken, bake or grill some and the rest on top of the stove. Sautéing it is an option to add to a stir fry or in a salad.
Ground turkey is another option to make turkey burgers with lettuce in place of the bun, or ground the turkey meat and make a taco wrapped in lettuce.
If you don’t need much variety meal prepping will be easier. Simple is better. The most important thing to remember is to cook what you like and don’t mind eating a lot of it.
Planning, organizing, and preparing produce successful outcomes. Every week will not be perfect trust me I know!! But, don’t give up, stick with it until you perfect it. You will not be disappointed with the results!
What creative meal planning ideas and tips do you have? Please share how you are successful with your meal prepping in the comments section.
