Meal prep has been popular for many years, especially among people who have very busy schedules and lifestyles, and work 9 to 5 five or six days a week.
Meal prep can help you save time during the workweek, reduce indulgences, and lead you to eating healthier meals that are also delicious. Another perk is that it can really organize and streamline your grocery shopping, and save you money in the end, since you're only buying the ingredients you'll need to make your meals.
Thinking of trying it out? Here are three easy steps to meal prep for the entire workweek.
1. Make A List Of Recipes
The first step in meal prepping is to make a list of recipes you want to try for the week.
Come up with a meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A good way to build your meals is by making sure there is a source of protein at each meal, and at least two of your meals, if not all three, should contain vegetables. Then, add healthy fats like your omega-3s—avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, etc. Finally, don't forget whole grains and starches for another fiber source, like whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, and even sweet potatoes.
Some people like to save breakfast to make the night before or the morning of, since if you want something like eggs, it wouldn't be good if you meal prepped that for five days. If you wanted to do something like chia seed pudding, overnight oats, an oatmeal bake, or peanut butter protein muffins, those are definitely good options to meal prep for the week.
2. Make Your Grocery List
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Once you have your list of recipes squared away, it's time to make your grocery list.
After taking a quick survey of your pantry, fridge, and freezer, write down what items you need to buy and how much you need to make five meals of those three recipes you came up with.
This is essentially your entire grocery list. You don't have to buy much else because you already know what you'll be eating every day, saving you time and money, and probably cutting down on your food waste, too.
3. Get Cooking!
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The day you go grocery shopping—or the day after—is when you'll want to meal prep for the week.
The best (and easiest) way to meal prep is to utilize quick and simple cooking methods. A crock pot, an Instant Pot, and sheet pan meals are going to be your friends.
After you're done cooking, store your meals in Tupperware containers. We recommend glass containers instead of plastic, to avoid any possible chemicals seeping into the food when you heat your meals up in the microwave.
Once you portion out your meals for five days, put them in the fridge—just don't forget to grab them before you leave for work in the morning!
We hope you liked this easy step-by-step guide on how to meal prep for your workweek. Don't be afraid to research tons of meal prep recipes before you pick a fun one to try. You always want to make sure your meals are interesting and delicious, so you don't dread lunchtime!
This week, do yourself (and your body) a favor and try meal prep. We guarantee it'll save you time and money, and ensure that you are eating wholesome foods, and not giving into those last minute cravings!
Like what you learned today? Be sure to follow Amber on Instagram @AccentuateWellness, or like her Facebook page to discover more fun workouts, healthy recipes, and helpful lifestyle tips!
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Note: Individuals should always speak to their physician before making any significant dietary or lifestyle changes.
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