How to Decide to Start Meal Prepping in 10 Ways

I have always tried to eat balanced meals and make sure that I’m being more on the healthier side, but then, you know, the weekend shows up, or I should probably say the WEAK-END shows up.

And it has ALWAYS been a struggle. I also hate cooking. And grocery shopping. I’m a cleaner, not a cooker. And I’m lazy AF as we all know. Over the last 6 months or so I’ve started meal prepping and it has seriously changed my life! I’m obsessed now, and have to get it done before each week begins! So here’s a little bit about how I came to the conclusion that it was the best choice for me and some of my favorite tips and recipes.

Here’s why you should do it:

1. It’s too damn easy

That’s right. Meal prepping is too easy! Once I started doing the weekly meal prep, I couldn’t stop thinking, “OMG why wouldn’t everyone do this?!” My friend told me, meal prepping doesn’t have to be hard and she is so right. It can be as extensive of a process as you want it to be. Or it can literally be done in 25 minutes. Boom. 25 minutes and all of your meals from breakfast to lunch, with snacks, is done.

2. It saves so much time

There is seriously no more running late in the morning and then having to stop and make a sandwich or decide what groceries you can throw together to make something to take with you. I spend maybe 1 hour total each Sunday getting everything together for the week, and then the rest of the week, I just chill.

3. It keeps me from making poor decisions

Okay, okay, not all poor decisions, but the poor decisions centered around food. If my lunch wasn’t made in the morning and I was running late I would just tell myself it was fine, because I could go out to eat something for lunch. And then I would drive to Taco Bell or Pizza Hut to get something quick and yummy and something that would most definitely make me regret all of it. And then after that, I would be totally useless after my lunch hour.

4. Saves me money in the long run

I loved going to Starbucks every morning to get my Skinny Macchiato with a bacon and gouda breakfast sandwich. I could seriously live on those sandwiches. Like everyday. It would be amazing. Anyway…that’s $8 and some change every time I go to Starbucks, which was usually 2-3 times a week. Then I would grab something for lunch for about $8-$10 each time I forgot to get my lunch together. DUDE. That shit adds up! Cut it out!

5. It makes grocery shopping so much quicker and painless

I decide what meals will be had all week, create a list, and then the boyfriend and I power through that grocery store. Divide and conquer. We both hate going to the store, so we try to make it extremely quick. We stick to the list and we don’t deviate from it! No messing around!

Here’s what I’m prepping:

6. Breakfast

The boyfriend and I make shakes for breakfast and it is seriously so easy. The worst part about the shakes is the cleaning of the blender afterwards. But hey, just fill it with water, let it soak and walk out the door. We can clean that shit up later! We’ve been drinking Chocolate Shakeology with PB2, almond coconut milk, and a banana. Blended up to the most delicious breakfast shake ever.

7. Snacks

This one is super important for me because I am so lazy that if it’s not totally ready to go each morning, I will more than likely skip it. Some weeks we do rice cakes, so I will place each rice cake in a ziploc baggie so it’s easy to grab one and go. Other weeks we do celery and peanut butter, so I cut up the celery and bag each portion and buy the little To-go peanut butter snack cups.

8. Lunch

We mix several foods together and put them in tupperware for the week. It makes it so easy to just grab a container on the way out in the mornings. Also, since it’s all in one container, I don’t have to worry about grabbing each individual part of my lunch. Again, so easy. 

9. Dinner

Normally we crockpot our dinner on Sundays or Mondays. I’ll make some kind of chicken burrito bowl, or veggie casserole, or chili that lasts us for about 4 to 5 nights for dinner. Every couple weeks we will skip the crockpot though and make some different dishes, but we buy everything we need in that initial trip to the store. I HATE going to the store more than once in a week!

Here’s my favorite, quick, easy go-to lunch meal prep:

10. Ground turkey, brown rice, veggies

You guys. This is so easy. Ready? Buy some ground turkey (I like the 93% lean kind) and put it in a frying pan and cook it all the way through. I add a little salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Then buy a bag of frozen vegetables (whatever you prefer). I’ll do the precut green beans, or the mixed vegetable medley. Throw it in the microwave for 4-5 minutes. Get your hands on some of those Uncle Ben’s Brown Rice microwaveable pouches. I usually just use one, but you pop it in the microwave for 90 seconds. Then once everything is done, put the veggies, rice, and meat in each container. Add a little sriracha and teriyaki sauce and boom. It’s done! That’s it!

 

What are your thoughts on meal prepping? Do you meal prep? Any favorite recipes or quick tips? I’d love to hear!

Happy prepping!