Let’s face it, it can be a challenge to find time to prepare meals in advance when you’re balancing work, family, and a social life. One way to help save yourself time and money is by meal prepping. This isn’t just about eating healthy, it’s about the freedom you get from having to make any sort of decision about what to eat for that time. This saves you the time and money from having to go to a take-out place to buy food. It’s important to note, also, that take-out usually has more calories versus homemade food. Also, you’ll know each ingredient that went into your homemade food.
For some, the planning ahead can be super fun, but for others, it can be simply overwhelming. If you’re not well prepared for meal prepping, it can be a total bust. There is no secret to meal prep, because at the core it’s simply the preparation of big batches of meals that you can portion out. However, because the purpose of meal prepping is to make your life easier, follow these tips to ensure you meal prep as smartly as possible.
- Make a meal plan: It sounds obvious, but you’ll have to take the time to think about your week, how many meals and snacks you’ll need, and which recipes you want to try. Make a list of meals you want to prep and decide what you want to make from there. If you stick to a fun theme like “Meatless Mondays” or “Taco Tuesday,” you can kickstart your prep process in advance without having to agonize over your choices as much.
- Collect new, exciting recipes: Start subscribing to your favorite recipe sites and take screenshots on your phone of any that catch your eye during the week that you want to try later. Sources like Pinterest are great for finding inspiration for any type of food you can imagine. Sit down with a cup of coffee on a Sunday morning to browse for inspiration.
- Stock up on meal prep supplies: You’ll need proper food storage containers that are the sized appropriately and allow you to reheat meals. Have containers of varying shapes and sizes for snacks, meals, salads, salad dressings, and sandwiches.
- Use a slow cooker: Busy adults need ways to cut corners from time to time. A slow cooker can help save time and do the cooking for you as you go about your busy day. Make the meals fresher by topping them with something such as fresh herbs or sliced avocado before you dig in.
- Make a detailed shopping list: You can use a smartphone app to keep a running list of the ingredients you’ll need, and as soon as you notice you’re running out of one of your staples like a specific herb or spice, put it on the list so you remember to stock up on it.
Contact Us at Soza Weight Loss for Help Losing Weight Successfully
Meal prepping can help you stick to a healthy, clean-eating plan that staves off hunger. You don’t even have to be a chef extraordinaire to be able to prep delicious healthy meals that will get you through the week.
Need more inspiration for meal prep or help in kickstarting your weight loss? Contact us at Soza Weight Loss and call (504) 475-9817 today.