How to Start Meal Prep? Everyone wants to be healthier and have more energy, but it’s not always easy. Especially when you don’t have time to prepare healthy meals. However, if you start meal prepping, it will feel like a breeze! Meal prepping can also save you money by reducing the need for takeout. Here is how to start your meal prep routine today.
Why Meal Prep?
Meal prepping is a great way to improve your health and lifestyle. When you prepare your meals ahead of time, it’s easier to stick to your healthy diet. Meal prep will save you time and money. Plus, research has shown that people who meal prep are more likely to maintain their weight loss goals.
For a healthy lifestyle, you might want to check out our post! What Is Meal Prep And What Are The Benefits Of Meal Prep?
What You’ll Need
The first thing you need to do is make room in your refrigerator. You’ll want to set aside space for all of your ingredients and any meals you want to prepare.
Next, you’ll need some containers. I recommend getting a variety of containers in different sizes for all of the different types of food you plan on storing. These are usually available at grocery stores or kitchen supply stores.
After that, start buying the ingredients! There are tons of resources online for healthy recipes, but I find it easiest to buy my produce from Trader Joe’s where they have pre-packaged bags of veggies and fruits. This is more expensive than buying everything individually, but it saves so much time and hassle! When I’m starting meal prep for the first time, I like to buy everything at one stop because it can be overwhelming going from store to store, gathering all the ingredients needed. You may also want to invest in some lunch meat if you don’t want to cut up vegetables or cook chicken every day – their packaged deli meats are delicious!
How to Plan Out Your Meals
If you’re a newbie to meal prepping, the first thing you need to do is plan out your meals. Start by taking inventory of what you have in your kitchen and what food ingredients you still need. You can even start with dinner for the week as it’s often easier than starting with breakfast or lunch.
Once you’ve planned out your menu for the week, make a list of all the ingredients that you’ll need to buy at the grocery store. This will help keep you from forgetting anything and ensure that there are no surprises at the checkout line.
Food Storage Ideas
Planning your meals is the first step to successful meal prep. Next, you need to start figuring out what ingredients you’ll need. A great way to do this would be to create a spreadsheet with the different recipes you want and how many servings you’ll need for each. Then it’s time to figure out where all this food will go! Luckily, there are so many different containers that can keep your food fresh for days. You can find containers that have airtight lids, clear plastic cups, and even containers made of stainless steel with a lid.
You should also consider what kind of storage space you have available in your kitchen before purchasing any containers. It’s best to measure the area in inches and make sure the product is less than that amount of space allotted. For example, if there are 10 inches of space on your countertop, then your container should be no larger than 10 inches at its base or height.
Meal Prep Tips and Tricks
Meal prepping is a process in which you prepare meals for the week ahead. This can be done by using fresh ingredients or pre-packaged foods from the grocery store. One thing to remember when meal prepping is that it’s not all about the food. It’s also about the planning and preparation of your meals. Meal prep is a great way to save time and money, but it can be overwhelming if you don’t have an idea of where to start. Here are some tips and tricks for starting your meal prep routine:
1) Plan out your meals for the week – A good place to start with meal prepping is by planning out your meals. Figure out what days you’ll want to cook your own meals, what days you’d like to eat leftovers, and what days you won’t have time at all (for example, weekends). Then assemble a list of recipes that will fit your busy schedule.
Conclusion of How to Start Meal Prep
Ready, set, meal prep!
You’ve been hearing about how the trend of meal prepping is the perfect solution to your ridiculous work week, but you’re not sure how to get started. We’re here to break it down.
Begin by thinking about what meals you like to cook and eat. Then, take a look at your calendar and plan out which days you’ll be able to cook and eat at home. From there, you can begin to strategize your grocery list by shopping for the ingredients you’ll need for your chosen meals.
When you have all of your ingredients, it’s time to start cooking! It’s best to plan out each meal so that you can get a feel for how long each dish will take. Be sure to keep in mind the number of servings you need for each dish too.
If you’re looking for a little extra help in the kitchen, check out these tips and tricks!