I am a procrastinator. As in, I’m the 10 minutes before it’s due, sweating, hyperventilating and losing my mind kinda person which means “meal prep” just sounds scary to me. That being said, it is also the best thing I have ever done.
Meal prepping is just that, preparing your meals in advance. This method is helpful for anyone but especially those trying to eat healthy as it will make healthy eating convenient and easy. And, it’s not nearly as hard as it sounds.
Simply gather up your recipes for the week, buy what you need then, cook and store the meals in the proper containers. You can actually prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner this way if you’d like. For me personally, I prepare my lunches for the week on Sunday. I am using running around during the day and I need healthy lunches on the go, meal prep does just that. It makes eating on the go a breeze and controls what I eat as well.
You will accomplish two major things with meal prepping:
- You’ll Save Time: Spend a couple of hours on Sunday preparing your meals for the week. That’s it. You’re done. Now, when you come home late or you’re running from school to soccer practice, dinner is already ready to go.
- You’ll Save Money: Plan your menu around your stockpile and what is on sale, it’s that simple. If you are shopping strategically, you will already be saving 30-50% on your grocery bill. Then, if you prepare the meals in advance, you won’t be running back and forth to the store all week or running through a drive thru.
Of course, there are plenty of other benefits such as healthier eating but, saving time and money is pretty universal with this method. Preparation is also the biggest player in the money saving game, when I teach my coupon workshops we focus on preparing your shopping trips and meals as a way to avoid having to revisit the grocery store multiple times a week or spending a fortune at a restaurant.
A little word of advice, I would invest in the right gear. Using food containers that keep your food fresh is also pretty important, I would hate to spend the time prepping only to find spoiled food later in the week! Check out these storage containers:
Those containers are perfect! Just yesterday, my sister in law shared her meal prepping for the week also in the correct containers to ensure the food stays fresh. Check this out:
Isn’t that gorgeous? I promise, this will make your life easier and it will save you money. Hurry, time to get preppin’!
