The reason Meal Prepping can be so beneficial to the weight loss/healthy journey is because preparing your meals in advance gives you less of an excuse to eat outside your planned meals.
Trust me I know the feeling, you’ve finished work and are on your way home and the thought of cooking dinner gives you the urge to just stop and grab something quick and easy. BUT… when you’ve prepped those meals in advance, there is less temptation because the food is there ready to go.
I don’t know if that’s all the fitness folks reasoning for meal prepping I sure as heck know it’s mine because when I want food I want it now or there will be a snackcident.
Meal prepping doesn’t have to be cooking the entire meal in advance if you’re worried about it becoming dry or gross over the week. You can always just prepare parts of the meals in advance the just cook a small portion as you go (maybe the protein). You could also cook and freeze meals. There is no “one way” to meal prep.
Do some testing and find what works for you, maybe you fully prep and or cook Breakfast & Lunch but only partially prep dinners. Whichever combo suits your life.
I used to do the Sunday meal prep, Chicken rice and broccoli… man did that get old quick.
An important step is making sure the meals you are prepping are foods you like and also foods that won’t dry out over time. Chicken is a big culprit for that. Also, if you are like me eating the same thing day in day out week after week can get super boring so try and switch it up week to week or every few weeks.
Currently because I am working from home I only prep the chicken for my meals, I get 2Kgs of chicken; Cook 1KG in Chicken stock for 4hrs then shred it and add in taco seasoning, the second KG I cook in a tin of crushed tomatoes, chilli flakes & extra water (so the chicken is covered) cook it for 4 hrs and shred it. A tip I found works is to add the remaining liquid from the slow cooker to the shredded chicken and it seems to keep the chicken from drying out over time.
Some easy foods that I’ve found can work for meal prepping:
- Pasta – Such as Spaghetti Bolognese (just keep an eye on the carbs)
- Casseroles – I used to make a chicken mushroom rice bake, using coconut milk
- Stir-fry
If you have dietary requirements it may be worthwhile seeking out a dietitian or nutritionist, they can help create meals best suited for you and your goals.
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