Get to Prepping

Kimmery MerrimanByKimmery Merriman

Meal Prepping is preparing meals in advance for a certain amount of days and repeating when all of your meals are almost gone. It’s not a good idea to wait until the last meal to re-prep, or you could find yourself frustrated and opting in for fast food. 

It can be challenging to squeeze enough time to cook with a busy schedule unless you enjoy going to bed late and on a full stomach – not recommended. Trying to cook (daily) for you and your family can also be draining after a long day at work. 

Take this scenario, for example: 

“It’s five o’clock. You have one hour before you get off work, and it takes an hour to get home. All you can think about is curling up on the sofa. Then, your significant other calls and asks, “What’s for dinner?” You have no idea, and you wish they would take the initiative, but the ball is left in your court.

You’ve gotten off work and already concluded you’re not cooking, so you do what the average person does – stop by a convenient fast-food restaurant. By the end of the week, you realize how much money you’ve spent by eating foods that weren’t meant to be digested every day, possibly compromising your health and putting strain on your digestive system. 

Meal prepping is a great way to put more thought into what you’re eating but when there are pros, there are cons.

Pros

  • More time to spend on other things
  • Less stressful
  • More nutritious intakes
  • Lesson odds of being overweight
  • Reduced spending on foods not cooked at home
  • Practice makes perfect
  • Extra energy
  • Choice of incorporating family involvement
  • Immediate access to food when hungry 

Cons

  • More shopping
  • Higher amounts of cleaning
  • Greater planning
  • Increased labor
  • Feeling of time scarcity

Tips from a constant meal prepper: It’s best to cook a variety to prevent getting bored with the same foods. Some prep for 1-2 weeks at a time, but it’s probably more beneficial to prepare for three days at a time. Remember that it doesn’t take long for foods to go bad so keep that in mind when considering how many days to prepare for. Don’t forget about snacks. Healthy snacking can prevent overeating when it’s time to eat our meals.