There are a variety of ways to meal prep and reduce your stress during the week. Not only does meal prepping eliminate stress on nights you work late or have other events going on, but it also saves time and gives you extra time to work on other things you may have to do. At Envision Fitness, we believe in a holistic approach to health.
In order to be truly healthy, you need to be sound in body, mind, and nutrition levels. Our team offers free nutrition coaching with any member level. We want to help you feel good and reach your goals. Here, our team will discuss some of the best ways to meal prep.
Methods To Meal Prep
There are a variety of ways to meal prep, all of which are different but have distinct similarities. The primary similarity is the planning that goes into it. Typically, the four main ways to meal prep are:
● Preparing your ingredients ahead of time
If you are a person that needs to cook the day of instead of beforehand, you can simply prepare your ingredients ahead of time to save precious cooking time.
● Making meals ahead of time
This method involves making meals ahead of time and simply warming them up on days you plan to eat. By preparing ahead of time, you save time and can relax during the week.
● Cooking and freezing large batches
Similar to making meals ahead of time, you can cook meals ahead of time, but in larger quantities. By doing this, you can divide the meals up, so they last for several weeks.
● Pre-portioning your meals for set days
If you like sticking to proportions or have a specific health goal in mind, you can simply prepare easy, light meals for your week. By doing this, you can ensure you do not overeat and stick to your guidelines.
As soon as you have decided what method is best for you, you can move on and begin planning your week(s) out.
Plot Your Upcoming Week(s)
Having a concise plan for your upcoming week(s) is critical to meal preparation. Each week, two weeks, or whatever your designated time period is, you should sit down and plan out what you want to eat every single day. By doing this, you can then begin the rest of the process. For the rest of the planning step, you should:
● Decide if you want to plan morning, midday, night meals, or all three
If you have specific meals you are more concerned about than others, plan on preparing those before any others. If you simply want every meal planned out, create a schedule that works.
● Choose the meals you want on each day
Creating your menu for your time period is critical. It dictates the time you need to set aside, what you need to buy, and more.
● Set aside time to prep the meals
You should have a set time to prepare your meals or snacks every single week. By doing this, you ensure it does not slip your mind and you don’t procrastinate.
After you have plotted out your upcoming meal schedule, you should move on to the next step, which involves shopping for ingredients.
Find the Recipes You Want, Then Shop
The next step of the meal preparation process is to get the ingredients you need for the meals you have planned. Creating a grocery list is an easy way to ensure you don’t overspend on items you don’t need, as well as overstocking on items you do need. Here are some general principles we try to follow for our meal preparation shopping:
● Design your list so it’s divided into categories
To shop more effectively, place like items together, ensure frequently used items are highlighted, and if you choose to do so, create categories for individual items so you can navigate the store more easily.
● Buy plenty of staple ingredients
If you are running low on items you use a lot, or if you stick to a set budget for certain weeks, plan on buying your most commonly used ingredients in bulk.
● Ensure you have ample containers
One aspect of meal prep that you may not take into account is storing the food. To be successful, you have to have enough containers, space, bags, and more to ensure your food lasts as long as you need.
After you have done your shopping and ensured you could both make and store your creations, you get to move on and begin prepping your meals.
Set Aside Time to Start Cooking
Albeit the most important part of the entire meal preparation process is the actual cooking and storing. You should set aside a designated time to cook your meals, prepare your ingredients, or whatever else you choose to do. Here are some things you should keep in mind while preparing:
● Stay focused and start with the more difficult recipes
To prepare in an efficient manner, eliminate all distractions so you don’t get sidetracked. Additionally, eliminate the most difficult and time-consuming recipes first so the rest of your prep time flies by.
● Store and freeze properly
To ensure your food does not go bad, which wastes both your time and money, make sure you seal the containers properly and don’t let them sit out too long. Additionally, make sure they are in the fridge or freezer—whichever one is best for that specific meal.
After you have prepared your meals and properly stored them, you get to move on to the most important step: eating them on their designated days.
Contact Envision Fitness Today
If you are looking to transform your life and take on a holistic lifestyle, contact our team at Envision Fitness today. We want to help you be comfortable in your own skin and find a lifestyle that works for you. To learn more about our services or to schedule a free fitness consultation, give us a call at 952-444-2791 or message us on our contact page.