How many times have you intended to cook something at home but ended up ordering take-out or popping something quick into the microwave?
The spirit is willing but the flesh is, well, we get it. It’s not easy to summon up the energy to cook after a busy day, which most days seem nowadays.
However, the importance of having a home-cooked meal cannot be overstated. According to a study at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, home cooking is a major ingredient of a healthier diet.
If you’re having this dilemma, learning how to meal prep may be the best solution.
What is meal prepping and how do you get started? Continue reading to learn about the basics of healthy meal prep.
What’s the Brouhaha Over Meal Prep?
This probably isn’t your first time hearing about meal prep. Prepping is basically preparing full meals for the week ahead of schedule.
Why is it becoming popular and is it just a passing trend?
Aside from getting to enjoy home cooking every single day of the week, it also saves you money, and more importantly, time. You control the portions so you eat healthier. It’s more convenient and less stressful.
For beginners, here are the steps on how to meal prep for the week.
1. Look at Your Schedule for the Coming Week
The first step is about identifying your mealtime needs for the week ahead. Try to pinpoint the meals that give you trouble. Do you skip breakfast a lot or are you always splurging on take-home dinners?
Make those mealtime issues the focus of your meal plan but don’t try to prep for everything at once. At least not for the first time.
2. Come up With a Plan on How to Meal Prep
Decide on how to do meal prep for the following week. There are different ways to do this.
You can try batch cooking or buffet style, preparing full individual meals, or just ingredient prep. You can also “slow cook” meals overnight or while at work. With this method, your breakfast or dinner will be ready when you wake up or when you come home from work.
There’s no right or wrong method, just choose a method that you think is best for your situation.
3. Make a Grocery List
Making a shopping list is important for two reasons. First, putting together a list will help you stay on budget.
The second reason is to make sure that the ingredients are appropriate for your target diet. For example, if you got tested for CBS at Umbrella Scientific, you probably need to stick to a low sulfur diet. Confirm that the ingredients you’re gonna use will help you achieve your health goals.
4. Prep and Eat!
Now it’s just the matter of setting the time to expend some elbow grease for meal prepping. Two or three hours out of a Saturday or Sunday work for a lot of people.
However, don’t forget the most important step, which is eating your meals! Don’t let all your efforts go to waste, straight to the wastebasket.
Meal Prep, More Than a Trend
For some people, crazy workdays are the norm. Learning how to meal prep is how people have adapted to some of the downsides of modern living. With meal prepping, you can continue to eat healthy while also saving time and money.
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