{"id":1100,"date":"2022-12-16T05:18:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-16T05:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fitmencook.com\/?p=1100"},"modified":"2023-07-01T16:28:01","modified_gmt":"2023-07-01T16:28:01","slug":"how-to-meal-prep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fitmencook.com\/blog\/how-to-meal-prep\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Start Meal Prepping (Guide For The Beginners)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many food trends come and go, but meal prepping is more than a trend. With meal prepping and meal delivery kits growing in popularity over the last two decades, meal prepping is now a way of life for many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This smart meal-planning method is particularly popular among busy people. You can save time and money by prepping your meals ahead of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you\u2019re ready to level up your meal prep and eliminate the daily stress of \u201cWhat should I make for dinner?\u201d<\/em> then meal prepping is for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some meal prep ideas to get you started. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHAT IS MEAL PREP?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Meal prepping is just what it sounds like \u2013 prepping a meal. But instead of prepping the entire meal right before eating, you prep at least portions of the meal in advance so there\u2019s less work when it\u2019s time to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several different kinds of meal prepping \u2013 each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Your meal prep mantra should always be: \u201cDo what\u2019s right for ME.\u201d So whether you\u2019re hoping to free up time on your weeknights, reduce food waste, or better manage your diet, find which version of meal prep works best for YOU and YOUR goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DIFFERENT WAYS TO MEAL PREP<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Meal prepping can fit any recipe or schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These different types of weekly meal prep options give you the flexibility you need for your diet and lifestyle:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Individually Portioned Meals <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fully-cooked meals, typically including lean protein, complex carbs, and fruits and veggies. Portion these meals into a single-serving <\/strong>meal prep container.<\/strong> You simply reheat food at a meal time and you\u2019re ready to eat. This is a great method for people who use meal prep to manage a healthy diet. By portioning your meals in advance, you reduce the risk of overeating or grabbing unhealthy food options when you\u2019re hungry. Consider individually portioned meals for weight loss goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buffet Style Prep<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some cooks prefer to have ingredients ready to go for a variety of meals. Buffet-style prep does just that by bulk-cooking several ingredients that you can mix and match for <\/strong>easy meals<\/strong>.<\/strong> If you don\u2019t mind some repeat ingredients throughout the week, this is a great option to reduce weeknight meal prep without committing yourself to a specific menu. An example of buffet-style prep is cooking a bunch of chicken breasts, rice, and veggies at the beginning of the week. You can combine these ingredients into many different quick and easy meals.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ingredient Batch Prep<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Similar to buffet-style prep, ingredient batch prep is making a large batch of a single ingredient. <\/strong>You may choose to use this prep straight from the fridge throughout the week. But often batch cooking goes to the freezer for long-term use. Making a sheet pan full of healthy meatballs and throwing them into a storage container for the freezer gives you healthy, homemade meatballs for months. It\u2019s great to load up your freezer with a variety of items like this to reduce cooking time later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uncooked Freezer Meals<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you like to use your slow cooker or have a family to feed, this method is for you. Typically, freezer meals use recipes that are simple and allow you to put all (or most) ingredients straight into a crock pot or instant pot. So when you make these recipes in advance, they are easy to prep by putting all of the ingredients in a food storage container (like a freezer bag) and popping it into the freezer to cook later. These one-pot recipes go straight from the freezer to the cooker. <\/strong>Some families load up their freezers with a variety of these meals to have on hand. Although you do need to remember to get the meal cooking early in the day, pulling these bags from the freezer takes less than five minutes and you have a hearty meal ready for your family on a busy weekday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uncooked Ingredient Prep<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re working with a lot of fresh produce, sometimes washing and cutting the produce can take twice as long as cooking. If you like your sweet potato fries right out of the oven, you may not want to cook them days in advance. But taking a minute over the weekend to wash and cut your produce can really speed up your weeknight cooking. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you prep a single ingredient or an entire meal, the benefits of meal prepping are undeniable! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MEAL PREPPING?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The convenience of ready-to-go meals during the week is clear, but did you know there are many other benefits of meal prepping? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A meal plan can improve both your physical and mental health. Prepping meals in advance helps you save time and money, reduces stress, reduces food waste, and can help you in your weight loss or weight gain journey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out more details on the benefits of meal prepping here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

BEGINNERS\u2019 GUIDE TO MEAL PREP<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ready to start? Here\u2019s an easy step-by-step guide to meal prepping for beginners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Know your goals.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Meal prepping is a tool to help you achieve a variety of goals. Knowing your goals for meal prep will help guide you in picking recipes and cooking methods that make meal prepping really work for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some goals to consider are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n