In our day to day lives it can seem that things are so busy we lose focus on the important details, like eating the right choices. When in a rush we choose what’s easy, quick, and for many parents what the family will readily eat. Eating properly no matter how busy you get requires careful planning and execution as well as discipline to stick with it. Picking one day out of your week to prepare meals ensures that you are always eating properly and in good time. Read on to discover the best way to prepare meals for your week.
- Pick a day and prep
- Plan your time accordingly
- Synergize your ingredients
First things first, you need to select a day to do your prep. For most careers that fall under the 9-5 Monday to Friday scheme people will pick a weekend day to prep as it works best for them. Find the day where your work week begins and try to prep at least the day before if not two days. What’s most important is picking a day when you will have a long uninterrupted period of time to do your cooking. Cooking often requires a careful focus and when we are rushed we begin to make mistakes and leave out important things. Leaving yourself with too little time can be a critical mistake as it will affect the quality of your meals. Pick the right day for yourself and move on to the next step.
Now is the time to begin your more intense planning. How many people are you cooking for? Are you going to create different meals or eat the same thing for the week? Can you get all these ingredients at one grocery store? Can you use an ingredient in more than one meal and therefore buy it in bulk? Ask yourself these important questions and once you have answers, you can plan out your meal prep day accordingly. If you can enter your meal prep day with a clear and specific plan you’ll save yourself loads of time and even more stress. Also remember to have a plan for storing and transporting the meals after they’re finished! Prepping would be useless without freezers and fridges to store food and plastic (preferably glass) containers.
When deciding on what to make, keep in mind ingredients that synergize well with multiple meals. Things like onions, carrots, and broccoli can be used in all kinds of dishes. If you plan on using one of these in a couple meals on prep day, you can save money buying in bulk. If you find yourself with a free hour anywhere prior to your prep day, cook and store your synergistic ingredients. Now on prep day these are ready for you to add to any meal saving you further time. Always look for ways to get ahead on your prep day.
Using prep days is an excellent way to ensure your nutritional needs are met throughout the week and to save time. Imagine coming home to quick, nutritious, and tasty meals right away with little to no work. It’s as easy as planning your time and food in advance. With a good plan and execution you can keep your focus on the most important things in your daily life and still always have your nutrition.