Build a Better You: Simple, effective steps for meal prep

Meal planning is more than just a trend. It is about embracing the art of planning and preparing meals, not only to save you time and money, but to ensure a healthier lifestyle.

Whether you are a business professional, parent or fitness professional, meal prepping can be a game changer to your routine.

What is meal prep?

Meal prep is preparing meals in advance so you can have them ready to eat later in the week. Having healthy meals that only need little cooking should help you not to reach for expensive or fast, unhealthy meals out of convenience. Meal prep is a proactive way to stay on top of your fitness goals. It doesn’t matter if you want to lose weight or gain muscle mass, meal prepping is a tactic that helps you stay on track.

A few additional benefits to meal prep are saving money and less stress figuring out what to eat. Cooking in bulk means less time spent in the kitchen, getting to eat at a meal time rather than wait for your food to be done cooking, and improving your overall health.

Pick a plan that works for you

Pick which meals you want to prep. If you find yourself struggling to make breakfast in the morning, that might be a good place to start. Or, if you’re a morning person and breakfast is an oatmeal or a protein shake, aim for lunches or dinners.

Choose how many days you want to prep for. It’s usually best to start with 2-3 days at first, then work up to a week and freeze some meals. Focus on establishing habits and routines.

Talk with a nutrition coach to figure out your daily caloric needs so you can set your macronutrient goals. Find a plan that is sustainable and one that you will follow. Some people enjoy repetition with the same meals every day. Some find it more sustainable to have more variety in food choices.

Plan your recipes, find a set day to grocery shop, and plan for two to three hours of cooking. It might feel overwhelming at first, but it gets better as it becomes a part of your routine.

Storing your meals

Storing your food properly is one of the most important parts of meal prepping. Individual containers or divided containers are recommended. Vacuum seal is also an option. When buying containers, make sure they are leak-proof, reuseable, freezable, microwaveable, BPA free and airtight to ensure safe and proper storage for your food.

Foods to use in prep

The best types of foods to use for meal prep are the ones that you’re most likely to eat. Your plan could be perfect, but if you absolutely hate the diet, it won’t be sustainable in the long run. Use foods that digest well, are budget friendly, and align with your nutrition and fitness goals.

Next month, I will be going over what foods to use in meal prep and what foods to avoid during meal prep.

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Isabela Joyce is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist at The M.A.C. She can be reached at IJoyce@the-mac.net.