Why Do I Hate Meal Prepping? (Tips To Make It Easier!)

You’ve just enjoyed a weekend with friends, good food and relaxation when suddenly it hits you — you have no food prepped for the week. 

“How did I forget again?”

We’ve all been there — desiring a prepped fridge, full of balanced and healthy meals but not wanting to put in the hours it takes to get there.

Maybe it could help if we started thinking of meal prep a little differently. When I say “meal prep” I don’t mean perfectly curated OR overly rigid.

I mean more of “hey let’s prep some meals (or parts of meals!) because there may be times throughout the week where this could really benefit me.”

For the record, I don’t believe there’s one way to meal prep, and your prep will look different than mine. But there are a few things you can do to make this process a little more timely, efficient, and hopefully fun!

1. Give yourself ~2 hours one day each week to prep, cook, and store your meals.

I know, I know. I wish there was a magic wand instead too. But maybe a podcast or some good company can help? I typically choose to meal prep on Sundays because I like to have meals ready for Monday and Saturdays are more of a rest and community day. But if your schedule is different than mine (and I’m sure it is!), choose a day that works for you. You will need a good 1-3 hours depending on how extensive your meal prep is going to be (and you can’t forget clean up time!).

2. Start with the basics.

Meal prep can change each week and especially each season. But some things remain true. Roasted vegetables are always a yes and so is preparing a protein and starch. I recommend finding 3-4 vegetables that you like, dicing them, placing them on a cooking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil, and baking them with olive oil and spices on 425F for about 20-25 minutes. When it comes to the protein, opt for something like chicken, fish, beef, or tofu (if vegetarian). There are lots of ways to prep your protein, and I’ll be sharing more ideas on that later. But for now, know that you can pan-fry almost anything in oil or bake it in the oven the same way you did the vegetables. As for the starch, choose from bread, rice, pasta, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, or any other carbohydrate.

3. Make foods you actually want to eat and give yourself realistic portions.

This is simply a plug to say that the tried and true recipes are typically my go-to for meal prep. I usually only try one new recipe per week (if that!). I’m trying to be efficient here, you know?

4. Allow for some flexibility, which should decrease food waste as well.

I never make the exact amount of meals I would need for a full five days. I usually make lunch and dinner for Monday-Thursday, but it’s more of a mix of different foods that I put together the night before. I’ve found that works for me. It may not work for you, so try it a few different ways until it flows for you.

Here’s a few examples of ways you might try meal prepping:

• Roast 2-3 veggies on one giant sheet pan
• Bake protein of choice and store in smaller containers for easy pairing with starch and veggies
• Chop veggies (bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes) and put into smaller containers for snacking (don’t forget the ranch!)
• 2-3 fruits portioned into smaller containers 
• Single serve greek yogurt as part of breakfast or snack (can also do a big container as it’s more cost-effective
• Prep a batch of pasta, rice or potatoes
• Hard boil a dozen eggs as part of a grab and go breakfast of snack
• If you’re feeling extra, portion some crackers or popcorn into small baggies
• String cheese FTW
• Have a few granola or protein bars for in the car purse, etc

I like to think of my style of meal prepping as organized chaos. There’s some method to my madness but not too much structure and very little rigidity.

I’d love to know what works for you!