Do you ever find yourself in this situation? You have just come home from a busy day and its late. You are exhausted but too tired to cook. You know you need some nutrition. You immediately think of something healthy but that would be too much work. So, you call for delivery or have a bowl of cereal instead. All of which quickly results in you going off track. Well, guess what? Meal prep could have prevented this situation.

The benefits of meal prepping goes beyond this scenario and can provide major benefits to you health, fitness goals, your relationship and even your wallet. Here are a few reasons why prepping you meals is an important factor.

1. Portion Control

Dividing your meals up into containers will allow you to better control how much you eat and help teach you how much you actually need to feel full. It also helps track your macros.

2. You will save money

Planning your meals ahead helps avoid impulse buying at the grocery store, ordering takeout and going out to eat. Buying in bulk is also a great technique for saving money.

3. You will eliminate surprises and hidden calories

When you prepare everything that goes into your body, there aren’t many surprises. No artificial ingredients, added sugar and sodium.

4. You will see better results from working out

Exercise works best when paired with healthy eating habits. You will see better results.

6. You will be able to spend more time doing things you love

Putting together daily meals ends up taking a lot more time than doing everything in one shot. Safes you time by planning ahead.

7. You will establish a healthier relationship with food

You will learn more about food in general - which foods are best for different things, what lasts the longest, etc.

8. You will inspire others

When friends, family and coworkers see your commitment to a healthier lifestyle, chances are, you will inspire at least one person to make a healthy change in their life.

Now that you know why you should be meal prepping, lets get into how you can get started! Before you head into your kitchen, there are a few things you’ll want to know and few supplies you will want to invest in to make you prepping easier.

Find Easy Go-To Recipes

When you first start meal prepping look up a few recipes to learn and try to stick to them for about a month. Pinterest is a great resource for getting some yummy healthy recipes. Once you master the recipes to the point you can cook them without using the recipe, try a few more. Nothing is better that mastering some quick healthy recipes and building your skills over time.

Choose Ingredients That Can Be Used Multiple Recipes

Keep your grocery list simple by reusing different ingredient throughout the plan. This can be anything from protein to seasoning. Use the same proteins, carbs and vegetables for lunch and a different set for dinner thoughtout the week while still keeping it interesting.

Make sure you have the right supplies

Follow a Meal Prep Formula

An easy way to think about meal prepping is to make a formula out of it. When deciding which meal to prep try to pick out one of the following formulas:

Basic: Protein + Grain + Vegetables
Low Carb: Protein + Vegetables + Vegetables
Vegetarian: Legume + Grain + Vegetables

You can add toppings to any of the formulas above to make it more interesting, like sauces, nuts, seeds etc.

Check out our Nutrition for lots of meal prep recipes! We will be creating new meal prep ideas fairly regularly, so check back often and don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to stay on top of all the new recipes and ideas! Share with your friends and family to inspire them to meal prep and get on a healthy track!

Meal Prep 101: Why You Should Do It?