I’m a student who also has a part-time job. I wake up at 6:00 am and don’t get home until 6:00 pm most days. I don’t have much time to cook or prepare. But, I also don’t have the money to eat out every day. So, what did I do? I started meal prepping. I know – meal prepping seems hard and time-consuming, but it’s actually very simple and rewarding.
If you’re just getting into meal prepping, here are easy-to-follow steps:
Find a recipe – Google “easy meal prep ideas” and find a recipe that you like! Or, come up with your own idea! Some of my favorites are: wraps, nourish bowls, and salad bowls.
Timing – Figure out how many “ready meals” you want to prep for. I usually like to make my meals a day ahead of time and store them in the fridge. However, there are recipes that you can make in batches that are freezer-friendly.
Assemble – Make everything ahead of time so that you don’t have to worry in the morning when you’re in a rush! Make sure you pack enough food to sustain yourself.
Pack – As soon as I get up in the morning, I take the prepped meals out from my refrigerator and put them into my lunch pail. It’s as easy as that!
Recommended step – For a little pick-me-up, pack a snack! There are a lot of healthy on-the-go snacks that you can purchase from Costco or Amazon. I personally love to pack protein bars, nuts, and chips.
*Tip – Purchase a bundle of microwave and dishwasher-safe dishes of all sizes.
I get it. Meal prepping sounds exhausting and time-consuming, but give it a try! You might find it way easier and more fun than you’d imagine! I’ve been meal prepping for about a year now, and I find that I spend only about 45 minutes a week dedicating my time to meal prepping. Also, I have saved A LOT of money by doing this!