Tired, rushed and hungry derails even the best intentions

Trust me, I get it. When we’re in that state, we just do the easiest thing: grab processed snacks, order take-out, or skip eating altogether (which can wreak more havoc on the body and metabolism than eating poorly).

I’ve been in your shoes! And here’s what I did to change that behaviour: MEAL PREP.

Maximize your time in the kitchen and plan ahead so you can place healthy meals in front of you when you need them, on a regular basis. This will help you consistently eat in a way that supports your goals and feel amazing.

This may feel intimidating for a lot of different reasons, but let’s address that head on so you can stick to your plan.

The biggest obstacle to meal prepping is time

But time is exactly why meal prep is going to be a game changer for you.

The very reason meal prep is so crucial is that we don’t have time to cook healthy meals on a regular basis. So ask yourself this: what is easier? Trying to fit in the time each and every day, regardless of what might be going on in your life that day? Or strategically selecting a time that’s most convenient to spend in the kitchen doing your meal prep for the following days?

The answer is a no-brainer!

What is meal prep?

First and foremost, think of meal prep as making leftovers

Essentially, meal prep means maximizing your time in the kitchen so that when you’re able and willing to cook, you cook not just for one meal, but for three or more. That way you’re not tied to the kitchen every time you need to eat, or tied to the local coffee shop or fast-food restaurant.

By mastering meal prep, you become the person who places healthy meals in front of you when you need them, on a regular basis, and who consistently eats in a way that supports your goals and feels amazing.

10 pro tips

Here are some helpful ideas for meal prepping, tips that have made a world of difference to me and the people I work with. They make meal prepping less overwhelming, less time-consuming, and even rewarding.

1. First and foremost, make it work for you

Just as the amount and types of food you eat must be selected with your individual body and goals in mind, the schedule and methods you use for meal prep must also be customized for you. What works great for one person may not fit you. Identifying your needs and creating a plan for your lifestyle and schedule is the key to meal prep success.

Most meal prep programs have you spend a few hours on a Sunday cooking and packing food for the whole week. That works great for many people, such as those who work full days Monday to Friday, but it’s not for everybody. Maybe you ski, cycle or camp every weekend with the family, and the last thing you want is to be tied to your kitchen every Sunday.

A few things can help you decide how to meal prep:

• Your schedule.
• Your family.
• Whether you like or dislike cooking.

2. What days and times work best for you?

This may change from week to week. We recommend spending a few minutes each weekend looking at your schedule for the upcoming week, and deciding in advance which days and times will work best for grocery shopping and for cooking.

• Sunday may or may not be the most convenient day. Think about when you’ll be home anyway, and whether anything else is on your schedule.
• Make it a family affair. If you’d like, think about when the kids are home and can spend quality time with you in the kitchen.
• Make grocery runs efficient. Think about when you happen to be driving past the store for something else.
• Match it to your energy. Think about when you have energy and enthusiasm, and when you’re tired and less patient.

For me, mornings are great for food prep. While I’m relaxing with my coffee, catching up on social media or emails, I put a pot of quinoa on the stove or bake a sheet of a dozen chicken breasts.

Think outside the box and don’t be pigeon-holed by the conventional “you cook dinner at dinnertime only” model. If you’re rushed and hangry at 6pm when you get home from work, wouldn’t it be nice to already have dinner waiting for you, the dinner you prepared that morning while you were enjoying your coffee and not rushing around?

3. Do you enjoy cooking?

If you enjoy cooking, great! Meal prep will not only keep you on track with your diet, but also provide a creative outlet that likely brings you relaxation and personal fulfillment.

If you don’t enjoy cooking, or it stresses you out, pick times that are clear of other stresses. For example, maybe don’t meal prep while your family has The Walking Dead blaring on the TV in the next room. Also choose simple, basic meals rather than complex recipes outside your comfort zone, at least until you’ve established a good rhythm and feel more comfortable in the kitchen.

4. Can you see the TV from the kitchen?

Time is our greatest resource, and I’m all about multitasking! I can get a ton of food prep done in the hour that I’m watching The Voice or Survivor from my kitchen. Multitasking is truly an art when it comes to meal prepping.

5. Do you have a family?

I highly recommend getting everyone involved in cooking and packing snacks:

1. It’s for them also, so why shouldn’t they share in the task?
2. It takes the sole burden off you.
3. It’s an opportunity for role modelling and “teachable moments” (educating on food quality and health).
4. It’s quality time. Yes, quality time!

Picture this. Your teenager comes home from school and you ask how his day was, and he says “fine” and walks away. Now picture this. You’re in the kitchen anyway (because you’ve strategically started doing some meal prep at that particular time) and your teenager heads to the fridge, because what kid isn’t hungry after school?

As he’s standing in the kitchen munching, where you just happen to be, he breaks out in a story about math class or lunchtime antics with his buddies. Strategically timing food prep provides an opportunity to connect.

6. Keep it simple

A structured meal plan can be a lifesaver and has so many benefits. It takes the guesswork out of things for you and provides a framework for peace of mind. We develop our meal plans at BUILD to include just 2 to 3 breakfasts and typically 2 to 3 dinner ideas each week. That way you’re taking advantage of leftovers and not preparing something different every single day.

If working with exact recipes overwhelms you, choose only a couple of recipe dishes each week. In between, simply cook a large batch of the core components:

• Protein: chicken or ground beef.
• Complex carbs: quinoa, rice or yams.
• Veggies.

Have large bowls of these ready in the fridge, so that when you get home late and starving, you simply plate and heat.

Likewise, keep your ingredient list simple from week to week. Choose meals with similar ingredients and use the same ingredient in several dishes. For example, an extra-large bag of fresh spinach can go into spinach salads, omelettes, smoothies and a veggie side dish. This saves you money and shortens the grocery list. Next week, you can use kale instead.

7. Grocery shop like a boss

Choose specific days of the week to look at your upcoming schedule and plan your meals, and different specific times for grocery shopping. Make sure you have your list of the ingredients required for the meals and snacks you’ve planned. Purchase those ingredients and only those, unless (and here’s our next tip)…

8. Be okay pivoting on the fly

You’re at the grocery store and fresh tomatoes are drastically marked down. You can’t not take advantage of this great price. But nothing you planned for the upcoming week has tomatoes in it! Pivot. Think about what you can change slightly to accommodate this new twist.

• Are there salads you can add fresh tomatoes to?
• Is there a soup or stew on your plan you can add tomatoes to?
• Could you make a slow cooker pasta sauce to freeze for later?

The tomatoes themselves can also be frozen, and perhaps next week you can build more tomato-based recipes into the plan. The more comfortable you become with grocery shopping and meal prep, the more confidently you’ll make adjustments as needed.

9. Make delicious food and include treats

Just because you’re prepping healthy meals doesn’t mean they have to be boring. Experiment with spices and different flavour profiles, and be sure to include snacks and treats that you enjoy eating. We have many recipes for cleaned-up versions of pizza, butter chicken, cookies and fudge. There’s nothing like food boredom to derail your best intentions.

10. Being realistic is better than being perfect

If you often eat out, or foresee social occasions in your upcoming week, allow for it in your meal prepping schedule. Leave some gaps in your calendar so you don’t overspend on groceries that end up going to waste.

Take it easy. You don’t have to change your entire life all at once. Take small steps toward making better food choices and being prepared in advance. Perhaps you aim for 2 lunches and 2 to 3 dinners prepped in advance at first, and go from there.

We have loads of meal prepping guides and templates available as part of the larger member resource toolbox in our RxGRIT membership. Check it out!

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