You're meal prepping to keep your diet healthy and consistent – well done! But yes, sometimes meal prepping can be quite stressful, especially if you've had a busy week. Fortunately, we have a number of tips for you to make meal prepping a form of self-care instead of experiencing it as a burden. Trust us, these tips will make you completely zen!
Read also :'3 pitfalls in meal prepping'
If you're on a diet that involves counting macros or calories, you may feel the need to track all the foods you prep. As a result, meal prepping can cost you a lot of time and become stressful. Rather than weighing everything and hitting your macros, prep supplies of protein (such as chicken, salmon, or tofu), vegetables, and starches (such as quinoa, sweet potato, or beans). This gives you a good chance of putting together a meal that is balanced when it comes to macros, without having to dig into the numbers. This allows you to relax and get creative with your food. For example, use different toppings, herbs and spices to play with taste.
If you spend most of your time preparing your meals, there's an easy solution:keep your meals simple. Meal prepping shouldn't be a time consuming task. In fact:it should actually ensure that it saves you time. So take small, simple steps that will save you time, such as using pre-cut/frozen vegetables or pre-marinated tofu. This way you can prepare your meals in no time. You don't have to be a master chef to be able to meal prep!
Don't get too hung up on what you've made when you're meal prepping. Just because you made it doesn't mean you have to eat it. If you're craving something different, just make something else. Yes, even if that is sometimes less healthy. It would of course be best to use the vegetables you had already prepped to make your meal a bit healthier, that is…
If there's anything in the meal prep process that stresses you out, listen to those feelings. Identify where the stress is coming from and try to come up with a solution to make the whole process a little less stressful. Maybe it's the shopping, the pressure to choose the best products. Then you could consider online shopping or delivery. It can also help to plan your recipes in advance so that you know exactly what to have once you get to the store. Believe us, it saves a lot of stress if you don't have to think about what you're going to make on the spot!
Mealprep is practical, but it doesn't have to be! There are plenty of ways to make meal prepping fun. For example, consider listening to a podcast or singing along to your favorite songs while cooking. But cooking together with your partner or a friend or drinking a delicious glass of wine can make meal prepping a lot more fun. There are all kinds of options, try them out!
