Are you tired of throwing away meal prep containers because leftovers gross you out or have you simply got bored of the same dish?
Do you find it hard to stick to your meal plan because you don’t know what you want to eat 3 days from now?
Are you frustrated by the question “what’s for dinner?” and have no clue where to start?
Meal prepping is one of the most efficient and effective ways to reach your nutrition and health goals. When done correctly, it can help you eat better-balanced meals, save money and reduce stress. However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. What works for someone else may not work for you.
That’s why it’s important to tailor your meal prep routine according to your own personal needs and preferences.
In this blog post, I’ll discuss the 3 most important factors of a successful meal prep routine:
- leftover tolerance
- variety
- time to prep
Keep these things in mind when creating your own plan!
Benefits of Meal Prep
Meal planning or prepping is only a tool to help make sticking to your goals the easier choice during busy weeks. It doesn’t have to be perfect or “Instagram ready” for it to work for you.
Meal prepping is a great way of making sure you have all your bases covered when life gets hectic. You’ll find that prepping your meals is the key to a happier, healthier life. You won’t have as many stress-inducing arguments with family members because you can make healthy choices for yourself in advance and it is easier to delegate to your partner or family members once you have a system in place! You will also find it easier to to save money and reduce food waste which is a major bonus!
This guide will help you choose which style of meal prep or planning suits you best!
The 3 Most Important Variables for a Successful Meal Plan or Meal Prep
- How long do you prefer to keep leftovers in the fridge? Some people cannot stand leftovers past 1-2 days whereas others are okay with longer!
- How many days in a row can you ENJOY the same meal?
- How much time do you have to spend in the kitchen on one day or at night after work?
Once you have a solid idea of your preferences, you can choose a meal planning or prepping style that you won’t abandon after a couple of weeks of doing it!
Meal Prep/Plan Styles Taught By Our Meal Prep Coach & Dietitian
If you do not like leftovers sitting in the fridge all week, consider these prep styles:
- Mini Batch Cooking
- Double Trouble
- Freezer Meals
- Minimal Prep
- DIY Meal Kits
If you do not like eating repetitive meals & you do not mind leftovers, consider these styles:
- Bulk Prep Protein
- Buffet Style
- Mini Batch Cooking
If you do not have a lot of time on the weekends to prep, try these types:
- Double Trouble
- Bulk Prep Protein
- Minimal prep
- Freezer meals (if prepping 1-2 times per month)
If you do not have a lot of time to prep at night or during the week, try these styles:
- Freezer meals
- Buffet Style
- DIY Meal Kits
- Batch Cooking
- Bulk Prep Protein (if you are prepping more than 1 type of protein)
There you have it! Here are a few of the different styles of meal prep & planning that I teach my clients.
The missing piece is tailoring the steps to you, and your schedule, and navigating your barriers to the highest level of success!
Find some tasty breakfast recipes (for PCOS and others) here, and easy high-protein cottage cheese recipes here to get you started with some inspiration!
If you want to learn more about how a Meal Prep Coach and Dietitian can help you stick to your goals and save money in the process, book a free consult call!
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