To Meal Prep or Not to Meal Prep?

The practice of meal prepping has certainly taking on a lot of popularity in recent years. Even TikTok creators have developed aesthetic videos highlighting how they meal prep and encouraging others to do the same. However, just telling people to meal prep and playing a video for how someone meal preps is not painting the full picture. 

Wouldn't it be safe to assume that most people may not have an understanding for WHY they might want to start meal prepping? What about the BENEFITS of meal prepping?         

Application will not come without explanation. 

Here are 3 reasons why someone might want to begin meal prepping: 

BUDGET-FRIENDLY:

With inflation on the rise, staying within one's budget is imperative. Creating a list BEFORE going to the grocery store ensures that you will purchase exactly what you need to get through the week (not too much and not too little). 

Oftentimes without any sort of game plan, we may be inclined to purchase something that looks good in the moment, but does not actually get eaten or used during the week. Before we know it, the food product is spoiled before it was ever even able to be eaten. 

QUICK AND EASY: 

Ever feel like you spend too much time in the kitchen? Or get frustrated with making a different meal every single night for dinner?

Meal prepping solves this problem. Simply choose a day of the week where you have a large chunk of time and make that your day of the week to cook a bunch of meals and snacks that you can store in your fridge. Then, once you are ready to eat the meals that you have prepared, simply pop them in the microwave or oven for a few minutes and then they are good to go! 

This saves time on the weeknights that you can spend with your kiddos or reading a good book instead of cooking an entire meal from scratch Monday through Friday. 

PROMOTES A HEALTHY DIET:

Ever find yourself hitting up the drive-thru line or online ordering Chipotle simply because there is nothing available in your apartment? Or find yourself choosing to make ramen noodles or a bowl of cereal instead of a balanced meal? 

Meal prepping ensures that you will always have food on hand to eat, and most often leads to healthier food choices. It is better to rewarm a balanced and nutritious meal that has already been prepared than to go out and spend more money at a fast food chain or simply choosing convenience over health. 

As long as you prepare each meal prepped meal and snack with an appropriate amount of carbs, protein, fat, and veggies, you will always have a balanced meal on hand :) 

HAPPY MEAL PREPPING!

-kc