Happy Munchy Monday everyone and welcome to our first #MunchyMonday blog! Today we are going to dive into the importance of meal prepping and how it can not only help you make healthier decisions but save you money as well. I gathered the following tips to share with you guy from Mayo Clinic, a trusted non-profit academic medical center. Here are their top five tips when it comes to meal prepping:
Where to Start? If you are new to the meal prepping world, it can seem overwhelming at first. Start off by making a list of your favorite foods that you would like to include. If you are really into Italian food, make that your focus. Next write down all the ingredients that you will need for the meals. This helps to save money at the grocery store too because you have a list of exactly what you need. If you plan weeks at a time, you can also buy the ingredients for future meals as they go on sale.
Picture the Plate
When planning your meals, keep in mind your overall goal and the reason why you want to meal prep. Is it to: eat healthier, lose weight, save money, or simply because you do not have time to make meals during the week? Your meals should reflect your goal. If you are trying to eat healthier, make sure your plate is balanced with nutrients in the main dish and the sides to go with it. If choose to meal prep snacks, these must reflect the same common goal. Meal prepping makes it easier to embrace a balanced diet.
Stick With A Theme
Having designated days for certain types of meals came in handy and make the process more convenient. For example, if you know you have an event to go to every Wednesday night, plan in advance and on Wednesdays have meals you can just heat up and not have to cook. If you love spaghetti, have a night designated specifically for spaghetti each week. You can even make a night dedicated to new recipes and trying them out.
Time
The first decision you need to make when thinking of meal prepping is to think of a day of the week where you will have the extra time to dedicate to the process. Many people select a day from the weekend such as Sunday to kick start their week. Next, decide how long you will meal prep for. Will it be for an entire week or just for the five weekdays? Once you pick your day, stick with it and hold yourself accountable for following through. This time can be used as personal wind down time as well. Get caught up on your favorite podcast or listen to some music to relax while prepping for the week ahead.
Be Flexible
Meal prepping is meant to help us and make our lives easier and better. If you do not stick to the script entirely, it will be just fine! The weekly menu can be swapped around and changed based on circumstances. If you need to clean out the fridge, skip on day of the week and make it a left over night. You are meant to make meal prepping your own and use it to cater to your specific needs. If the holidays are coming up, throw in your Grandma’s famous casserole to your meal prep. Most importantly, have fun with it and try new things!
Prep on fellow Foodies!
Check out the full article below:
Comments