Meal prepping is a great way to save time and money by preparing your meals in bulk and in advance. By doing so, you can avoid the financial trap of eating out or ordering delivery whenever you don’t know what to cook.

By allotting a few hours each week to meal prepping, you can ensure that you and your family have delicious, quality meals that can be easily reheated and served.

Here are eight reasons to consider meal prepping:

1. You’ll save money

Meal prepping saves you money because you can buy ingredients in bulk and freeze any extra for later. Most importantly, you’ll spend less money eating out or buying food to-go.

2. You’ll have control over what you’re eating

It’s easy to lose track of what and how much food you’re eating when you’re at a restaurant or fast food joint. That won’t be a problem if you plan your meals in advance. The best part is you have total control over what ingredients to use. You get to avoid any nasty and unhealthy ingredients you’d otherwise find in heavily processed foods and fast food.

Plus, it’s easier to keep track of your weight if you know exactly what and how much food you eat in a day.

3. You’ll save time grocery shopping

If you already know what dishes to cook for the whole week, then you’ll have an easier time putting together your grocery list. Having a complete grocery list means you’ll be able to do your shopping more quickly.

4. You’ll better manage your portion sizes

Containers come in handy for meal prepping because you can divide cooked food into servings fit for one meal. As such, meal prepping allows you to get a handle on your portion sizes. This is especially useful if you struggle with overeating during meals.

5. You’ll reduce food waste

When you have a planned menu for the week, you’re less likely to waste food due to spoiling. After all, planning your meals in advance means you know exactly how many ingredients to buy. Put simply, it’s unlikely you’ll have leftovers if you meal prep.

6. You’ll be less stressed

Meal prepping is perfect for people who have busy schedules or are constantly on the go. By preparing your meals in advance, you won’t have to stress out about what to cook for lunch or dinner for the whole week.

7. You’ll have more variety

Because you get to decide what to cook instead of relying on what’s available at restaurants and fast food joints, you can easily make sure that your meals include proteins, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

8. You’ll be healthier

When you meal prep, you learn to pay closer attention to the ingredients you use. You also learn to stick to reasonable portions, add more variety to your meals and avoid unhealthy and processed foods.

Eventually, meal prepping will pay off in the form of a healthier mind, body and wallet.

Meal prepping tips for beginners

Meal prepping can appear intimidating to the uninitiated. But as long as you keep things simple, you should be able to prepare your lunches, dinners and snacks for the week without a hitch.

Here are four tips to keep in mind when meal prepping:

1. Use high-quality containers

You can never have enough containers if you regularly meal prep. But don’t just settle for flimsy plastic ones. Invest in high-quality containers. Glass ones are best because glass is generally safer than plastic when it comes to food storage. You can also reheat glass containers repeatedly without worrying about chemicals leaching into your food. Plus, they won’t smell like food even after several uses.

If you do opt for plastic, make sure to buy containers without bisphenol A (BPA). Exposure to this industrial chemical has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, high blood pressure, birth defects and brain disorders.

2. Decide what dishes to make for the entire week

With simple recipes in hand, decide what to cook for the week and when to eat those dishes. Take note of all the ingredients you need for those recipes and prepare your grocery list accordingly.

3. Set aside ample time for meal prepping

Since you’ll be making big batches of meals and snacks, you’ll need to make room on your calendar for meal prepping. It’s not unusual to take an entire afternoon or day meal prepping, which is why it is typically done on the weekend.

4. Don’t do everything at once

If you’re new to meal prepping, don’t try to do everything at once. For example, if you’re preparing a chicken dish, you can give yourself a headstart by marinating the chicken a few days prior. Freeze the marinated chicken and take it out when you’re ready to cook.

If you’re preparing a vegetable dish, you can rinse and chop your ingredients ahead of time. That way, you can just add them to the pot or skillet when it’s time to cook. You’d have saved yourself a lot of prep time in both cases.

Save time, money and energy by cooking your meals for the week in advance. Doing so allows you to keep track of the foods you’re eating more easily, reduce your food waste and enjoy more variety in your meals. Follow the tips above to get started on meal prepping.

Sources:

MotherOfHealth.com

Healthline.com