Are you wondering how to make meal prepping less complex and intimidating? In this blog, I’m going to give you some tips on how to make that happen.
Hi, my name is Jimena Ramirez, and I’m a behavior change coach. I’m the Director of Coaching & Program Strategy at Body Brain Alliance. Meal prepping can have a lot of great benefits, like reducing your cognitive load, reducing your decision fatigue, helping you stay on track with your nutrition goals, and even saving money. However, it can also feel time-consuming, like a chore, and incredibly complex, which can be discouraging.
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Step 1: Awareness
Identify Your Desired Outcome for Meal Prepping
The first thing that we want to do is identify your desired outcome with meal prepping. What does meal prepping mean to you? Get specific. Are you aiming to prepare all your lunches for the week? Is that five lunches, or does it include snacks too? Is it every single meal for the next seven days? Define the type of meals, the variety, and the number of servings you want. This specificity helps your brain see meal prepping as a manageable task rather than a daunting one.
Identify Meal Prepping Barriers
Next, think about what makes meal prepping difficult for you. Is it boring to eat the same thing every day? Does it feel too time-consuming? Is it the meal planning, grocery shopping, or a specific part of the process like chopping veggies or handling raw meat that you dislike? Identifying these barriers helps us address them effectively.
Step 2: Acceptance
Addressing Barriers
If you could wave a magic wand, what part of your meal prepping process would you want to be done and ready? This question helps pinpoint logistical and mindset barriers. Accept where you’re at without judgment. Acknowledge that finding meal prepping hard is okay and use that information proactively.
Adjusting Your Mindset
We might tell ourselves that meal prepping should be easy or compare ourselves to others who seem to manage it effortlessly. Accepting that it’s challenging for you allows you to deal with it constructively and make changes that suit your needs.
Step 3: Adjustment
Simplifying the Meal Prepping Process
Based on your desired outcome and identified barriers, brainstorm solutions. If grocery shopping is the biggest hurdle, consider grocery pickup or delivery. If chopping and prepping are issues, look into pre-chopped veggies, frozen or canned options, or pre-marinated items. Use tools like slow cookers to save time on supervision.
Creating a Meal Prepping System
Meal prepping is about creating a system that works for you. Consider how much time you’re willing to invest, the complexity of the meals, and the variety you want. Now that you’ve identified the barriers and brainstormed solutions, it’s time to take action.
Planning Your Week
Based on your identified goals and solutions, plan your week. How many meals do you want to cook? What are you preparing? Are you food prepping, ingredient prepping, or meal prepping? Ensure your expectations align with the resources you’re willing to commit. Adjust your plan if there’s a misalignment between your input and desired output.
Experiment and Adjust
Experiment with different approaches and find what works best for your current resources and goals. Remember, there’s no one right way to meal prep. Modify your expectations or inputs as needed to create a sustainable and effective meal prepping routine.
Conclusion
Meal prepping doesn’t have to be complex or intimidating. By increasing awareness, accepting your current situation, and making thoughtful adjustments, you can create a meal prepping system that works for you. If you have your own tips and experiences with meal prepping, we’d love to hear about them in the comments below.
