Meal Prep Made Easy
Starting your fitness journey is exciting, but maintaining proper nutrition while juggling a busy schedule can be challenging. Meal prepping isn’t just a trend—it’s a practical solution that can transform your eating habits without requiring hours in the kitchen. As a personal trainer, I’ve seen how simple meal preparation techniques can dramatically improve clients’ nutrition consistency and overall fitness results. It is something I have practiced for years and continue to this day!
Why Meal Prep Matters
Meal prepping eliminates the daily “what should I eat?” dilemma that often leads to unhealthy choices we make when we’re tired and hungry. By planning ahead, you take control of your portions and nutrition while saving time and money throughout the week (takeaways are expensive!). Most importantly, knowing your nutrition is sorted reduces stress, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your busy life.
Getting Started: The Essentials
Smart Food Storage
Invest in quality containers that make your prepped meals last longer and taste better:
- Glass containers work wonderfully for microwave reheating and don’t retain odours.
- Mason jars are perfect for overnight oats and layered salads.
- Silicone food bags provide an eco-friendly option for snacks and smaller items.
- Meal prep boxes with separate compartments are fab for combining meals into one place.
Time-Saving Equipment
You don’t need a chef’s kitchen, but a few key tools will significantly improve your efficiency: a sharpened knife for quicker chopping, an air fryer or slow cooker for hands-off cooking, and sheet pans for roasting multiple ingredients simultaneously. These simple kitchen basics can reduce your cooking time by as much as half.
Simple Strategies for Success
Start With Just 2-3 Days
Rather than preparing an entire week’s worth of meals in one go, try doing just 2-3 days’ worth. This approach ensures your food stays fresh, it requires less upfront time, and feels less overwhelming. You might spend 60-90 minutes on Sunday preparing for the first half of your week, then do a quick 30-minute refresh on Wednesday. I use my Sunday afternoons for batch cooking for the week ahead and it has revolutionised my diet!
Cook Proteins in Batches
Proteins (think meats like chicken, beef etc.) typically require the most cooking time, making them ideal for batch preparation. Roast several chicken breasts with different seasonings, utilise a supermarket rotisserie chicken across multiple meals, or simmer a large portion of mince to use in various dishes. Hard-boiled eggs offer perhaps the simplest protein preparation while delivering complete nutrition – they keep for up to 5 days in the fridge in their shell!
Prepare Interchangeable Sides
Instead of assembling complete meals, prepare individual sides that can be mixed and matched. Cook a batch of sweet potato or quinoa, roast a tray of mixed vegetables, and prepare a couple of different sauces or dressings as well as your main (meat, fish). This approach provides variety while maintaining the time-saving benefits of prep.
Monday’s rice bowl with roasted vegetables and chicken can become Tuesday’s wrap with the same ingredients but different flavours, preventing the boredom that derails many meal prep attempts.
Strategic Freezing
Not all prepared foods maintain their quality in the fridge, but most foods freeze really well. Soups, stews, curries and meatballs freeze beautifully. Portion them into individual containers before freezing for easy single-servings. It helps to freeze your meals so you have a variety to choose from on different days and avoid eating the same thing over and over.
Start Simple and Build Consistency
Remember that meal prepping takes practice. Begin with straightforward recipes using ingredients you already enjoy. As you build a routine, you can gradually expand your meal prep repertoire and try new things.
The most effective meal prep routine is the one you’ll actually maintain week after week. Focus on creating a sustainable approach that works with your schedule and preferences rather than following some online influencers complicated system or your what mate does. With consistency, you’ll find a routine that suits you and helps your fitness goals – without eating up all your free time.
Your future self will thank you for the gift of nourishing, ready-to-eat meals that keep your fitness journey on track, even on your busiest days.
