The power behind meal prep: And some quick tips for you to start meal prepping today
Let’s be honest—life gets busy. Between work, family, errands, and the occasional (much-needed) moment to yourself, it’s easy to let meals become an afterthought. That’s where meal prepping comes in—not as some buzzword trend or Instagram hashtag, but as a genuinely practical way to live healthier, simpler, and more budget-friendly.
And heres the thing…
In my opinion, most people over-complicate meal prepping.
It doesn’t have to be that hard. Especially with the right tools.
My husband and I do some meal prepping every weekend, ensuring that we are prepped with healthy, well-balanced meals for each work week. Why? BECAUSE LIFE CAN GET SO BUSY, SO FAST and we want to make sure we are eating well-balanced, nutrient-dense meals throughout the week. And the best part? We hardly have to set aside extra time for the meal prepping… because we have the right tools and mindset to do so. We’ve built it into our everyday routine. We meal prep when we are ALREADY in the kitchen cooking our meals for the weekend… that way we don’t have to set aside EXTRA time get it done. The key? Utilizing various kitchen appliances, such as crockpots, instant pots, and air fryers. Another simple trick to get some meal prepping done for the week is to whip up double batches of dinners, ensuring that you have leftovers to eat from for the days that follow.
For example— last Sunday my husband whipped up some steaks, baked potatoes, and roasted asparagus for dinner. While he was working on prepping the dinner, he also pulled out 2 additional kitchen appliances to use for that weeks meal prepping— a crockpot and instant pot.
While our dinner for Sunday night was in the oven we simultaneously had the crockpot and instant pot going to prep some food for our work week. We dumped a whole pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into our crockpot, added ~32 oz of low-sodium chicken broth/water, and cooked on high for 3-4 hours. We had the instant pot whipping up a large batch of brown rice at the same time. Took 20 minutes total for the instant pot to do this. Once fully cooked we then shredded the chicken breasts and set the shredded chicken & batch of brown rice aside in large pyrex containers. As a result, we had a large batch of shredded chicken as well as a large batch of brown rice to pull from at various times throughout the week— to be used for burrito bowls, wraps, sandwiches, stir-fry’s, and casseroles. We always make sure to keep some fruits and vegetables laying around at all times too, as those can easily be added to meals to make them more well-balanced, colorful, and nutritious.
We follow this same concept when meal prepping week-to-week, however, we make sure to switch up the types of meats/grains on a weekly basis, to ensure we don’t get bored eating the same stuff all of the time. And besides, variety is good for our bodies… the more colorful the plate, the better. We also make double batches of a lot of our dinners, anticipating that the leftovers can be used for lunches later in the week.
You see… meal prepping really doesn’t have to be that hard… our society just likes to ‘over-complicate’ things when not needed.
Still saying you don’t have time to meal prep? Well, MAKE TIME! Take some things off of your plate to MAKE THE TIME. Isn’t it worth investing into yourself and your overall health and wellness, making it so you can live a longer, happier, and healthier life…? Prioritize YOURSELF, sister!
Why It Matters
1. You Save Time (A Lot of It)
Think of all the time you spend each week figuring out what to eat, cooking, cleaning up, or giving in to takeout because you're too tired to deal with dinner. Prepping meals ahead of time condenses all that effort into a few hours on one day. After that, it's just heat, eat, and enjoy.
2. You Eat Healthier Without Trying So Hard
When meals are prepped and ready to go, you're way less likely to reach for ‘junk’ food or make impulsive choices. You know exactly what's in your food, and you control the ingredients. Plus, when you're not hangry and desperate, you make smarter decisions.
3. You Save Money
Grocery shopping with a plan means less waste and fewer impulse buys. Meal prepping also cuts down on last-minute takeout or restaurant meals, which adds up fast. Over time, those savings can be pretty significant.
4. You Reduce Stress
Ever get to 6 PM and realize you have no idea what’s for dinner? That low-level panic is a daily experience for a lot of people. With meal prepping, the guesswork is gone. You know exactly what’s on the menu, and it’s already ready (or close to it). It’s one less thing to worry about.
5. You Build Better Habits
Like anything, the first week or two might feel like a bit of a learning curve. But the more you do it, the easier and more intuitive it becomes. Before long, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
Tips to Get Started
Start small. Try prepping just lunches for the week or making double batches of dinner to have leftovers.
Use containers that make sense. Glass or BPA-free plastic containers with compartments can help keep things fresh and organized.
Choose meals you actually like. You won’t stick to it if you’re forcing yourself to eat meals you’re not excited about.
Pick a prep day. Sundays are popular, but find a day that works for your schedule and stick with it.
Final Thoughts
Meal prepping isn’t about being perfect or turning your kitchen into a factory. It’s about creating a system that helps you take care of yourself—making eating well easier, not harder. Whether you’re looking to eat better, save money, or simply cut down on the chaos, meal prepping is a simple change that can have a huge impact.
So maybe this weekend, you give it a shot. Your future self will thank you.
Are you looking for more tips on how to improve your health? Are you experiencing symptoms that can be improved with diet and exercise? Looking to identify the root cause? Interested in meeting with a registered dietitian? Nicole Baker Nutrition LLC is here for those in need! Click the link below to get started today! $0 out-of-pocket with insurance!!!
Click here to verify insurance and book initial session now!