How to Use Meal Prep and Batch Cooking to be Consistent with Healthy Eating

al planning and prepping is one of the best tools you can gain for ensuring you are getting nutrient-dense meals throughout your week. Planning ahead removes decision fatigue, saves you time, and prevents you from making decisions you don’t truly want during a moment of “hanger.”

There’s no better feeling than starting off your Monday knowing your fridge is stocked with everything you need to mix, match, and build meals that you truly enjoy.

How many times have you opened up your fridge, determined there was “nothing” to eat, and resorted to ordering takeout instead? Yup, we’ve all been there once or twice before!

Set yourself up for success this time around. We have a fool-proof way for you to prep in advance without committing to eating the same exact thing every day.

We know that variety is key for a sustainable healthy lifestyle, so we’ve got you covered.

BENEFITS OF MEAL PREPPING AND BATCH COOKING

So you’ve heard about meal prepping and batch cooking, but you’re wondering whether or not it’s the right fit for you. Is it really worth it? We definitely think so, and here’s why.

Helps You to Be Consistent with Eating Well

We can have the best intentions to eat well, but if we don’t plan ahead, in the moment, they can get forgotten or seem too challenging. When you use meal prepping and batch cooking in your weekly routine, you’ll become so much more consistent with eating well every day.

When you know what you’ll be eating and you’ve reduced some of the time it will take you to make that meal, it makes it so much easier for you to follow through with your choices knowing that you already have everything you need in your fridge to create a nourishing meal in 15 minutes.

Taking a few minutes each week to plan what you’re going to eat at each meal and batch cooking some of that ahead of time will give you that consistency with your eating habits.

More Time For You

Hear me out. Yes, you will need to dedicate some time to actually plan and prepare the food. But once that’s done, think about all the extra time you have during the week!

The time you previously spent rummaging through the pantry and subsequently cooking is now freed up.

After a long day of work, wouldn’t it be nice to have some extra time to yourself? To watch your favorite tv show, workout a bit, spend some time with your kids, or take a bubble bath with a face mask?

Save Some Extra Cash

Who doesn’t want to save a little money!

From the takeout you’re no longer ordering to the fresh produce you’re actually using before it goes bad, the savings really start to add up.

When prepping multiple meals in advance, you can also take advantage of bulk purchasing. Whether that’s at your local grocery store, wholesale club, or even a farmer’s market.

No Need For Willpower

Willpower isn’t needed when you have habits set in place around your eating and lifestyle. That’s why getting into a routine with meal prepping and batch cooking can be such a powerful habit to have integrated into your life.

When the planning and prepping is done in advance, we don’t have to use quite as much willpower when making food decisions.

Reduce Food Waste

How often do you find a smelly bag of arugula at the back of your refrigerator? Or maybe it’s some moldy raspberries you didn’t quite get to in time?

When you’re meal prepping and batch cooking, you know exactly what you’re going to do with the food that you purchase which can help reduce food waste.