Meal Prep...LIKE A BOSS.

Jul 12, 2017
5 min read

So you want to meal prep?

HELL YES.

Congrats! You just made one of the best decisions of your life. Your bank account and tummy will thank you.

Uhhh, no? Why should I?

Keep reading and you'll find out.

Why is it a good idea to meal prep?

1. It saves money.

2. It saves time.

3. It saves money.

4. You are more likely to eat healthier.

5. It saves money.

6. It saves time.

7. If you are a macro maniac, you are more likely to hit them.

8. It saves money.

9. People will be jealous because you'll eventually be a pro at meal prepping.

10. It saves money.

In case I haven't mentioned this, meal prepping saves time and money. Like HELLA TIME AND HELLA MONEY. And who doesn't love more money in the bank and more time for cardio (......okay, maybe not cardio).

Now, let me explain how meal prepping saves time.

I dedicate one day out of the week (Sunday) to cook mine and my husband's meals for the week. Depending on how many you are cooking for and how many different items you decide to cook will depend on how much time it takes in the kitchen. I am only cooking for two people and it takes about 2-3 hours to prepare and cook everything for a week.

I know what you are thinking... holy crap! 3 hours in the kitchen!?!? But if you spend 30 minutes to an hour in the kitchen just for dinner, think about how much time you are saving when you are spending only 3 hours in the kitchen making multiple meals.....breakfast, lunch AND dinner. Now I am no math wizard, but I'm thinking that is a lot of time saved.

If you are constantly on the go like I am, it is much easier to grab and go rather than waking up 2 to 3 hours earlier to prep food for the day (but if that is what works for you, by all means, kill it!).

Now, let's talk about how meal prepping saves money.

Before I started preparing my meals ahead of time, I was going to the grocery store around twice a week. All of my local Ingles' staff knew me by name after just a couple of weeks. While that was cool and all, I was spending a truck load of money every week (and not to mention, wasting a bunch of time traveling back and forth from the grocery store). When I finally sat down and looked over my receipts, I then realized I was spending way too much and unfortunately, I was wasting food as well.

When I did my research, read other people's blogs and watched videos about meal prepping, I figured out what was going to work for me with this process. Although it has taken me about a year to perfect my system, I cannot imagine going back and cooking a multiple meals every single day!

So let's get started perfecting your plan!

It is going to be frustrating at first. Be patient with yourself. Allow yourself the time you will need in order to do what works best for you (you know, that's my motto and all...).

All right, now that I have given you a pep talk, I will list some ways that I have perfected my system over the years -- AKA meal prepped like a BOSS.

1) Write down meals you believe you would like to have over the next 3 days.

This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks throughout the day. You can even be an overachiever and plan out what you would like to drink over those few days too. Of course water should be number one on your list, but you are allowed to have coffee (I like this mushroom coffee) or orange juice or a smoothie if that is what works for you! If you noticed, I said write down meals you think you would like to have over the next three days. I say three days because 7 days can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you have never done this type of thing before. Within a couple of weeks, you will have it down and can increase the amount of days you prep for.

2) Once your meal list is made, write down a list of ingredients you will need in order to prep these meals.

This may begin at the very beginning with purchasing containers and/or a bag to carry your food in (I like Isolator Fitness' bags (below as well) and containers or Fit&Fresh bags) or may begin with grocery shopping. I have made the mistake many times (and still do...) of not having a list prior to going grocery shopping. Next thing I know, I have 3 carts and have to rent a U-Haul to get all my groceries home. Within this list of ingredients, you want to make sure to include any spices or extras that you might need in order to make this shopping trip a success.

3) Begin prepping!

I start out by clearing off my counter and getting all my cookware and materials together. Next, by seeing which food will take the longest to cook will help with the process. Depending on what you are fixing, you can usually cook meat together in the oven or have several skillets going at the same time. Now, it is really all about how long things take to cook thoroughly and what spices and things you want to add. This part will be trial and error. If something doesn't work this time, try something else in the next three days.

I consider meal prepping like a new diet. It is going to take a while to adjust and you will take some things out and put some things in. Trust the process. Rome was not built in a day.

Meal prep accessories I use

(affiliate links within):

ProStack Container Jars: perfect for all your supplements!

Rubbermaid Storage Containers: I personally use these containers for smaller food items such as, sliced fruits and veggies, condiments and dressings.

Jaxx Powder Pack Container: Great for storage of pre and post workout powders!

Isolator Fitness IsoBag: This is one of my favorite meal prep bags because of the space and storage (6 meal pictured). Use discount code: FITWITHSTACE for 10% off your entire purchase from Isolator Fitness!