How to Meal Prep Successfully

Last week we talked about meal prep and how it can benefit your lifestyle.

(Check out my last blog at builtbyap.com/blog/why-meal-prep )  This week we are going to look into how we can meal prep successfully and benefit from this week on week. 

Step 1: Decide- What is the goal here? 

 When planning your meal prep you need to start by looking at what your goal is. Your goal could be weight management, time management or money management. For this meal prep plan to work for you and your goals, you need to start with that goal in mind. This will help you with the next step! 

Step 2: Have a plan 

Planning and preparing are kind of the same thing! If you want to meal prep successfully it will require a plan- the plan may be detailed or just an idea. It is still a plan. Some people will want an ‘in detail’ plan about every meal in the week and others will want a rough idea so they can stick to their goals. 

So how do we plan? Depending on your goal, this will depend on the best way to plan- here are some ideas. 

Let’s say you are on a weight loss journey and you are wanting to prep/plan your meals. The first thing you need to take into account is the amount of food you are consuming. As we know, you have to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. When planning your meals you need to look at how many calories the foods you are planning to consume, have in them. You can do this by using popular apps such as My Fitness Pal. If you are working with a Personal Trainer they will be able to help you find food that are suited to your lifestyle, activity levels and goals. 

When you have done this you will be able to write down your plan- listing your meals for the week. This can be done as simple or complex a way, as you like. Some people like pen and paper some are technological warriors. 

Personally, id choose the pen!  

Step 3: Write your shopping list 

If your goal is to save money-or time, or to reach a specific goal, you can use your meal plan to write out your shopping list. This will save you time wandering the aisles, save you money (if you stick to your list!) and will help you by stopping you from buying foods that are not in line with your goals. 

Step 4: Time to get your Nigella on! 

Now it’s time to get cooking and preparing your meals.

This can be done in many different ways. Some people like to ‘bulk cook’ and freeze meals for the week- this means less time cooking throughout the week and quick meals which you can grab at any time. Others like to prepare one or two days at a time- this will an individual choice for each person. 

In this time, make sure you try to make your meals look delicious and presentable. Not everyone will care much about this but in my experience, if it looks yummy, I’m more likely to want to eat it and stick with my plan! 

Step 5: Tupperware 

Tupperware is a guilty pleasure of mine. Yes im likely to get excited when I see a lunch box with an cute avocado on. SORRY NOT SORRY 

This again is a personal preference, depending on what type of person you are. Some will want the box to do the job it is intended to do and other will want it to be more aesthetically pleasing. Either way, you will need Tupperware and there’s nothing wrong with putting thought into this too. 

Tupperware queens I salute you !! 

By the end of this process you should have a well thought-out plan and a fridge/freezer full of delicious meals ready for you to grab. May your meals be prepped, goals be set- and money and time saved! 

Speak soon!

Amy x

07531 616261
amy@builtbyap.com

#personaltrainer #mealprep #mealplans