We get it, the idea of meal prepping for a few days, or even an entire week, can seem like a lot of work.
But look at this way, it’s short-term pain (if that!) for long-term gain.
Meal prepping is actually a massive time saver AND it means you’re more likely to make the best choices for your health goals, because you’ve got nutritious, delicious meals already on hand.
Oh, and did we mention it’s an absolute money saver when you buy and cook in bulk?
Read on for more reasons on why meal prepping is so damn great, plus how to do it efficiently and to meet your calorie and macro needs.
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Meal Prep 101
“One of the biggest obstacles I find a lot of my clients face is being time-poor,” says one of equ’s nutrition coaches.
“This can often lead to making food decisions that may not necessarily align with their daily goals and targets ultimately impacts their outcomes when it comes to their weekly check-in.”
And that’s where our friend, meal-prep, comes in!
It cuts down cooking times, which reduces the stress and pressure surrounding balancing it with other aspects of life. It’s much more convenient as you can just grab and go once everything is done and ensures that you are staying consistent with your daily targets.
“This will help you reach your health goals, as time and consistency are key components of sustainable fat loss,” she adds.
How to Meal Prep
Essentially you multiply the listed ingredients in your meal plan (if you’re tracking with equ), by the number of days you would like to prepare for.
So if you’re prepping meals for four days, simply multiply every listed ingredient by four.
Then once it’s cooked, simply divide it equally across your number of containers and it’ll all even out in terms of your calories and macros! It’s that easy.
When it comes to certain meal additions, like dressing, cheese or sour cream, it can be beneficial to store these separately and add to the meal once served.
Also hot tip! Be sure to invest in good, sturdy containers that you can reuse multiple times.
Perfect Dishes to Meal Prep
There are of course dishes that are easier to meal prep, particularly those that can essentially be made in one pot, pan or tray.
These include:
- Pasta & pasta salads
- Salads
- Curries
- Stews
- Bakes
- Stir-fries
- Meat + veg
- Meat + rice
- Quiche & fritters
- Slices
- Paella
If you’re an equ client, you can also chat to your coach about which specific equ meals are great for prepping!
And if you’re not a client currently but you’re curious about how our service and meal plans work, click here.