Here’s how to start preparing food without it taking up your life

If you’re serious about your fitness goals, the first step is usually to get your diet in order. You want to get enough protein Support your muscles, Fruits and vegetables for health, Carbohydrates as fueland a total calorie amount that supports your activity and goals without eating too little or too much.

It really helps to prepare meals in advance (“meal prepping”). Instead of deciding what to have for lunch, simply take a container out of the fridge and heat the contents. This convenience is unbeatable and preparation will ensure you stay on track with your plan. A bodybuilder who eats the typical chicken and broccoli for lunch every day may become bored with his meals, but he also knows how much protein he is consuming without even thinking about it. (You will, of course, prepare something more delicious.)

But meal preparation has its pitfalls. Maybe you will Boredom while eating. Or maybe you don’t get that far and burn out just from the mental and physical strain of cooking a week’s worth of meals all at once. With that in mind, here are some tips for beginners to help you get started with the process with your mind intact.

Treat yourself to a grab-and-go breakfast

Before we start preparing anything, let’s get started planning. For most of us, eating the same breakfast every day isn’t a problem, and there’s a good chance you already have a few favorite breakfasts that you can throw together quickly before you’ve fully woken up.

So your first step is to find a breakfast that fits your macros and is easy to prepare. We’re taking baby steps here, so don’t worry too much prepare this in advance. Just make sure it will be that way ready when breakfast time comes.

For example, maybe your breakfast consists of yogurt and fruit. It’s easy: buy some yogurt and some fruit. In the morning you can put the two together. Or you can prepare something the night before Grab on the way to the door. A smoothie in a glass is perfect – just shake it in the morning and it’s ready to drink. (Don’t use ice as ice will melt, but frozen fruit is fine.) Or for another option I like to make Bircher muesli two servings at a time, as each serving requires half an apple. So on Sunday evening I prepare jars for Monday and Tuesday. I will make another pair on Tuesday evening.

Save your take-out containers

When you start packing lunches and dinners, you’ll need something to put them in. Even though cute little bento-style Tupperware looks nice, you might decide that you don’t actually want all the divided containers. Or it may be that the boxes you purchase are the wrong size once you start filling them. Save money and time by choosing one or two types of takeout containers that you have plenty of and keep them whenever you buy them. I like the flat rectangular ones and those round one-pint soup containers.

Once you’ve figured out what you like, it’s admittedly handy to buy a few containers. Here is a fresh 50 pack these rectangular containers so you don’t have to eat 50 take-out meals first. And if, unlike me, you like packing bento-style lunches, you can get it shared containers. (I like Eat Bento lunch, but it’s work to think of something to fill each compartment. It’s much easier to make a one-pot meal that fills the container by itself.)

For something more durable, these are made of thicker plastic. I’m too clumsy to trust glass containers, but maybe you’re not. This are more expensive than the options above — about $5 each, while the semi-disposable ones were closer to 50 cents — but they last forever if you take care of them.

While you’re gathering your supplies, be sure to grab a marker and some tape (or, if you prefer, fancy labels). Label each meal, even if it’s just a simple reminder like “PASTA” or “CHICKEN,” so you can differentiate your lunches. If you are preparing for more than one person, you can also add names.

Prepare one meal at a time

After you get into the habit of eating your scheduled breakfast every day, the next step is to choose a second meal. For most of us it will be lunch. This way, your first two meals are taken care of and you can still make your dinner plans as you please. (It’s okay if you never get past this level.)

I also recommend, at least initially, not Planning for seven days in a row. Since I work Monday through Friday, I like to prepare my meals during the week and then cook them on the weekend. (A weekend meal for me usually consists of my regular breakfast, a meal made from leftovers, and often a take-out meal or two.)

For your first attempt at cooking this week, I recommend finding a recipe that makes three servings. Two of these recipes will get you through the work week and have one leftover. You can even alternate the two meals.

An important food safety tip: Meals prepared on Sunday will not be in their best shape on Saturday. I recommend choosing one of the following strategies:

1. Prepare a dish on Sunday and divide it into meals on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Then on Wednesday evening prepare another dish with three portions for the second half of the week.

2. Prepare both dishes on Sunday so you can take turns. Place three of the meals in the freezer. Then take them out of the freezer on Tuesday or Wednesday so they can start thawing. If a meal is still slightly frosty at the time of eating, simply microwave it for a little longer.

Try a recipe before committing

Ready to start preparing your first meal? Wait: Have you decided on a recipe? actually like it? I’m not asking if it looks good in photos. The ideal meal prep recipe is something that you’ve not only eaten before, but also one that you have an idea of ​​how well it reheats.

This means you can stay away from the recipe websites for now. Choose an old favorite; You can experiment later. And if you’re ever tempted to prepare, say, a month’s worth of food on your meal prep day, definitely Try the exact recipe in a one-week batch first.

Be lazy

This is honestly my most important tip. When I first started meal prepping, I spent an entire Sunday afternoon shopping and cooking. My feet would hurt and my other chores would be unfinished. No time or effort was spared; it was just postponed.

I’ve been feeling better since then. One of my favorite meal preps is to buy two bags of chimichurri rice from Trader Joe’s and a pound of ground beef, heat them appropriately, and mix them together. The job is done in just under 15 minutes and I now have four lunches a week, each of which fits perfectly into one of these round soup containers. Do I care that Mr. Joe gets half the credit for my cooking? Not me.

Even if you’re cooking from scratch, finding ways to work more efficiently isn’t cheating. Buy frozen vegetables as they are already chopped. Get a rice cooker if you use rice for many of your meals. If you want to use a special homemade sauce or seasoning, feel free to do so one Make sure your other tasks are easy.

For example, most animal and plant foods can be thrown onto a tray and roasted. I’ll buy some frozen fish and fresh or frozen vegetables (both very healthy options, sometimes even more than fresh) and then roast a tray of each with the appropriate spices. (Olive oil and garlic salt are perfect for broccoli or, let’s be honest, any other vegetable.) Chicken fillets marinated in mayonnaise are another protein option that goes with everything and can be made in large quantities. Thanks to the additional moisture, they warm up excellently.

You get the idea: Make a leisurely meal, make no more of it than you’ll actually eat, and pack it into the containers you already have around. Don’t expect everything to be perfect at first. You will refine your workflow over time.