Let's talk meal prep. I started making all of my meals for work on Sunday's about 2 months ago. Before that I would make things randomly and if I didn't have anything made either the night before or the morning of my work shift then I was scrambling to find things to throw together. I'd end up with weird things like 2 mangoes and some cereal, rice and beans with bbq sauce, or some other crazy combo that wasn't appetizing and didn't leave me feeling too great.
Something needed to change. I knew it.
So, I made the changes that I needed to make my life easier.
I started meal prepping on Sunday's. I'd make enough food for my four work days. Usually I find a recipe online. It gives me an opportunity to make something from one of my favorite bloggers that I've always wanted to make. Plus, it keeps me inspired to try new things in the kitchen. I can very easily fall into habits with foods. I'll eat the same things every single day for 3 months if you'd let me. No good, variety is the spice of life!
On Friday's I usually pick out a recipe and plan it out. Once I have that done then I make sure I have all of the ingredients. If I don't then I pick them up on my Saturday trip to the grocery store.
All set, totally prepared.
Sunday's around dinner time I never have anything going on and on the rare occasion that I do then I just meal prep in the morning or afternoon. But Sunday's overall are pretty chill days for me so that's why they work best. I make a big thing of whatever recipe I picked for the week and portion it out into four or five bowls. Usually I try to make it five just because I'm able to have it for dinner that night too.
The whole thing takes me anywhere between 1.5-2 hours. It seems like a bit of a commitment but waking up each day that week and not having to worry about food makes it totally worth it.
I think that I'm going to love doing this in the winter. Chilly Sunday evenings I'll be able to warm the house up with comforting aromas of chili and soups. Mmmm.
Anyways, sometimes I make something for snacks too. Bliss balls, energy bars, etc. But other times I just use Clif bars or Larabars if that's all I have time for. It makes it so much nicer to have snacks stocked in my bag as well because my hunger varies from day to day and I never know if I'll want that snack at work or not. It's always best to be prepared though!
That's about it. So simple. Absolutely worth it. You could apply this method to going to school or just having a busy week, too. I think that preparation is key. It provides you with filling and nutritious options as well as a stress free week in regards to food. Once I got into the habit of meal prepping I actually started to get excited about picking a new recipe each week to try. If you start to look at the small things that make the work fun then the experience as a whole becomes a lot more enjoyable. It's all about perspective. Try it out! And let me know if you find any good recipes along your journey!