There’s something incredibly aesthetic about meal prepping. After all, what’s not to love about rows of colorful, healthy meals lined up in glass containers?
It’s one thing to swipe through the millions of pictures on social media, but there’s more to meal prepping than meets the eye. Planning, assembling, and sometimes cooking several meals in advance can save you a ton of time and money- all while letting you put your health first.
The advantages of meal prepping are real! All it takes is a tiny bit of work to get plenty of health benefits and lifestyle advantages in return.
7 Reasons to Start Meal Prepping Right Now!
Whether you’re packing leftovers, portioning out a casserole, buying plant-based vegan products, or roasting a bunch of vegetables to use later in the week, meal prepping can make your life so much easier. Here are seven reasons to jump on the bandwagon straight away!
1. You’ll Have More Free Time
Do you wait till D-day to decide what you’re going to eat? You’re only setting yourself up to make another run for groceries or takeout. But when you spend a chunk of time preparing for the week ahead- choosing recipes, picking out ingredients, and even batch-cooking the whole meal- you free up valuable time on the weekdays.
For many, meal prepping can cut down the hours spent chasing down ingredients, whipping up dishes, and cleaning the kitchen.
It’s more efficient to sit down once a week, scan through your earmarked cookbooks, and list out your groceries, rather than repeat the same cycle every two days.
2. You’ll Waste Less Food
The U.S. discards more food than any other country worldwide- nearly 40 million tons every year. That’s a sad statistic right there.
Fortunately, meal prepping can help break this cycle by reducing the issues that lead to food wastage, such as spoilage, impulse buys, and uneaten leftovers. With meal prepping, you can get organized before you hit the grocery store. This decreases food waste because you use the ingredients before they go bad.
Additionally, meal prepping also allows you to cut back on all the packaging used for takeout meals. That’s one more environmental-friendly reason to walk this route.
3. You Can Introduce More Variety to Your Diet
Planning your meals lets you make smart choices instead of pilfering the pantry or ordering takeout. Don’t let the hunger pangs choose what you eat. Remember, grocery shopping on an empty stomach can hurt your diet and bank account.
If you’re looking to prioritize healthy eating, try prepping your meals when you aren’t starving. This will help you avoid fast food and pick meals that align with your health goals.
Meal prepping is also a great way to introduce new recipes and ingredients to your regime. You can choose a theme for the week and strategize a menu around it.
And for people on a certain diet, meal prepping can be a lifesaver. You won’t have to recycle the same old gluten-free cooking recipes every third week. A quick internet search will introduce you to a new world of healthy Asian food.
4. You Can Save More Money
Fewer visits to the grocery store and takeout restaurants mean you’ll be spending less. You won’t have to pay for separate meals every other day.
That’s not all. When prepping a week’s worth of lunches for two, you can use a recipe that serves ten and portion it into five meals over the week. It’s a huge cost savings method when you do the math!
Also, whoever said healthy eating is expensive probably never tried meal prepping. Choosing sustainable Asian food/meals in advance can be the perfect way to ensure your healthy lunches/dinners don’t break the bank. You can avoid impulse purchases and buy in bulk to cut back further.
5. You’ll Develop a Better Relationship with Food
When you plan your meals, you can learn more about nutrition and how to measure the energy and nutrients you get from each food group. People who meal prep often research facts about potential recipes, learning more about their food choices over time.
Moreover, you will be less likely to reach for processed or packaged foods when you have healthy and delicious meals waiting for you in the fridge.
Cooking at home also gives you more control over the ingredients. You consume less sodium, salt, saturated fat, and sugar than you would be eating out. Healthy, fulfilling meals keep you satiated for longer, so you’ll eat only when you’re hungry instead of snacking mindlessly.
6. You’ll Stress Less
It takes a ton of mental energy to think about what you’re going to eat, especially when you’re exhausted at the end of a long workday. Most people come home and have no idea what to cook- and that’s just as stressful.
End-of-the-day burnout can also fuel decision fatigue, leading us to choices we might not make normally. However, if you use your day off to plan and prep ahead of time, then you’ll have everything you need to cook healthy vegan recipes right at your fingertips. Make some room for leftovers in your meal plan, and you can give yourself additional days off.
You Can Flex Your Creativity
Think meal planning can get boring? Think again!
Because meal prepping leaves plenty of room for creativity, you’ll hardly get bored of what’s on your plate- even though some meals may repeat. There are near-infinite sources of inspiration- from cookbooks to social media, meaning you’ll never run out of ideas for vegan gluten-free recipes.
Change up your sheet pan meals, try new grain bowls, or sample salads from different cuisines- the possibilities are endless. In case you’re feeling particularly ambitious, you could even challenge yourself to a color theme every week.
Wrapping Up
Prepping a week’s meals may sound daunting on paper, but once you consider the pros, you’d want to get on it pronto. It could take time to try different approaches before you settle into a routine of your own. But we suggest you don’t give up too quickly, because all the benefits we listed are worth the effort!
Add some flavor to your weekly meals with Mekhala Living! Our range of organic Asian food products can elevate your Asian cooking experience like nothing else. Order online or use our store locator to find a nearby retailer today!
