Meal prepping is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Although you might think of meal prep as a concept that only bodybuilders are obsessed with, you’d be incorrect. Busy mothers, broke students, and athletes all utilize the idea of cooking their food in bulk. It helps you stay on track with a diet, saves you both time and money, and also teaches you a new skill.

How Does It Save Time?

You're probably thinking that preparing food for the whole week must take 10

hours, or at least much more time than you'd usually spend cooking.

Nope.

The biggest thing that saves you time when meal prepping is not doing the same menial tasks repeatedly.

You don’t need to heat up the oven or stove ten times, just like you don't need to wash a different knife every time you cut some vegetables.

Since everything is prepared in bulk, you’ll only need a few knives and utensils, and you most definitely won’t need to heat the stove up for every different meal you prepare.

How Does It Save Money?

Eating out isn't necessarily destroying your budget, but eating out too often probably is. Many of us tend to eat out when we're too lazy to prepare a real meal or just don't have the time needed to prepare anything half decent.

Also, since you’ll be bulk buying the ingredients needed for the meal prep, you can find great deals and stock up on the food that’s at a discount at that time.

 

How Does It Help Your Diet?

It's easy to misjudge the number of calories or macronutrients you consume daily. It isn't rare that people are off by 50%, both North and South of the actual number of calories and macros they eat.

This is where meal prepping comes in handy because your meals will be pre-weighted, and you'll know exactly what you're consuming. Even if you eat something that's not already prepared, it's much easier to calculate it in when all of your other meals are taken care of.

Preparing your meals also means consuming less processed foods, contributing to your overall health.

 

The Challenge

 So, now that I have your attention let's get to the challenge.

The challenge will be split into 4 weeks, where you'll get a certain goal for each day along the way.

Each week will get progressively more challenging, culminating in the fourth week, where you'll need to meal prep for all three meals of every single day of that week.

 

Week 1

During your first week, you’ll only need to prepare breakfasts that will last you five days.

If this seems too easy, don’t worry, we’ll ramp up the difficulty in the following weeks.

 

Days 1 & 2 – Make A Meal Plan and Go Shopping

Failing to plan is planning to fail, so that’s why we’re starting with the foundation of meal prepping.

You can’t bulk prepare meals if you’re just freestyling as you go.

Well, technically, you can, but good luck with that.

Your goals for the first two days are to write down a meal plan and see what ingredients you'll need, then go and stock up!

If you don’t have any breakfast ideas, you can check the end of this challenge for an idea.

You can either stick to only one breakfast or prepare five different ones. It's all on you.

 

Day 3 – Cook!

Once you have got everything down in the first two days, it's time to get cooking!

Use your kitchen scale to accurately measure your meals and food containers to keep everything nice and fresh in your fridge.

You should prepare five breakfasts that will last you till the end of the week.

 

Day 4 – Reflect

The goal of today is to reflect on the process so far and think of ways you can make your meal prep more effective.

Do you need two days to cook all of your food? Are the portion sizes good for you? What foods don’t taste good after sitting in the fridge?

 

Day 5 – Rest or Plan Meals

You can use this day as a rest day from meal prepping, but you can also use it

to plan meals for the next week if you don’t want to wait for tomorrow.

Your next challenge will be preparing breakfast and dinner for the whole week!

 

Day 6 – Grocery and Planning Time!

 Ah yes, that time of the week again.

If you didn't use yesterday to plan your meals, you could do so now.

Afterward, get to the grocery store and stock up on the stuff you'll need for the next week!

This week's meal prep will probably take much longer than the first one, so be ready.

 

Day 7 – Cook

Breakfasts and dinners are usually less demanding than lunch for most people, and that's why that is your challenge for this week. So, prepare the two meals for the next 7 days and good luck!

Week 2

 This week will be all about breakfast and dinner.

Since you have already prepared all the food you'll need for this week, you can just sit back for the first four days and enjoy.

 

Day 1 to 4 – Reflect and Rest

Again, what could’ve you done better? Do you like the food you're preparing? How is everything going so far?

Enjoy the fruits (and other food) of your labor and get ready for the preparation for next week.

 

Day 5 – Meal Plan

Although you could theoretically both plan your meals and grocery shop today, I advise you not to do so.

The reason is that the next challenge is to prepare 7 days’ worth of lunch and dinner.

Think this one through entirely and revise the plan a few times since this will be the most meal prep you’ve done so far.

Day 6 – Grocery Shopping

It's time to get back into action.

Review your meal plan one last time and grab everything you need for tomorrow.

 

Day 7 – Cook, Cook, and Cook!

You're on your third meal prep of the challenge—only one more to go.

This one will probably consume more time than the last two, but it will be well worth it since all of the biggest meals of the day will be taken care of!

Week 3

You'll be preparing all three meals at the end of this week, but first, enjoy the lunch and dinner you have already prepared.

Day 1 to 4 – Reflect and Rest

How do you like meal preparation so far? Is it worth the hassle? Do you feel a noticeable difference with not having to cook every day?

Day 5 – Meal Plan

Once again, be meticulous about this meal plan since you'll need a lot of groceries.

You can reuse the old recipes and meal ideas you used, or you can try new ones out.

Day 6 – Grocery Shopping

Come on, you can do it!

It may hurt the wallet to buy so much stuff at once, but trust me, it will be worth it in the long run.

 

Day 7 – Cook, Cook, and Cook!

The end is near!

You can see the mountain top, you’re almost there.

Prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next 7 days.

Week 4

You made it to the promised land, all of your meals for this week are prepared, and your only job is just to eat.

How magnificent is that?

Day 1 to 7– Reflect and Rest

Unless you want to make meal prep a part of your life, your job here is done.

How was the whole experience? Do you feel like you actually saved time and money in the process? Have you fallen in love with the act of cooking?

Meal Ideas

There are endless options for things you can prepare, but here are some of the meals I love to make!

The amount of food needed for the lunch makes up 1 portion.

Breakfast – Yogurt Parfait

What you’ll need:

-A cup

-Yogurt

-Berry mix

-Granola or nuts

 

How to prepare:

-Pour 1/3 of a cup of yogurt into the cup

-Add 1/3 of a cup of berries

-Pour the remaining 1/3 of the cup of yogurt

-Top off with some granola or nuts

-Mix it up

 

Lunch – Rice and Chicken with Cheese

 

This meal will give you around 80 grams of protein!

The amount of food mentioned makes up 1 portion.

 

What you’ll need:

-Chicken breast (350 grams, raw)

-Rice - whatever kind you prefer (30-50 grams, raw)

-Mushroom (80 grams, raw)

-Cottage cheese (100 grams)

-Olive oil

 

How to prepare:

-Cook the mushrooms in olive oil

-Add the rice when the mushrooms get close to being cooked

-Add water and let it cook until the rice is ready

-Cook the chicken and season it to your liking

-When everything is done, add cottage cheese to everything and store it in your container