6 Unbelievable Reasons to Start Meal Prepping Now

Have you ever said, “I’ll start eating healthy on Monday,” only to get derailed by Wednesday? Many of us start the week with good intentions, writing down what we plan to eat and vowing to skip that sugary coffee drink. But what if you really want to set yourself up for success, healthy eating starts with meal planning and prepping ahead of time. Meal prep includes planning meals, shopping, storing, and cooking your food ahead of time. Taking time to meal prep makes it easier for you to eat healthier all week long, and it has some other surprising benefits!

1. Meal prepping reduces stress

When you grocery shop, do you wander around the store and grab random items you think are healthy or convenient? Meal prepping makes shopping much easier. When you meal prep, you will decide what to eat ahead of time and make a list of what you need. Then, you can take your grocery list to the store or order your groceries for delivery or pickup. This takes all of the guesswork out of shopping, making it easier than ever! 

2. Meal prepping reduces waste

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that food waste is “30-40 percent of the food supply” between consumers and the food service industry. If you want to cut down on food waste in your home, meal prepping is an easy way to reduce waste because you are planning the majority of your meals. You can even plan how you will use food scraps by using them to make vegetable broths or tossing them in the compost bin. 

3. Meal prepping prevents boredom

Do you eat the same thing all the time? Meal prepping helps you try new foods and new recipes so you are always experimenting and don’t get bored. While you can definitely rely on your favorite foods from time to time, it is also fun to get out of your comfort zone. Experiment with foods from different cultures including unique spices to keep it fresh and different. 

4. Meal prepping saves money

When you don’t plan meals, you are more likely to spend money dining out or grabbing fast food. This isn’t as healthy as meal prepping, and it is expensive. When you meal prep, you will save money by spending less on takeout, dining out, and the drive-thru. 

5. Meal prepping is convenient 

Meal prepping makes eating every meal more convenient. In a rush to get to work in the morning? Grab your Teami MIXit blender with your smoothie ingredients already loaded before you leave the house. Breakfast is served! That’s just one example of how meal prepping makes eating easier. After a long day of work take your meal out of the slow cooker or heat it up, because it’s already prepared! 

6. Meal prepping helps you lose weight

If your goal is to lose weight, meal prepping is one of the most useful things you can do! When you don’t meal prep, you are more likely to reach for foods that aren’t nutritious or foods that are convenient. This can lead to eating too many snacks, unhealthy foods, and a lot of fast food or takeout meals. When you meal prep, you are more intentional about what you are eating and what you are preparing, which sets you up for success!

Three EASY Meal Prep Recipes

If you have no idea where to start with meal prep, give these easy recipes a try and you will see just how easy meal prepping can be! 

15-Minute Buddha Bowl 

Serves 4

Make this super simple and nutritious buddha bowl ahead of time and enjoy it for several meals throughout the week! 

Ingredients 

• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup canned, rinsed chickpeas
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 mandarin orange, peeled and divided 
• 1 cup raspberries
• 3 carrots, peeled and shredded
• 2 tablespoons of your favorite dressing or dip (such as hummus)

Directions

Add greens to a large bowl and top with all of the ingredients. Divide into four servings and store in glass containers. Store in the refrigerator. Serve cold, topped with your favorite dressing or mixed with hummus or dip. 

Simple & Spicy Vegetarian Chili Recipe

Serves 6

Meal prepping gets even SIMPLER when you use a slow cooker! Add your ingredients, let it cook, and you have food for days. Plus, this chili recipe is filling and packed with antioxidants. 

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional)
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chili powder (or more depending on your spice tolerance)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 can (28 ounces) tomato sauce 
• 1 can diced tomatoes 
• 1 can diced chilies 
• ½ cup lentils
• 1 cup vegetable broth

For garnishing (optional)

• Chopped cilantro
• Juice of one lime 
• Dollop of Greek yogurt 
• Shredded cheese or vegan cheese shreds (like Daiya)

Directions

Add all ingredients except for the garnishes to a large slow cooker. Stir until everything is mixed together. Cook on low for up to seven hours or on high for four hours. Top with garnishes and enjoy! 

5-Minute Energy Oatmeal Power Balls

Makes 12 balls

Ditch pre-packaged snacks and have these handy at all times for when you need a quick bite and a blast of protein. 

• ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup 80% cacao dark chocolate chips
• 1 scoop Teami Vanilla Wellness Protein or Teami Chocolate Wellness Protein
• 1 ½ cup rolled oats (not instant oats)
• ½ cup ground flaxseeds
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons honey

Directions 

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. When mixed, let sit in the refrigerator for ten minutes. Remove from the fridge and roll into balls (recipe yields approximately 12 bites). Store the balls in a container lined with parchment paper. 

One last thing…

Anyone can give their lifestyle a healthy upgrade by meal prepping. When you take the time to truly think about what you are eating and what you want your diet to look like, it is amazing how you can transform your health! Don’t be afraid to get in the kitchen and experiment. Find what you like and explore even more recipes that Teami has to offer.