Mindful Meal Prep Tips for the New Year
As we step into the New Year, many of us are eager to create healthier habits, especially around food. One way to start making these changes is by implementing meal prep into your routine, which can not only help you create healthier habits, but save you time, money, and stress during the week!
In this post, I am going to share practical tips to incorporate meal prep into your routine to create healthier, more mindful habits that support you all year round.
Planning Ahead
Planning your weekly meal ideas before you head to the grocery store is important to ensure a smooth meal-prepping process.
Below I've shared a few steps to consider when it comes to planning ahead and being more successful with meal prep.
Figure out what you want to eat
When planning any meal, whether it was prepped ahead of time or not, I always encourage you to ask yourself what sounds good to eat.
I know this may seem like a silly place to start, but I encourage this for good reason. Feeling satisfied with what you're eating is one of the keys to staying consistent, not overdoing it, and having a good connection between your body, mind, and food.
Other important factors to consider when creating satisfying meals include getting balance from multiple food groups. I've created an entire blog post discussing Simple Ways to Prep Food Groups to Create Balanced Meals throughout the week, you can read more here!
Plan around your weekly activities
Depending on how often you go grocery shopping, look at the days or week(s) ahead and see what your schedule looks like. What days will you be busy and have less time to cook or put meals/snacks together on the spot? What days do you have extra free time where you could take some time to cook a meal or get things prepped for another busy day?
On days when you are less busy, you can prep small things ahead of time (i.e. chopping up vegetables for a stir fry), plan to cook a meal from scratch that day or take more time to decide what you want to eat that day.
On days when you have more going on, plan to have meals/snacks ready before that day comes by either prepping ingredients ahead of time or relying on leftovers from a previous day in the week.
Double-check your fridge and pantry before heading to the store
One thing that can not only make your life easier but also save you some money is incorporating food into your weekly dishes that you already have in the house.
For example, that bag of spinach you bought last week that's starting to get bad in your fridge? Use that in a delicious pasta dish for extra nutrients and less waste!
Or that chicken broth you thought you needed to buy for a recipe this week? Turns out you had some in your pantry hiding behind a box of mac and cheese!
My point is, be sure to check your fridge and pantry before you go and see if there are any options you can use to make a meal that will cut back on what you have to buy or can be added to one of your meals so it doesn't go to waste.
Create a shopping list
Once your meal ideas are set, make a detailed shopping list. Having a list helps you stay focused at the grocery store, preventing impulse purchases, and ensuring you have all the ingredients you need for your meals. This can also help reduce food waste as well.
Schedule Dedicated Meal Prep Time
Make meal prep a non-negotiable part of your weekly routine by scheduling dedicated time for it. Whether it's a Sunday afternoon or a quiet evening during the week, having a set time ensures that meal prep becomes a consistent habit each week.
That being said, I also understand life happens. You may have kids, other family members you are helping out, extracurricular activities, and more that can make dedicating time to meal prep not as easy as it sounds.
Keep in mind that even a little meal prep can go a long way. Maybe you didn't have time to pre-chop all of your fruits and vegetables for the week but you did have time for making a batch of rice that is ready to go for a couple of recipes you are making this week.
Or maybe you only had time to write a plan out of what you want to eat during the week and nothing else.
The point is, meal prep can look different each week, and being able to dedicate any amount of time to planning ahead can help your future self out during the week
Batch cook for efficiency
Consider batch cooking on a designated day of the week as well. Prepare larger quantities of staple items like grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, or quinoa. This not only saves time but also provides a foundation with ingredients for assembling different meals throughout the week.
Mix and match prepped ingredients
Keep it interesting during the week by preparing ingredients that can be mixed and matched for a variety of meals.
For example, roast a variety of vegetables that can be added to salads, wraps, or bowls. This way, you can create different combinations with less prep and without feeling like you're eating the same thing every day.
Utilize Freezer-Friendly Options
Certain dishes freeze well, making them a great option for meal prep if you're someone who likes the entire meal to be ready to go versus just the ingredients to assemble the day of.
Consider preparing soups, stews, or casseroles in large batches and freezing individual portions. This way, you'll have a variety of ready-made meals on hand for days when time is tight.
Experiment with New Recipes
Keep things interesting by trying out new recipes regularly. Plan to try one new dish per month (or however frequently you'd like) that you've seen online, in a cookbook, from someone else, etc. This prevents boredom with your meal choices and allows you to discover new favorite dishes.
If you're looking for new recipes to try you can get 20 balanced recipes to try and more meal planning tips with my Weekly Meal Planning Guide
Stay flexible
While meal prep provides structure, it's essential to stay flexible so it doesn't add stress to your life. Be open to adjusting your plan as needed. because life can be unpredictable. Having a flexible approach to your meal prep routine will help you sustain it in the long run.
Celebrate Wins
Finally, celebrate your meal prep wins! Whether it's sticking to your plan for the week, prepping a single ingredient, trying a new recipe, or noticing positive changes in your energy levels, acknowledge and celebrate your achievements on this journey toward more mindful eating habits.
By following these tips, you can set yourself up for success during the week when it comes to mealtime.
Here's to a year filled with delicious, nutritious meals that nourish both body and mind!
Mindful Dietitian Taylor
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