On stressful, packed days your diet often suffers. After a long working day you have no time or energy to cook something fresh, so you reach for quick, unhealthy frozen products instead? Over time you quickly lose track of how much you're eating! Meal prep is a clever way to keep an exact eye on your portions. Depending on your goal, it makes it easier to lose weight, build up or maintain it. We explain what meal prep means and how best to use it.
What does meal prep mean?
Meal prep is short for "meal preparation". It means cooking meals ahead of time. The term is broad and ranges from preparing food for tomorrow's lunch break to freezing meals well in advance. With meal prep you can prepare whole meals as well as individual parts of your meal, such as the side dish, for one or several days. The absolute pros of meal prep even plan their meals for a whole week ahead! That way you use your time in the kitchen effectively and don't have to get the dishes out and put them away again and again.
The benefits of meal prep
Preparing your meals in advance brings lots of benefits! You save time and effort, especially on stressful days, because you only have to plan and cook once. With a clear overview you can also save money: you only buy what you really need for your dishes. This way you avoid impulse buys and automatically eat healthier, because you don't have the chance to reach for unhealthy snacks. On top of that, you can organise your day much more flexibly, as you don't have to deal with your meals several times and can eat right away when you're hungry.
If you ever don't have time to cook, our Frank Soups can take the work off your hands. Our soups are full of important nutrients and can give you energy for the day as a complete meal prep meal.
The downsides of meal prep
Preparing several meals in advance can be confusing at first! You need to be able to estimate portion sizes accurately, shop accordingly and cook several dishes at once. You may also still be hungry after your meal, or you eat too much, which in turn leads to weight gain. Although you gain flexibility in your day, you lose flexibility when it comes to eating. You might suddenly fancy something and have an appetite for it, but not have it at home. But practice makes perfect here too! Structure and planning are decisive in meal prep.
From meal prep beginner to meal prep pro
Every beginning is hard, and you first have to find your way into the world of meal prep. If you've never looked into it before, it's best to start simple: instead of cooking whole meals ahead right away, begin with individual meal components, for example different grains. Then you can work up to complete meals and finally increase the number of meals.
Once you're ready to prepare several meals at once, aim for variety and a balanced diet so you don't eat the same thing every day. Swap out individual parts of your dish or add new ones. That way you look forward to it again every day. As an absolute pro you should also pay attention to how long your dishes keep. Cooked plant-based meals keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge without problems. Raw vegetables and fruit, depending on type and condition, can only be kept for half that time. If you want to extend the shelf life, freeze your meals in suitable containers after they've cooled. That way you can keep prepared food for weeks and simply defrost it when needed. After defrosting, though, the meal must be eaten straight away and can't be frozen again. Meal prep isn't about only being allowed to eat what you prepare yourself. Feel free to include a yoghurt, a fruit and nut bar and our juices in your plan.
On stressful, tightly packed days your diet often suffers. After a long day at work you don't have the time or the energy to cook something fresh, so you reach for quick, unhealthy frozen products instead? In the long run you very quickly lose track of how much you are eating! Meal prep is a clever way to keep a close eye on your portions. Depending on your goal, it makes it easier to lose weight, build up or maintain it. We explain what meal prep means and how best to use it.
What does meal prep mean?
Meal prep is short for "meal preparation" and means cooking meals in advance. It is a broad term that ranges from preparing food for tomorrow's lunch break to freezing meals well ahead of time. With meal prep you can prepare whole meals or individual parts of your meal, such as the side dish, for one or several days. The absolute meal prep pros even plan their meals for a whole week ahead! That way you use your time in the kitchen effectively and don't have to get the dishes out and put them away again and again.
The benefits of meal prep
Preparing your meals in advance has lots of benefits! You save time and effort, especially on stressful days, because you only have to plan and cook once. With a clear overview you can also save money: you only buy what you really need for your dishes. That way you avoid impulse buys and eat healthier automatically, because you don't have the chance to fall back on unhealthy snacks. On top of that, you can organise your day much more flexibly, since you don't have to deal with your meals several times and can eat straight away when you are hungry.
If you ever don't have time to cook, our Frank Soups can take the work off your hands too. Our soups are full of important nutrients and can give you energy for the day as a complete meal prep meal.
The downsides of meal prep
Preparing several meals in advance can be confusing at first! You have to be able to estimate portion sizes accurately, shop accordingly and cook several dishes at once. And you may still be hungry after your meal, or you eat too much, which in turn leads to weight gain. Although you gain flexibility in your daily routine, you lose flexibility when it comes to eating. You might suddenly fancy something, but not have it at home. But practice makes perfect here too! Structure and planning are therefore key in meal prep.
From meal prep beginner to meal prep pro
Every beginning is hard and you first have to find your way into the world of meal prep. If you have never looked into the topic, it's best to start simple: instead of cooking whole meals in advance straight away, begin with individual meal components, for example different types of grain. Then you can work your way up to complete meals and finally increase the number of meals.
Once you are ready to prepare several meals at once, make sure you have variety and a balanced diet so you don't eat the same thing every day. Swap out individual parts of your dish or add new ones. That way you look forward to it afresh every day. As an absolute pro, you should also pay attention to how long your dishes keep. Cooked plant-based meals keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days without any problem. Raw vegetables and fruit can only be kept for half that time, depending on type and condition. If you want to extend the shelf life, freeze your meals in suitable containers once they have cooled. That way you can store already prepared food for weeks and simply defrost it when needed. Once defrosted, however, the meal must be eaten straight away and cannot be frozen again. Meal prep isn't about only being allowed to eat what you prepare yourself. You are very welcome to work a yoghurt, a fruit and nut bar and our juices into your plan too.
Had enough to eat?
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