4 Ways Meal Prep Can Reduce Your Stress (Especially During a Pandemic)
Meal prepping can be daunting. Who really wants to spend 8 hours on a Sunday in their kitchen preparing 21 meals (many more if cooking for more than one person) for the week? Luckily, it doesn’t have to be that intense. Meal prep can be as simple as ordering takeout and portioning it out for a few meals, as complex as prepping every single meal for the week, or somewhere in between.
However you choose to do it, some level of meal prep can go a long way in reducing your stress. Here are 4 ways it can help you:
Reduce decision fatigue
Do you want to spend half your lunch break thinking about what you want to eat? What you meal prepped may not always be exactly what you’re in the mood for, but eating something good that’s already made is often better than wasting 30 minutes trying to figure out what your taste buds are craving.
Free up your time
Now that many of us eat most of our meals at home, making 3 meals a day plus snacks every day when we’re hungry is pretty played out. It’s nice to go in the fridge and pull out food you’ve already made and just need to heat up. This leaves you with more time to relax, connect with loved ones, and do fun stuff. Not a morning morning person? Making your breakfast ahead (even if only the night before) will give you more time to sleep in.
Save money
While there are exceptions, the vast majority of people will be able to save money by meal prepping. A dozen eggs and a loaf of bread can make several great breakfast sandwiches and probably costs less than one fast food breakfast. In this time of uncertainty, cutting your expenses if you’re able to can reduce your financial stress and meal prep offers an opportunity to do so.
Reduce contamination anxiety
Most of us weren’t that vigilant about wiping down our packages and food containers prior to COVID-19, but many of us have now adopted disinfecting regimens for everything that comes into our homes. Depending on your level of comfort with “outside food,” you may be more at ease with sticking to foods prepared at home or at least reducing your consumption of food you didn’t prepare.
Need help getting started with meal prepping and planning? Check out our Meal Planner in our Shop. Not only does it provide the perfect template for planning out your meals, but also, it’s a great resource for meal inspiration.
