How to Meal Prep Quickly | 5 Easy Meal Prep Hacks That Will Change Your Life

Do you feel like you’re constantly struggling to find enough time in your day to get everything done? Are you not eating as healthy as you’d like to be, which leads to fatigue, low energy, gut issues, headaches, and poor sleep? If this is you, you’re not alone! In such a fast-paced world, many of us have a laundry list of responsibilities each day, which makes it challenging to find time to balance our own needs and health priorities. However, in order to live a long, happy, healthy life, it’s so important to put yourself on the priority list. One of the best ways to set yourself up for success is to prepare your meals ahead of time. I know, the thought of adding meal prep to your to-do list might fill you with stress and anxiety, but I’m here to give you 5 easy meal prep hacks so you can learn how to meal prep quickly! Let’s dive in!

Why You Should Meal Prep

Meal prep has increased in popularity over the past several years, and for good reason. There are a ton of benefits of meal prepping. The truth is that meal prep, when done right, can eliminate the stress and anxiety of wondering what you should eat for every meal and snack. Plus, it can save you time, make your life easier, and give you amazing results!

You know the saying, failing to plan is planning to fail. With meal prep, you have a solid plan laid out, which makes it easier to follow when your kitchen is stocked with healthy meals prepared and ready to eat! You’re more likely to grab a healthy meal when it’s ready to go rather than head to the drive through when you have nothing prepared to eat.

I recommend setting aside a day each week to tackle meal prep. It’s a total game-changer to put in the work once and reap the benefits all week long!

However, I know what you’re thinking, “How is meal prepping going to save me time? It sounds like more work.”

Truthfully, it does take work. BUT, spending an extra hour or two one day a week to meal prep will actually save you HOURS of planning and prep work during your busy week! We’ve all been there on a Tuesday night when the kids are starving and you have no idea what to make for dinner, so you end up ordering takeout and feeling bloated and blah all the next day. Meal prepping can help you combat that (and save calories and money!). Now I’ve got your attention!

How to Meal Prep Quickly

Luckily, you can take back control of your week and start prepping healthy, easy, and delicious foods quickly with a few simple meal prep hacks. Just imagine how great it will feel to not stress about meals and have everything ready at your fingertips all week long! Follow this simple step-by-step guide for meal prep success!

5 Life-Changing Meal Prep Hacks

#1: Pick a Day to Meal Prep

Some of my clients do all of their meal prepping on Sunday, while others pick two days a week and break up meal prep for the week. The key is to find what works best for you and your schedule. There is no right answer when it comes to when to meal prep. Your schedule may change week-to-week also. If you typically do meal prep on Sundays, but one weekend you’re on a family vacation until Monday, you can do your meal prep on Tuesday that week. There are no rules!

#2: Prep Your Fruits and Veggies

Having your fruits and veggies washed, cut, and ready to go will ensure these delicious healthy carbs get added to your meals, snacks, and smoothies! Plus, when hunger strikes, it’ll be much easier to look in the refrigerator and opt for fruits or veggies instead of packaged, processed junk if it’s ready to eat.

#3: Prep Your Snacks

Similarly, when hunger strikes midday and you need a snack to get you through to dinner, don’t grab something loaded with sugar and wasted calories. Instead, reach for that delicious, healthy snack you meal prepped instead. A few of my favorite options are hummus and veggies, trail mix with gogi berries, almonds and pumpkin seeds, an apple with a few almonds or a tablespoon of peanut butter, or a healthy homemade granola bar. These snacks are so easy and quick to meal prep ahead of time and will keep you satiated and on track!

#4: Prep Your Smoothies

Smoothies are already easy to prepare, but what if I said you can simplify your smoothie game even more? You can! To quickly meal prep your smoothies, add all of your ingredients into freezer safe bags and store them in your freezer. When you’re ready, pour the contents into your blender, add your favorite dairy free milk, and blend. Then you have a delicious snack or meal ready to go in just a couple minutes.

#5: Prep Your Kitchen

One of the keys to meal prepping quickly is to set your kitchen up for meal prep success. Sticky notes are a game-changer for getting your kitchen organized.

Thank you to a past client for sharing this little meal prep hack with me and our community!
First, write down what you need for your recipe on your sticky note. Place it on the counter or cabinet for quick reference while prepping. While you have a protein cooking in one pan, you can be preparing and chopping veggies and fruits at the same time. Have your containers laid out in front of you like an assembly line so they’re ready for you to place your food into.

I know that life is busy, but that doesn’t mean we need to choose convenience over healthy cooked foods. Like I mentioned, meal prep can actually save you a ton of stress, anxiety, time, calories, and money in the long-run!

With weekly meal prep, you will find yourself eating out less and enjoying more time during the week and more meaningful meals with your family. Before you know it, you’ll be looking forward to prepping your food for the week and will get quicker each time.

Just don’t forget to have fun with it! Meal prepping doesn’t have to feel like a chore. Turn on some good music (that’s a must!), grab your recipes, and get prepping. You can even get your family involved too. You may find that your pickiest of eaters will want to try new things when they help choose the recipes and prepare them. That’s a mom hack AND a meal prep hack for you!

If you’re looking for the best meal prep recipes to get you started, check out my Ultimate Meal Prep Recipe Bundle and Guide! This cookbook is full of tried and true meal prep recipes, tricks, and methods to make meal prepping quicker, easier, and more efficient. You’ll find over 100 recipes, including soups, smoothies, instant pot recipes, air fryer recipes, snacks, and emergency meal options!

I’d love to hear which meal prep hacks were most helpful for you. Comment below and let me know!