Have you ever wondered why that super-organized person at work is always gabbing about prepping meals and adding to her grocery list so she’ll be ready when she heads to the supermarket? Have you ever wondered why that guy whose weight has been steadily falling throughout this year also seems to have the most well put-together lunch in the office? It’s very unlikely that these people get up an hour earlier than you do just so they can channel their inner master chef and come up with fantastic things to eat.
Instead, it is far more likely that they’ve been taught the benefits of prepping meals ahead of time and have effectively worked it into their daily routines. This isn’t just a matter of being on top of things. There is a very long list of advantages to taking on this habit.
See if the following benefits of prepping meals in advance can convince you to give it a try.
It’s a timesaver – believe it or not, while it does seem like you’re taking an extra step, it actually stops you from having to spend a lot more time every day standing in front of the open fridge, wondering what you’re going to have to eat. Doing it ahead of time in an organized fashion will save you a ton of time each week.
It’s a great way to make healthful choices – by getting your meals ready in advance, you will allow yourself to make rational choices for tasty, nutritious meals that fit well into your diet. This helps to reduce the risk of making food decisions based exclusively on convenience and hunger. The result is usually more balanced eating habits and better weight management.
It’s a stress reducer – when you’ve prepared your food in advance, you’ll never (or at least rarely) ever have to face that last minute rush as you try to wolf down any breakfast you can find so you won’t be late for work, and you won’t end up jamming virtually anything into a lunch bag or feeling guilty when you skip that step and get take-out for lunch instead. You’ll have your dinner ready to cook once you get home without having to make any decisions or do any of the time-consuming prep tasks. Suddenly, your mealtime stress will melt away.
It’s great for saving money – when you plan ahead, you’ll find that you need to make fewer last minute trips to the supermarket and you won’t throw out nearly as much spoiled food at the end of every week.
