Being a college student ain’t easy. You have to attend lectures and seminars, keep up with extra-curricular, and run a side hustle to pay for all those pints with the lads. It’s easy to get side-tracked on your fitness goals and become an unwilling slave to the takeout lord. Here are five things you can do instead to waltz your way to meal prep heaven!
1. Make a Plan: Having a plan in place is the key to successful meal prepping. If you’re just starting out, it might seem like a daunting task to anticipate what you’d like to eat for each meal of the week. When you’re armed with a solid meal prep plan, however, eating healthy becomes the easiest thing in the world. Mix up your meals to avoid eating the same things all seven days of the week. Why not experiment with different condiments or even try your hand at a couple of new cuisines?
2. Keep it Simple: Don’t get carried away while planning your meals. Some dishes may sound more delicious than others but you must take into account the time required to prepare them. So long as you cover all the major food groups, you’re golden. Start out with simple but nutritious recipes that will last you the week without making you feel like a MasterChef finalist who lost out on the trophy.
3. Store it All: Before you whip out the apron and cook up a storm, make sure you have ample space to store the mountain of food comfortably. Reusable and microwaveable containers that can be stacked on top of one another are your best bet. Serve the fish and poultry first and keep the whole cuts for later in the week as they have a longer shelf life. Stick on labels and name them accordingly for easy organisation.
4. List it Out: This may sound like a no-brainer but is actually super helpful for when you’re out shopping and can’t recall exactly what you need. Make a list of all the things you’ll use through the week to avoid impulse buys at the supermarket. Always double check your pantry first so you don’t end up with more jars of food than you can finish.
College can be busy enough trying to find suitable accommodation, getting along with your roommates, making it to classes on time, and keeping those grades high. With so much piled on your plate (pun intended), why not play around with these tips and tricks to keep your health in check? Happy prepping!
Written by Ayushi Pareek
