Choosing and trying your first meal prep method

Now that you’ve learned about different meal prep styles, it’s time to decide what approach works best for you and take action this week.

Step 1: Choose your meal prep style

Meal prep doesn’t have to mean cooking a whole week’s worth of meals in one go. There are different ways to approach it, depending on your lifestyle and preferences.

Which of the following meal prep styles do you want to try first? (Pick one or a mix!)

• Component prep: Preparing key ingredients (e.g., cooked grains, roasted veggies, a sauce or dressing) so you can mix and match during the week.
• Full meal prep: Cooking and portioning out complete meals in advance.
• Batch cooking: Making large batches of meals (e.g., soups, curries, chilli) to freeze for later.
• Hybrid: A mix of the above (e.g., prepping some ingredients, batch-cooking a dish, and leaving room for fresh meals).

Exercise

Decide on the meal prep method/s that you’d like to try first.

Step 2: Plan your meal prep

Now, pick some meal prep items from the ‘Meal prep’ lesson or your own ideas.

Look for inspiration: Read this guide to explore more meal prep ideas.

Exercise

• Write down 2-3 things you’ll prep over the next fortnight.
• Write down when you plan to prep them.

Step 3: Take action!

Over the next week, prep your chosen items and track how it goes.

Reflection questions (jot down notes after trying it):

• What worked well?
• Did this meal prep method make your week easier?
• What would you change next time?

Final thought

Meal prep is all about reducing stress, saving time, and making healthy eating easier. You’ll find what works best for you by experimenting with different approaches!