Meal prepping before your weekly shop has several advantages. It can help you to stick to your dietary regime and, therefore, complement your physical workout sessions and overall training programme.
It can also assist with time management because you will always know which meals you have got coming up for the next seven days without always having to improvise in the kitchen from what is available. Furthermore, meal prepping before shopping will often mean you lower your overall grocery expenditure.
Not only should you find that you cut down on needless food waste – something which is, incidentally, good for the environment – but you will also avoid buying things that you don’t really need and won’t consume until after your next shop. What are the keys to planning a seven-day grocery shop?
Plan Seven Main Meals
Start with the main meal you will consume each day. Traditionally, this is the evening dinner in the UK with a variation on Sunday when lunch is the main mealtime.
That said, your lifestyle may not suit this approach. Perhaps you work weekends or night shifts, for example? Nevertheless, what you will want is seven meal plans that will collectively count as you main calorie, protein and vitamin intake for the day, hopefully consumed at a time that gives your body maximum time to digest it prior to rest. How much you need will depend on your physical regime but it is best to go for a balanced diet.
This means spreading your carbohydrates out so that you don’t have them all at the start of the week, leaving you feeling lifeless towards the end as you run out of energy.
Ideally, you will have a blend of proteins, too. Not every meal should consist of meat as its primary protein source, however. Prepare some standard ‘meat and two veg’ meals out of the seven but throw in a vegetarian option here and there, as well.
Opt for fish for a minimum of two of your meals, as well. Oily fish, such as mackerel, is ideal because this promotes growth in bodily tissues as well as providing essential fatty acids. Remember that pulses – thinks like lentils, flageolet beans, chickpeas and garden peas – have plenty of protein as well as vitamins so these are good as sides or as the centrepiece of your meal.
Once you have seven meals planned with a broad balance of everything your body needs, it is time to think about your other meals.
Breakfasts
Purchase sufficient breakfast cereals and bread to give your morning a good start. Some protein from butter or a low-fat alternative will also help to get your body working.
Fruit is a great complement to any breakfast but avoid the temptation to juice everything since this breaks down some of the goodness that your body would otherwise be able to take on board. Remember that foodstuffs like bread will freeze so you shouldn’t need to buy another loaf mid-week if you run out. Just keep an extra one in the freezer to top up your weekly supply.
Lunches & Snacks
Plan your lunches and rewards, as well. If these fall outside of your preparations some of the good work of prepping will be undone by needless trips to the shops for little rewards.
Have a limited supply of treats that you don’t consume in one go. Things like cheese and biscuits are good reward foods but don’t just eat those sorts of things at lunch. Keep a limit on them. Buy carrots, celery and radishes to eat raw at lunchtime and to fill you up between meals if you get peckish.
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