I first started meal prepping around 4 years ago as a way to save time making my lunch for work every night, I really enjoyed being prepared for the week ahead and loved the variety of meals that could be made ahead of time. I then began working away from home 5 days a week and, although it was great at first to eat out every night, I didn't feel like I had a routine (and eating out alone 4 nights a week gets boring). I began to make a weeks worth of dinners as well as a weeks work of lunch (which would be a chicken wrap and some mini snack packs). I would arrive at work and unload my food for the week. Each night I would cook my food at work, put it in a food flask and go to my hotel for the evening. Having a homecooked meal each night made me feel so much better, and i had a routine again. 

I now work from home and still meal prep once a week, either a Monday or a Friday I will prepare my breakfast (Baked oats), this will make 8 servings so i know this is a week and a half prepped for. I then make my lunch, which is always a one pot dish packed with veggies and protein and I will make 5-8 servings, depending on the recipe. 
 

Is meal prep easy?

Meal prep is as easy or as complicated as you make it. If you decide to make a breaded chicken dish (for example) this will be time consuming to make and will be quite messy so will involve a big clean up. If you make a huge pot of chilli, this is one dish and minimal mess therefor, perfect for meal prep!!. The more you prep, the more adventurous you can be. I will often buy a large pack of chicken and make 2 different recipes that are one pots and more or less have the same ingredients (one creamy dish and one tomato based dish).

Is meal prep expensive?

No, meal prep is not expensive, in fact you will find that food goes much further. I love filling my recipes with whatever veggies that are around, my baked oats usually contain fruit from the previous week as I make this on a Friday or a Monday before I do the food shop.

Do I have to make multiple meals on one day?

No, you do not need to spend a full day cooking various meals. I you are making a meal for the simply have a think about making twice as much, or if could you add something to this to make it a different meal. You could also do your meal prep whilst you are making something else as the recipes I have added all take around 45mins (including chopping veg etc) and all just use one pan.

Do I have to follow recipes to the letter?

Absolutely not! often my recipes are based around what I have in. Once you begin shopping for your sauce staples, you will always have  ingredients for a basic tomato sauce in your cupboard, which you can then build on as you like with herbs/spices that you enjoy. 

What do I need?

All you need is space in your freezer (I allocate one drawer to all my meals), Freeze able tubs and a pen/post-it note so you don't forget what you've made.