Meal prep can be tricky, especially if you’re new to it. However, it’s a critical skill to have if you’re practicing intermittent fasting, as it can save you sufficient time and energy. It also relieves the stress of deciding what to eat during the eating window.
Here are a few tips to follow.
Consider All Food Groups
Many people struggle with deciding what to eat during their eating windows. After fasting for several hours, you may crave a particular item and want to eat only that. You may also want to consume foods you don’t have to spend much time preparing and putting together.
The problem arises when you end up skipping certain food groups too often. Unless you’re following a specific diet with particular nutritional requirements, you should consider each food group equally. Salads and fruit bowls alone won’t work. Similarly, you can’t skip healthy fats and only eat lean meats and proteins.
Make meal prep easier by maintaining a balance and considering all food groups. This will also allow you to experiment with more foods and diversify your meals.
Stock Your Pantry
Another thing that can help you stick to your chosen diet plan and plans your meals in advance is stocking your pantry. Ideally, you should have a couple of baseline staples on hand to make menu planning and meal prep easier. For instance, a steady supply of brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, legumes, beans, and baking essentials can help you put together meals effortlessly.
You should also restock fresh produce and meat as per your requirements. Typically, it’s a good idea to have some boneless chicken/fish on hand, alongside veggies like tomatoes, artichokes, carrots, and potatoes, to put together basic meals.
Set a Time
Finally, make sure you consistently make time to plan your meals and prepare for them. It’s best to dedicate a specific time during the week to prepare your meals for the rest of the days. This would make it easier to toss together snacks and other meals when you’re breaking your fast without you having to overexert yourself.
For instance, you can do your meal prep on the days you aren’t fasting, chopping your veggies and marinating fillets beforehand. You can also cook in batches on these days to have ready-to-eat meals for the days you fast. Another way to go about this is by dedicating 10–15 minutes on the days you’re fasting to prepare some food items before your eating window approaches. Choose a strategy that works best for you and stick to it!
Love This Diet helps individuals follow healthy diet plans. Get in touch with our intermittent fasting coach today for more information.
