I often tell you about Sunday meal prep (preparing meals in advance) as an essential habit for maintaining a balanced diet despite a busy schedule.
Between work, family, and leisure, preparing meals can become quite a burden. For active people, a healthy and balanced diet is nevertheless essential for performance and recovery. How can you reconcile the two? Here are my best techniques.
In brief
- Meal planning is associated with a more varied and higher-quality diet.
- Set aside 1 to 2 hours on Sunday to cook large quantities of protein, whole grains, and vegetables.
- Choose simple recipes: meal bowls, composed salads, wraps, omelets.
- Leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator; beyond that, freeze them.
- Keep ready-to-eat snacks on hand for busy days.
1. Plan your grocery trip
The key to a healthy diet is planning. A large study also showed that people who plan their meals have a more varied and higher-quality diet. Make your grocery list based on your needs and schedule, planning balanced meals and snacks suited to your activities for the week.
2. Cook double batches
Set aside a few hours on Sunday to cook large quantities of protein (chicken, tofu, legumes, hard-boiled eggs), whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, barley), and roasted vegetables. You can then quickly combine them into nutritious meals throughout the week. Add a few Zenit snacks, and you’re all set!
3. Use an app
Meal-planning apps can be valuable allies: they help create menus, generate grocery lists, and adapt recipes to your preferences.
4. Prepare simple meals
There’s no need to spend hours in the kitchen. Choose quick recipes: meal bowls, composed salads, vegetable omelets, protein wraps. They come together in just a few minutes and can be adapted to suit all tastes.
5. Freeze meals
Your freezer is your best friend! Soups, chilis, stews, and dishes with sauce freeze very well and can be reheated in no time.
6. Prioritize quality and safety
Even when time is short, focus on minimally processed foods: lean proteins, vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats. And for safety:
- Refrigerate cooked dishes within 2 hours of cooking;
- Consume leftovers within 3 to 4 days;
- Freeze anything you will not eat by then.
Conclusion
Meal preparation may seem like a chore, but with good techniques and a little organization, it becomes an effective way to eat well despite a busy schedule. Don’t forget to add Zenit snacks to your weekly menu: they save you a lot of time! To plan your lunches, also read lunch box planning.
Frequently asked questions
How long do meal prep dishes keep?
About 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. For weekend meals, freeze some of the dishes on Sunday.
What should I cook for a simple meal prep?
A protein (chicken, tofu, legumes, eggs), a whole grain (brown rice, quinoa), roasted vegetables, and a sauce: then combine them into different bowls each day.
Does meal prep help you eat better?
Yes. Meal planning is associated with a more varied and higher-quality diet.
Danielle Dubois, nutritionist
Founder of Zenit Nutrition
References
- Ducrot P, Méjean C, Aroumougame V, et al. Meal planning is associated with food variety, diet quality and body weight status in a large sample of French adults. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017;14(1):12. PMID : 28153017
- Government of Canada. Safe food storage chart (refrigerator and freezer). canada.ca
- Health Canada. Canada’s Food Guide, 2019. guide-alimentaire.canada.ca