Meal Prep: What Are the Pros and Cons?

Hello! My name is Ellie Sanders and I am honored to be a Spring Intern for Your Jubilee! I will be graduating in December from Arizona State University with a degree in Communication and a minor in Special Events Management. I got into weddings last summer, and immediately fell in love with the industry!

If you have a wedding just around the corner (or just made a New Year’s Resolution to eat healthier in 2018), why not try the trendy new portion-control method: Meal Prepping. You’ve probably seen it all over your social media feed – like I did – and thought, “I should give that a try!” Since the beginning of this year, I’ve been testing the meal prep waters, and I’d love to share some of the benefits I’ve found with you all!

PRO: KEEPS YOU ON TRACK

When meal prepping, you make several meals at one time. If you get those pesky cravings for In-N-Out as you drive home from work, you will be less tempted to give in to those cravings if you have homemade, healthy meals already made at home! It bums me out when I have to throw out one meal because I gave into a craving or went out to eat. Not only did I waste food, but I didn’t keep on my healthy track and schedule for that week. Meal prepping helps you make a conscious effort to eat better. Additionally, meal prepping helps you keep track of your portion sizes, because who has room in their refrigerator for 4 or 5 oversized meals?!

PRO: SAVES YOU TIME

Life can get pretty busy, and even if you like it that way (like me) it can be hard to find time to eat a good meal in between everything you’ve got going on. I used to eat out often or settle for a microwave meal because I never had enough time to cook something, eat it, and clean up. By allotting time one day a week to prepare several meals, you save a bunch of time later in the week! I do my meal prepping on Sunday nights, so I am ready for the week!

PRO: SAVES YOU MONEY!

This is by far the best benefit of meal prepping, especially if you are a college student or trying to spend less each month! By deciding what you want to make for your meals and snacks each week and buying only the ingredients you’ll need at the store, you can save so much money! The average cost of one of my pre-prepared meals is $3.75. That’s so much more affordable than your burrito from Chipotle, or your bruschetta board at Postino!

CON: EATING THE SAME MEAL MULTIPLE TIMES

There is only one negative side to meal prepping that I have found in the time I’ve been trying it. When creating these meals for the week, you usually make 2 to 3 meals that are exactly the same thing. Sometimes by the third day it can get a little boring. To counteract this, switch up the meals you are prepping every week! Using different recipes and meals each week keeps things interesting. If you are in need of some ideas or inspiration, there are a TON of recipes and meal prep guides on YouTube and Pinterest!

Try out meal prepping for yourself, and you will quickly realize all these awesome benefits! 🙂

Talk to you soon!

Ellie Sanders