My Meal Prep Disaster of 2018
Look, I’m gonna be honest here. I was that person. The one who thought meal prepping was the ultimate solution to all my health and fitness woes. It was January 2018, I was fresh off a holiday season of eating my weight in cookies, and I was determined to turn my life around.
So, like any sensible person, I went all in. I spent $87 on Tupperware containers (which, by the way, I still haven’t used half of), bought a home products review comparison to chop all my veggies, and spent 36 hours on a Sunday prepping meals for the week.
Big mistake.
Why Meal Prepping Isn’t a Magic Bullet
Let’s get one thing straight: meal prepping is not a magic bullet. It’s a tool, and like any tool, it’s only as good as the person using it. I learned this the hard way when I ended up throwing out half of my prepped meals because they either went bad or I just didn’t want to eat them anymore.
I mean, who wants to eat the same exact meal for lunch every day for a week? Not this girl. I started looking forward to my work lunches less and less, and before I knew it, I was throwing my prepped meals out and ordering takeout instead.
And don’t even get me started on the time commitment. I thought I was saving time by prepping all my meals in advance, but honestly, I ended up spending more time in the kitchen than I would have if I just cooked my meals as I needed them.
A Conversation with My Friend, Marcus
I remember having this conversation with my friend Marcus over coffee at the place on 5th. He’s a personal trainer, so I figured he’d be all about meal prepping. But when I told him about my struggles, he just laughed and said, “You’re doing it wrong, my friend.”
“Meal prepping isn’t about making the same exact meal for every day of the week,” he told me. “It’s about having a plan. It’s about having healthy options ready to go so you don’t end up ordering pizza at 11:30pm because you have nothing else in the house.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough.
The Mental Health Aspect
Here’s something they don’t tell you about meal prepping: it can be mentally exhausting. I started to feel like I was trapped in a cycle of eating the same boring meals week after week, and it was taking a toll on my mental health.
I talked to a colleague named Dave about this, and he told me about something called “flexible meal prepping.” Basically, it’s about having a plan, but also giving yourself the freedom to change it up when you need to.
“It’s all about balance,” he told me. “You don’t have to eat the same exact meal every day. You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen on a Sunday. Just have a plan, and be flexible with it.”
And you know what? It worked. I started to feel better, both physically and mentally. I was eating healthier, but I wasn’t trapped in a cycle of boring, repetitive meals.
A Tangent: The Joys of Leftovers
Honestly, I could write a whole article about the joys of leftovers. There’s something so comforting about having a fridge full of delicious, homemade meals just waiting to be eaten. But that’s a story for another time.
So, What’s the Verdict?
Look, I’m not saying meal prepping is a waste of time. It can be a great tool for some people. But it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, and it’s not a magic bullet that’s gonna make you lose 20 pounds overnight.
It’s about finding what works for you. It’s about being flexible and giving yourself the freedom to change your mind. And it’s about not beating yourself up if you end up ordering pizza at 11:30pm.
Because, frankly, life’s too short to spend all your time in the kitchen.
About the Author
Samantha “Sam” Lee is a senior editor with over 20 years of experience in the health and wellness industry. She’s a firm believer in the power of food, but she’s also a realist who knows that life’s too short to spend all your time in the kitchen. When she’s not writing, you can find her hiking, reading, or experimenting with new recipes (that she probably won’t meal prep).
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