Meal Prep: The Easy Way To Make Your Life Simpler
I found that one of the best ways to stick to a budget and eat well as a student is to prep your meals. I spent most of my Sundays in University prepping my meals for the week (without spending hours in the kitchen). Picking a few recipes that will last a while in the fridge and are easy to grab and reheat if necessary is perfect for a busy lecture schedule.
Meal prepping is a great way to help keep your days organised.
This is the method that I followed to keep up with the habit:
Buy some durable tupperware or containers.
Pick a day of the week that is best for you to spend some time shopping and prepping your meals.
Decide what meals you are going to prepare (I normally went for breakfast, lunch and a snack).
Pick out a few recipes (I always look at Pinterest and TikTok for some great ideas).
Decide on a budget (My budget typically settled between £50-£60 per week for my entire shopping, including my meal prep).
Break down the recipes you have chosen and use it to create a shopping list.
Buy the ingredients (without veering off the shopping list as much as possible).
Start preparing your weekly meals.
Having a plan can help your week be organised.
Doing this consistently will help you to stick to your budget and make more time in your week to do things you actually need to get done, rather than spending an excessive amount of time in the kitchen.
Below are some recipe ideas that I found great for quick and easy cooking and can last in the fridge for a while without spoiling.
I have two breakfast prepping recipes that are so easy and quick to make. One of which is egg cups. These are great because you can adapt them to be something that you personally enjoy and add ingredients that you prefer.
Simply, crack some eggs into a measuring jug, and whisk them, add your favourite chopped veggies and some cheese (or some pieces of ham if that's your thing). Then pour it into some greased muffin tins and place them in the oven. This is great to reheat in the microwave on busy mornings and take with you on the go!
Another great breakfast option is overnight oats. Again this is such a versatile option as you can make it your own and add your own flavours, some extra protein or some fruit. I tend to mix oats, milk, protein yogurt, chia seeds and a spoonful of biscoff spread together and add some raspberries on top and pop them in the fridge ready for the morning.
Overnight oats is a great way to have a quick breakfast.
A great way to stop reaching for an unhealthy snack is to prepare some healthier versions of what you like to grab on the go. One of my favourite snacks to prepare is some healthy flapjacks. I make mine with apple sauce for extra protein and to help keep the flapjacks together with syrup. I also add lemon juice and raisins for some extra nutrition. I portion these into little squares and pop them into sandwich bags to easily grab when I’m hungry.
One worry I had before doing meal prep is that I would get bored having the same meals over and over again. The way that I chose to overcome this is by roasting a whole chicken that I can use throughout the week in different ways. Here are some of the ways that I have used a whole roasted chicken throughout the week:
Chicken wings and drumsticks (as a snack or for lunch).
Chicken meat - shredded or chopped (can be used in sandwiches, wraps, pastas, ramens - the opportunities are endless).
Chicken bones (I used to make a broth or stock to use for ramen or for gravy for different dinners).
Roasting a whole chicken at the start of the week is a great way to prep some meals.
I also use the shredded chicken to make a chicken pesto pasta salad which is great to keep in the fridge for lunches. I simply mix the shredded chicken, some boiled pasta, some rocket, mozzarella balls and some chopped up cherry tomatoes. This is a great option for a healthy yet filling prepped lunch. It's also another option that you can play around with and add some of your own veggies or ingredients.
Another one of my favourite ways to prepare meals is to batch cook some dinner options. Once or twice a month in University, I would make a large portion of Bolognese sauce, chilli or curry. These are all great for freezing and aren’t overly expensive to prepare. Its also a great way to have something in the freezer for days when money feels tight as all you need is the portioned up meal and to cook a portion of rice or pasta, which is more often than not a staple in your cupboard.
Batch cooking freezeable meals is a great for last minute dinners.
Preparing your meals in advance can help to organise your week and keep you to your budget. It truly helped me to keep on top of things in University when I felt overwhelmed with my workload and lectures. But preparing meals can help anyone at any stage of life. Give it a try to see how it can keep your life organised.
Want More Ideas To Organise Your Life?
Meal prepping and organising a meal plan for the week is great organisation. Hopefully this article has convinced you to have a go and try it yourself! You can have a read of our free lifestyle articles for more advice.
At Sofia Magazine, we're building a quieter alternative to social media, filled with honest beauty, fashion, lifestyle and wellbeing content.
Our Winter Issue is landing this December! Pre-order now or get every seasonal issue with The Exclusive subscription.
Join The Loyal Edit Newsletter
Stay up to date with our newest articles, every week, straight to your inbox.
