How to Meal Prep Without Getting Bored During Busy, Chaotic Weeks
Has this happened to you: You’re excited and motivated to plan your weekly meals. You save hundreds of Pinterest and Instagram recipes, but end up making only a small handful, over and over again. After a short while, you get bored and meal prep feels like too much work, so you stop. Thankfully, we’ve got the meal prep solution you’ve been looking for.
Meal prep boredom is more common than you may think. We know you’ve got the willpower, but even the best of us get tired of the monotony of eating the same meals. That said, any adversary can be beaten!
In this article, we’ll explore how to make meal prep enjoyable and sustainable again. We’ll share how to make it flexible and delicious so you can overcome meal boredom, even during busy weeks.
Why Meal Prep Gets Boring So Fast
Many meal prep plans create large batches, leaving you eating the same meal for three or four days a week. After a few days, you get tired of the same flavours, and no longer enjoy your meals. We call this “flavour fatigue.” This flavour fatigue often leaves uneaten food in your fridge, while you order take-out to deal with this boredom.
Don’t view this as a personal failure. It’s the meal planning system that needs a revamp. Smart meal planning and preparation for your family can be tasty and sustainable when your plan is flexible.
Discover more about getting started with meal prep.
Switch From Full Meals to Flexible Building Blocks
Instead of batch-cooking full meals for each day of the week, consider which ingredients you can batch-cook and use in more than one meal each week.
For example, batch-cook chicken and use it for several meals. You could add it to a chicken Caesar salad for lunch, then to a homemade BBQ chicken pizza the next day. Try making a large batch of flavoured rice for a dinner side, and using it in burritos the next night.
Use ingredients and proteins as building blocks you can use across a few meals each week. This creates variety to avoid meal boredom, without adding extra cooking time. Fresh Prep’s Market offers over 150 grocery items, making it easy to stock up on building blocks. For example, you can order just protein or pre-cut sweet potatoes as needed.
Simple Mix-and-Match Formula
Try a mix-and-match formula when planning your meals. Not only is it a helpful planning tool, but it can also help you create balanced meals. Here are two formulas and easy recipes we enjoy:
| Protein + Base + Sauce + Topping | Protein + Vegetable + Starch |
|---|---|
| Grilled chicken Quinoa Peanut satay sauce Roasted peanuts and cilantro | Marinated beef steak Roasted broccoli Brown rice |
| Shredded chicken Whole wheat pasta Vodka sauce Freshly grated parmesan | Salmon in Balsamic Cream Sauce Steamed mixed vegetables Roasted baby potatoes |
Meal planning is more than planning home-cooked meals to avoid eating out every night. It’s about time-saving in the kitchen. Cook smarter, not longer. One way to do this is by batch cooking key ingredients and using them in multiple meals with different sauces and combinations.
For example, you can use mixed greens for multiple meals, with different customizations and flavour profiles. Switch up the dressings and add-ins to create a new salad every night:
- Caesar dressing (Flavour profile: Bold and creamy)
- Maple grilled salmon and capers (Flavour profile: Sweet and savoury)
- Fresh citrus vinaigrette and sunflower seeds (Flavour profile: Citrusy and light)
- Fresh-cut apples or berries and a simple olive oil dressing (Flavour profile: Fresh and sweet)
Need some recipe inspiration? Check out this week’s meals from Fresh Prep.
Stop Trying to Prep the Entire Week at Once
It’s a common misconception that “meal planning” must be done for a full, seven-day week. You can also meal plan and prep in two-to three-day blocks. This is beneficial because:
- You can purchase fresh ingredients
- The fresh ingredients aren’t sitting in the fridge for days, going bad before you need them later in the week.
- You only have to plan a few days of meals at a time (saving you time in your busy schedule).
If you’re new to meal planning, start by choosing one protein or vegetable and using it in meals for the next two to three days. Use it with different sides, sauces, and flavours to make each day feel like something new. Then repeat this process with a new main ingredient for the next block of days.
Use a Hybrid Approach When Life Gets Busy
Flexibility in your meal planning approach can help when life gets busy. Try a hybrid approach to your meal prep that includes:
- Ready-to-cook meal kits (assemble, cook, eat): For busier days when you want something fresh, that’s quick and easy to make.
- Ready-to-eat meals (reheat and serve): For your busy days when you need quick meals on the go.
Here’s an example of a hybrid approach meal plan:
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meal Batch 1 (ie: Steak and Green Beans) | Meal Batch 2 (ie: Chicken and Broccoli) | ||||||
| Meal Plan | Steak with gravy, side of green beans, and mashed potatoes | Steak Fajitas, with green beans, onion, peppers, and shredded cheese | Ready-to-eat Dinner | Lemon chicken, with broccoli, and brown rice | Chicken and broccoli frittata bake | Ready-to-cook Meal | Ready-to-cook Meal |
A weekly plan like this fits with our Fresh Prep subscriptions. You can choose how many ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook meals you want for the coming week. You can also order your grocery staples for your meal prep in your weekly order. It’s a significant time-saver for busy families.
Our Secret to Sustainable Meal Planning Success
Weekly meal planning works best when it’s done with purpose, food variety, and flexibility. This means prepping ingredients that can be used across different meals while adding different flavour profiles to each one to avoid flavour fatigue.
Experiment in the kitchen and build a list of favourite ingredients and recipes that give you the flexibility you need for your busy life. Meal prep can be enjoyable if you break it down into manageable chunks and remain flexible with your schedule.
Plan your meals using a hybrid approach, including made-from-scratch recipes, ready-to-cook meal kits, and ready-to-eat meals. Fresh Prep makes it easy to mix and match, with meal kits, ready-to-eat meals, and grocery staples all in one weekly delivery.