Photo: Getty Images
With late nights, early mornings, and hectic schedules — meeting your pre-wedding nutrition goals is not an easy task. Who has time to cook fresh and healthy meals every single day? Nobody. It’s time to think smarter, not harder brides-to-be! We rounded up four of our favorite tips to help with meal prep while wedding planning.
Get in a Routine
During a time that seems hectic and crazy, it’s important to get your healthy eating to be as routine as possible. To begin, set aside a day of the week where you have the most free-time (we love meal prepping on Sundays!) and devote a period of time to shopping for and preparing your meals and snacks for the week. By having designated meal prep time, you’ll be certain to feel less stressed and rushed and will feel accomplished and ready to tackle the week.
Plan Ahead
You’re already planning a wedding — what’s one more thing to plan? By planning ahead — we recommend outlining meals one week at a time — you’ll be planning to succeed, instead of failing to plan. Now that you have a designated day, create a written or digital “week at a glance” where your recipes, needed ingredients, and nutritional information is balanced and clear. Be sure to keep in mind any late nights, appointments, work events, etc. that may interfere with your typical daily routine. Set your week, and then hit the kitchen!
See More: 6 Foods That Will Help You De-Stress While Wedding Planning
Simplify the Process
As your wedding is fast approaching, time is more valuable than ever. Thankfully, we live in a world of online ordering, subscription services, and next day deliveries! With grocery delivery services including Fresh Direct, ShopRite at Home, Peapod by Stop and Shop, Amazon Fresh, and more you can save yourself a time-consuming trip to the grocery store by ordering online. Doing so will save you time, help you stick to your grocery budget, provide and at-a-glance shopping cart to ensure you don’t miss out on any crucial ingredients, AND help you keep impulse junk food grabs at bay. For even more convenience, explore services including Blue Apron and Hello Fresh which provide all the ingredients for specifically planned healthy meals.
Use the Right Tools
Having the right meal prep tools and storage containers is key for seamless cooking, storing and of course — eating! Microwavable, dishwasher safe and BPA free are all key words that are important to look out for when selecting which products to buy for food storage. The easier they are to heat and clean, the better. Many meal-prepping mavens prefer bento style lunch boxes with lids, with separate compartments to store veggies, lean proteins, and starches. They also help keep portions in check. The right (fashionable yet practical, of course) lunch tote, insulated thermoses, reusable cooling packs and water bottles are essential, too.