Welcome to Our Blog

Search

Meal Prep for the Woman Who Hates Meal Prep

Nicolette Leigh
Jun 23
4 min read

This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Please note that I only recommend products and services I genuinely use and trust. Your support helps sustain this blog and allows me to continue providing valuable content. Thank you.

…Because You’ve Got Better Things to Do Than Chop Vegetables All Day

Let’s just call it out: Meal prep is a pain in the toosh. It’s the task we love to hate, especially when life’s already throwing carpool schedules, work deadlines, and that relentless mountain of laundry at us. If you’re a busy mom, a hard working woman, or just a human with things to do—you’ve probably told yourself: “I don’t have time for this.” Spoiler: You do. But you don’t need to meal prep like an Instagram influencer to win the week.

I used to feel the same way. Until I cracked the code.

The Secret? Stop Trying to Meal Prep Perfectly.

Meal prep isn’t about spending your entire Sunday in the kitchen. It’s about creating a flexible routine that works for your real life. I’ve built a habit that fits into my weekly rhythm—and girl, it’s a total game changer.

Here’s my flow:

✔️ One day to pick out meals

✔️ One day to make the grocery list

✔️ One day to shop

✔️ Two shorter meal prep sessions per week

This breaks it down into bite-sized steps so it doesn’t feel like a giant time-sucking monster. And guess what, I can pick out my meals and make my list anywhere! Whether it’s between meetings at work or sitting there at half time on the soccer field.

How to Meal Prep Without Losing Your Mind

1. Plan Like a Pro

You don’t need a color-coded spreadsheet (unless that sparks joy for you). Just map out your meals for the week:

1 High-Protein Meal per day (this keeps you fueled for workouts and feeling strong)
1 Balanced Meal per day (because life’s about that sweet, sweet balance)
Family-Friendly Dinners that everyone can actually agree on
Quick & Easy Options for nights when time pulls a vanishing act

👉 Pro Tip: Grab my Meal Prep Checklist to keep your planning quick and efficient.

2. Cook Once, Eat Twice (Or Three Times!)

If you’re going to fire up the stove, make it count. Cook in larger batches so you can:

Pack leftovers for lunch the next day (zero extra work)
Freeze portions for later in the week when you’re over it
Have grab-and-go options for busy nights

This works beautifully for things like: 🍝 Pasta dishes 🌮 Taco meat 🥘 Soups and stews 🍗 Grilled chicken or roasted sheet pan meals

Freezer-friendly prepping is basically future-you saying “thank you” in advance.

3. Shop Smart, Not Hard

Grocery shopping is your warm-up, not the whole workout. Make a list while sipping your coffee or during your kid’s practice, then shop when it’s convenient (hello, pick-up orders!).

💡 My Favorite Amazon Finds to Make Meal Prep Easier:

Glass Storage Containers – Keeps food fresh and microwaves like a dream.
Mini Chopper – Because I have zero interest in crying over onions.
Stackable Lunchboxes – Less fridge chaos, more grab-and-go magic.

4. Prep in Pieces

You don’t need to do it all at once! Split it into two sessions. Maybe Sunday and Wednesday. This keeps meals fresh and lets you pivot if life throws a curveball (read: surprise pizza night).

Quick Prep Wins:

Wash & cut veggies
Pre-cook proteins
Portion snacks
Prep overnight oats or egg muffins for grab-and-go breakfasts

5. Make It Work for YOU

Meal prep isn’t one-size-fits-all. Maybe your prep is all lunches. Maybe it’s just dinners. Maybe it’s just snack boxes so you stop eating cookies for lunch (hey, no judgment).

The win is in making your week less chaotic and fueling your body to support your workouts and your life.

You’ve Got This—And I Can Help

If you’re ready to stop dreading meal prep, start by snagging my free Meal Planner and Prep Guide to keep yourself on track without overcomplicating it.

And if you love a good gadget (don’t we all?),

Check out my fave Amazon finds here. Meal prep doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to work for you.

My 6 Favorite Kitchen Amazon Finds for Meal Prep: