Choose Meal Prep Over Frozen Meals

We’ve all been there – it’s the end of a long, stressful day at work and herding the kids around, and you’re ready to kick back with a nice warm meal. Cooking a full healthy meal just sounds like way too much work, so you reach for your go-to package of frozen foods to throw in the microwave or oven.

But wait – there’s a better option that’s just as convenient and quick, but way healthier. Meal prep! 

Here’s why high-quality meal prep (and meal prep delivery services) are superior to frozen meals every time. 

What Is Meal Prep? 

As the name suggests, “meal prep” is simply a method in which you prepare all of your meals for the week ahead of time. Generally speaking, meal prep involves cooking large batches of healthy meals once or twice a week then divvying them up into properly portioned individual meals and storing them away in the fridge or freezer. From there, you can simply reach into your refrigerator, grab a meal, and pop it into the microwave throughout the week!

Many people do this to improve their health while also minimizing the time that they have to spend in the kitchen. People who regularly meal prep always have healthy meals on hand that only require a couple of minutes in the microwave or oven to be ready to eat. No matter how busy your schedule or how short on time you are, you’ll always be able to enjoy a delicious meal that aligns with your goals! 

Why Meal Prep Is Better Than Frozen Foods

So the concept of meal prep is simple enough, but it might still leave you wondering if it’s the right choice for you. After all, frozen foods are just as quick to make, and they’re even less work since you don’t have to do any of the cooking yourself. 

But if you don’t want to compromise on your health, a home-cooked meal is better than a factory-made frozen one nearly every time. Here’s why fresh meal prep is better than using frozen foods: 

• Less preservatives: When it comes to highly processed foods like frozen microwave meals, a lot of time lapses between the harvesting of those ingredients and the moment they get eaten. Most frozen foods that you find in the grocery store are made in a commercial factory, then are shipped around the country until they finally make it to your grocery bag. Because of this, frozen foods will sometimes come with preservatives and additives that may present health complications when eaten in large amounts. On the other hand, your cooked meal prep is only going to be a couple of days old at most, so you won’t have to eat preservatives and will get to take advantage of fresh, healthy food at all times. 

 

• More control over ingredients.When you’re eating foods that have been highly processed and made in a factory, you’re losing a lot of control over the ingredients that are in them. One of the most common unhealthy additives in frozen foods is sodium, the mineral in salt. Too much sodium can raise your blood pressure and increase your risk of complications with your heart health. When you cook your food yourself, you have total control over how much salt (as well as other ingredients) are present.
   
• Just as convenient:Of course, the biggest benefit of meal prepping is the convenience! After you finished your cooking, all you have to do for the rest of the week is reach for a meal that’s already been prepped and reheat it in your microwave. It’s just like a frozen meal except you won’t have to worry about defrosting anything or eating something that you don’t want in your body. 

How To Get Started With Meal Prep 

Meal prepping is simple. To start, all you need is a couple of easy, meal prep-friendly recipes that align with your health goals. From there, you can create a grocery list of any necessities you’ll need to cook those recipes. After you have all of your ingredients, you can dedicate a couple of hours during a less-busy time of your week (weekends are usually popular for this) and get to cooking. 

An even more convenient option would be to use a meal prep service. For example, people in the Inland Empire can check out My Healthy Penguin, a local family-friendly meal prep service that delivers healthy foods straight to your door.