Meal Prep Ideas If You Hate Cooking

Do you love the idea of getting healthy and starting to meal prep but hate the thought of standing at the stove for hours? Does the thought of dealing with a kitchen full of dishes make you want to throw in the towel? Maybe you just don’t know how to cook at all but still would like to improve your lifestyle and eat healthy meals every day.

Even the most kitchen-challenged chefs can take advantage of the benefits of meal prep. Here are some easy ideas you can incorporate to up your meal prep game and get closer to your weight and fitness goals - minimal effort required! 

Cold cuts are your friend.

Meal prepping can be as simple as throwing together a couple of hearty, nutritious homemade sandwiches loaded with enough nutritious foods and variety to keep you satisfied. Piling them with different vegetables, quality deli cuts, and condiments will make sure you don’t get bored. Most sandwiches will also keep well in your fridge for several days, so you won’t have to worry about them going bad for a while. 

To make the most of your sandwiches, choose hearty, whole-grain breads with enough structure to not get too soggy – alternatively, you can hold off on adding your condiments and soggier veggies like tomatoes until you’re ready to eat. If you want your sandwich to last even longer in the fridge, wrap it up with a paper towel or foil before sliding it into a Ziploc bag or other airtight container.

Doing these in bigger batches at the beginning of the week, rather than making one every day, will ensure that no matter how hectic your morning gets, you’ll always have something to munch on during your lunch breaks. 

Make salads that you actually look forward to. 

Salad doesn’t have to be the boring no-cook option in your meal prep repertoire. Instead of resigning yourself to a bland green salad, aim to make a fresh, nutritious meal that can leave you as satisfied as any cooked option. 

The aim here is to have varying tastes, textures, and food groups represented. The most satisfying salads will have a good mixture of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. 

• Carbohydrates: The most obvious representative of this food group in your salad will be your veggies. As a rule, the more colorful your vegetables are, the more nutrients are represented, so go ahead and add in as many different veggies as your heart desires.
  
  To add more interest, toss in a moderate serving of tortilla strips, wontons, or croutons - you can even add some soba noodles if you’re up for a very minimal amount of cooking - anything that will satisfy your carb craving! If you’re aiming to cut calories with your meal prep, they can definitely add up with these additions, so aim for a smattering versus making them the main focus of your meal. 

• Protein: Having an adequate amount of protein is essential for crafting a salad that actually satisfies, but that doesn’t mean you have to crank on the stove. You can buy a rotisserie chicken during your shopping trip to divide amongst your salads. Some stores also offer pre-cooked protein sources like chicken breast that just need to be tossed in the microwave to warm up.
  
  If you don’t eat meat, you can supplement your protein with black beans, chickpeas, pre-cooked hard-boiled eggs, or moderate amounts of lean cheese. 

• Fat: The right dressing can make or break a salad. If fat isn’t represented in other parts of your salad, you’ll be missing out on absorbing fat-soluble vitamins, so add in a drizzle of virgin olive oil or a couple avocado slices if anything. 

Check out this pasta salad recipe to see just how appetizing a salad can be! 

Invest in a meal prep service. 

If you already don’t cook much, you’re probably supplementing your diet with restaurants, take-out, sad cafeteria offerings, or overpriced pre-made grocery store options. Divert money from eating out and invest instead in a meal prep service that’ll give you all the convenience of not having to cook while also aiding your health goals. You can only have so much variation in your diet when you aren’t cooking, so having food that is already cooked for you can mean the difference between you quitting from frustration and sticking to your health goals. 

There are plenty of meal prep options for those looking to hit their health goals and supplement a fitness routine. Whether you’re throwing together a no-cook option or ordering from a meal prep service, you’ll soon be reaping the benefits of pre-planned, healthy, and delicious meals.