Meal Planning vs. Meal Prepping: Which One is Right for You?
When it comes to staying on track with healthy eating, two strategies often come up: meal planning and meal prepping. While they are closely related, they serve different purposes and can work together to make your life easier. If you’re unsure which one is best for you (or if you should be doing both), keep reading!
What is Meal Planning?
Meal planning is the process of deciding in advance what you’ll eat for the week or a specific period. It involves:
Choosing recipes and meals ahead of time
Creating a grocery list based on those meals
Ensuring you have a balanced and nutritious selection of foods
Benefits of Meal Planning:
✅ Saves time by eliminating the daily “What’s for dinner?” dilemma
✅ Helps you stick to a budget by preventing impulse purchases
✅ Ensures balanced, nutritious meals
✅ Reduces food waste by using up ingredients efficiently
What is Meal Prepping?
Meal prepping takes meal planning a step further by actually preparing meals (or parts of meals) in advance. This could mean:
Cooking entire meals ahead of time and storing them in portions
Prepping ingredients (chopping veggies, marinating proteins, cooking grains) for easy assembly later
Making batch meals like soups, stews, or overnight oats
Benefits of Meal Prepping:
✅ Saves time during busy days
✅ Encourages healthier choices by having ready-made meals
✅ Reduces stress by simplifying meal preparation
✅ Helps with portion control and mindful eating
Meal Planning vs. Meal Prepping: Which is Best?
The answer depends on your lifestyle and needs. If you love fresh meals but struggle with last-minute decisions, meal planning might be your best bet. If you have a hectic schedule and want ready-to-eat meals, meal prepping is the way to go.
However, the two strategies can work together seamlessly. You can meal plan first, then meal prep parts of your meals to make cooking faster and easier throughout the week.
Tips to Get Started
✔ Start small – Plan just a few meals a week and prep ingredients in advance.
✔ Choose meals you enjoy – Stick with simple, delicious recipes you actually want to eat.
✔ Invest in good storage containers – This keeps your prepped meals fresh and easy to grab.
✔ Be flexible – Life happens! Have backup meals like frozen veggies and proteins for busy days.
Final Thoughts
Both meal planning and meal prepping can help you stay consistent with healthy eating, save time, and reduce stress. Whether you choose one or both, the key is to find a system that works for you and makes healthy eating easier, not harder.
I also offer a free meal planning and grocery list guide to help you get started! Download it now and take the guesswork out of your meals.
Do you meal plan, meal prep, or both? Let me know in the comments below!