With diet meal prepping being so popular (especially among those who want to lose weight), it’s also no wonder that a lot of people are making simple mistakes that could be sabotaging their weight loss goals.
Some of the mistakes that I will discuss here are really easy to make, especially if you are just beginning to meal prep for the first time. Read the entire guide to learn about these mistakes and how to get around them in 9 Meal Prep Diet Mistakes to Avoid!
1. You Aren’t Creating Balanced Meals
Are you losing weight, yet feel weak? Why is that? It could be because your meal prep diet is not well balanced.
If you don’t eat enough from the main food groups and ensure all nutrients are provided in the right amounts, then not only will you not meet your basic health needs, but you’ll also probably feel pretty weak and unsatisfied about it.
So what exactly should be in a balanced diet meal plan? It should include proteins, vegetables, fibre, fruits, proteins, and good carbohydrates.
2. Include Fibre & Protein-Rich Foods
Fibre gives a variety of health benefits including improved digestion and regular bowel movements, lowered cholesterol levels, reduced risk for heart disease, and improved blood sugar control.
Protein in your meal plan diet is not only good for gaining muscle and losing fat – it’s also good for keeping yourself physically fit and vigorous for sustained periods.
3. Include Fruits & Vegetables
Natural foods are filled with antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, E, and beta carotene.
4. Not investing in the Right Meal Prepping Tools
One of the biggest diet meal prep mistakes newbies make is not investing in the right kitchen cooking tools. If you’re not using the right kitchen tools to prep your meals, then you’re not going to be able to measure your progress, which is a sure way to fail.
Making sure you have the right equipment is crucial to getting healthy meals swiftly onto your table and help you keep track with your goals. This is something I learned over my years of meal prepping and something I wish I knew when I first started.
5. A Food Processor
The function of a food processor is to chop, grind, mix, and blend ingredients. You can use a food processor to make everyday dishes like hummus, salsa, pesto, breadcrumbs, or even smoothies.
These versatile little machines can help you improve your cooking skills and cut down on prep time. They’re very user-friendly and will handle just about anything you throw at them.
6. You Have Nothing in the Fridge
You have a meal plan and you’re ready to get started. Then…you open the fridge door – has that happened to you to find that you don’t actually have much food in the fridge? It seems like there is nothing to prepare! How to Solve this Problem?
I do my own shopping for food. I know some people think meal prepping is expensive, but it really isn’t, unless you’re buying takeaways every other day! Once you have the necessary ingredients in the fridge, you can make just about anything! This means cheaper meals for me.
7. Your Kitchen isn’t Organized
Sick and tired of being overwhelmed every day by your messy kitchen? Do you have a bunch of partially prepared meals in the fridge that you can’t make head or tail of? What about deep fryers and other cooking devices that collect dust just waiting to be used once again?
Being organized while meal prepping is important, but it’s something that many people don’t get right. Having a clear plan in place right from the start will save you a ton of time, money, and clean up in the long run. It will also make it much easier to stick to your meal prep routine and focus on results.
8. Choosing Complex Recipes
Hard recipes are the ones you may struggle or even fail at making. How often have you been so excited to start a new and or complex recipe only to find that after fifteen minutes of cooking you have no ingredients left? This happened to someone I know earlier this week when she attempted to make recipe she found online.
This is the reason why I prefer recipes that are complete in 2 hours or less. I have time to rest up instead of being in the kitchen all day!
9. You Don’t Have Sufficient Storage Containers
Storage containers are great for storing food that you’ve prepared or cooked in bulk. Prepping meals in advance will save you time on those busy days when you’re hungry but don’t have time to prep or cook. Without them, you can’t create healthy homemade meals that you can take with you. Also, you will not be able to keep your meals fresh and ready to eat.
Invest in high-quality airtight storage containers for food. Not only will they allow you to bring food with you wherever you go, they’ll also keep your food fresh. You will probably spend less than twenty pounds, euros or dollars buying a few new containers. They’re really robust and immensely practical to use at home, at work or in a picnic scenario and are super easy to clean and reuse countless times.
Do you have a few tips when it comes to meal prep? Let us know in the comments below, and feel free to join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!
