Start Small & Plan Accordingly

Before you go full-steam ahead with planning breakfasts, lunches, and dinners; choose one meal to start with. Lunch is a good jumping off point, because most people work during the day and can’t take the time to prepare a healthy lunchtime meal. It’s okay to start with just a few days during the week, maybe two or three, so that you don’t feel overwhelmed in the beginning. Just like any new sort of process or routine, you should ease your way into it to make it stick and become a habit.

Figure Out Logistics

When deciding what meal to prepare, think about where you'll be eating the meal. For instance, if you’re going to be preparing lunches, are you in the office during lunch? Is there a refrigerator or microwave available for you to use? If you’re fixing yourself dinner, ask yourself what time you typically eat. If you eat dinner later in the night, perhaps you don’t want to make anything too heavy. After you take these things into consideration, you can begin thinking about how to prep your meals.

Check for Ingredients

After figuring out what meal(s) you’re going to make, create a list of which ingredients you need. Before you go to the grocery store with your list, be sure to check your pantry to see which ingredients you have on-hand (and check expiration dates). If you’re researching recipes, keep in mind that you can often substitute ingredients (like if you have olive oil on hand but the recipe calls for canola oil).

Purchase the Proper Storage

While locating Tupperware and corresponding lids within your cabinets is perhaps one of the greatest mysteries of life, having the correct type of food storage is essential. Opting for glass containers is usually best - they are usually freezer safe, dishwasher safe, and microwave safe. Plus, they don’t get gross build-up after multiple washes and uses. Some glass storage containers even have separate compartments built right in so you can be sure you’re packing all your food groups!