As someone who has lost weight following the Weight Watchers plan, I know firsthand how important meal prepping is to being successful on the WW Points program and keeping on track.
It's not always easy to find the time or motivation to cook healthy meals every day but by planning your meals in advance and doing some batch cooking you can stay on track and eat healthily too.
In this post, I'm going to share with you my top tips for successful Weight Watchers meal prep. I will also give you some ideas for easy WW meal prep recipes.
My top tips for Meal Prepping
Plan Your Meals
The first step to successful meal prep is to plan your meals in advance.
This not only helps you stay on track with your Points but it can also save you time and money in the long run.
I like to sit down at the weekend and plan out what I am going to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the following week.
I can then make sure that I am not going to go over my Points and I also know if I am eating out that week, how many Points I have to play with.
Obviously, it doesn't always work - I am human after all - but the process makes me feel more in control of my eating.
And, an added bonus, I have found this way of meal planning has saved me money and has reduced my food waste!
Make a Grocery List
Once you've got your meals sorted, make a grocery list.
Trust me, this is a game-changer. No more random store runs during the week.
One weekly trip to the store helps me avoid impulse purchases - especially if I end up shopping when I'm hungry (which is a big no, no for me!).
I organize my list by store sections (produce, meats, dairy, snacks to make the trip quicker.
This may seem a little over the top, but by doing this I can easily navigate the store missing out the aisles of temptation! If you use the same store most weeks this should be relatively easy (except for when they annoyingly switch things around).
Most stores typically include:
- Produce section: This section typically includes a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as some packaged produce like pre-cut veggies or salad mixes.
- Meat and Seafood section: This section includes a variety of fresh meat and seafood, as well as some pre-packaged and frozen options.
- Dairy aisles: These aisles includes milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products.
- Bakery section: This section typically includes bread, bagels, pastries, and other baked goods.
- Frozen Foods sections: This section includes a wide variety of frozen foods, including fruits and vegetables, meats, meals, and desserts.
- Beverages aisle: This section includes a variety of drinks, including soda, juice, coffee, tea, and sports drinks.
- Snacks aisle: This section includes a wide variety of packaged snacks, such as chips, crackers, cookies, and candy.
- Canned and Packaged Goods: This section includes a variety of canned fruits and vegetables, soups, sauces, and other packaged food items.
- International Foods: This section typically includes foods from different countries and cultures, such as Asian or Hispanic foods.
- Household and Personal Care: This section includes household and personal care items such as cleaning supplies, toiletries, and paper products.
Prep Your Food
Now, the hands-on part – prepping!
I set aside some time, usually Sundays, to get this done.
And if you can, batch cooking is the way to go. Double or even quadruple your favourite recipes and cook up a batch of meals.
Portion the meals out, throw them in the freezer, and you've got easy dinners for busy nights.
Even if you can't prep a whole week, doing just a meal or two ahead can save you from reaching for high-Points stuff when you're too hungry to cook.
Invest in reusable food containers
Invest in good quality containers!
Look for reusable containers that are freezer, microwave and dishwasher safe.
Sometimes I use those food containers that have compartments to separate food - they work very well for certain recipes.
Mix it up!
Eating the same thing every day gets old. Switch it up!
Try new recipes, mix up your proteins, experiment with flavors.
It keeps things interesting and makes sticking to your plan easier.
In a nutshell, meal prepping is one of the key things to making Weight Watchers work. Plan it out, make lists and get your food prepped.
Most importantly, keep your meals interesting.
Remember, it's your journey, so make these healthy habits work for you. Here's to hitting those weight loss goals!
Easy WW recipes to Meal Prep
- Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries
- Butternut Squash Falafel
- Zero Point Chili
- Zero Point Cabbage Soup
- Best WW friendly Meatloaf
- Pumpkin Spiced French Toast Muffins
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