Meal prepping once a week has saved me mentally and financially. I live on my own and anyone who lives on their own knows how tiring and overwhelming it can get sometimes. You have to plan, cook, clean, budget and keep up with life at the same time. We all have been there with busy schedules, long work days and a pile of assignments all at once. Just like that, I was struggling a lot to eat proper meals with classes five days a week and an on campus job.

After having ramen for a pretty long time as dinner and two oranges as lunch, I finally decided to do something and get a proper meal everyday. I noticed how tired and unmotivated I felt when I was not eating well, especially with my busy schedule. I needed food that could keep me going throughout the day. This realization pushed me to start meal prepping to better take care of myself without adding stress to my routine.

When I started meal prepping, instead of worrying about what I will eat and cooking everyday, I had my meals ready. I warm the food and have it. With that it gives me peace of mind that I have taken care of myself. On the days when I am exhausted or overwhelmed, the feeling of having a meal prepared in the fridge makes a big difference. 

It also helps me to save money. I cannot afford to order out or buy food on the go every time. It’s tempting, especially when I am tired and have eaten just two oranges in the whole day. But those bills add up very quickly. Planning my meal ahead of time helps me stick to a budget. Not only does it lessen the ordering out but it helps me buy the exact food that I need. It also helps to reduce food waste as I am not buying random stuff which I never finish, so that’s another bonus.

Overall, meal prepping makes my life more manageable. It gives one less thing to worry about in my already busy routine. We all struggle with balancing responsibilities and meal prepping is one habit that makes a big difference for me.

Edited by Bidhya Sapkota and Stuti Khadka