Meal Prepping With Friends

By Melissa Donovan

Making time for family, friends, and overall health can be rough while juggling what seems to be a never-ending amount of responsibilities daily. Getting the chance to have a proper meal may seem near impossible on some days.

The solution of meal prepping came to the forefront because of social media health influencers. Meal prepping involves preparing one large dish or several dishes you can portion over time.

While this concept may seem like another monotonous task to add to your laundry list of obligations, it, like anything, can be fun. Instead of seeing meal prepping as a chore, involve friends to make the act something to look forward to.

Do it on the Weekends.

The week is far too hectic to add something new to the agenda. Most people get off work around 5 or 6 and may have commitments afterward. Plus, meal-prepping is supposed to relieve stress, not add to it.

Set aside an hour or so on Sunday before the grind starts and invite a few friends to listen to some good music, compare recipes, and refresh and renew for the week ahead. By doing so, you will feel productive and receive a social battery recharge all in one. p.m. 300 W. Plant Street

Come up with themes.

To keep the meal prepping sessions lively, incorporate a new theme weekly. It could be meals aligned with various holidays, cultures, or lifestyles. For instance, during a meal prep night, a group member could showcase their cultural background by teaching everyone how to cook a meal from their culture. This way, guests get to know more about each other and enjoy a piece of a heritage they may not have been familiar with.

Create a meal list.

If the group decides to cook thIf the group decides to cook the same meals weekly, be mindful of dietary restrictions, allergies, and dislikes. Find ingredient substitutes with similar flavor profiles. Create a list of upcoming meals with detailed ingredient lists to prepare in advance and make cooking more enjoyable.

Make guests feel welcome.

If someone is going to be the host for the whole time of meal prepping together or if the hosts will rotate weekly, it will be helpful to make the environment one people feel excited to go to.

All the cooking will make friends hungry, so provide some tasty snacks. If the conversation comes to a lull, have a favorite movie on or a reliable playlist with well-loved songs in the background.

Meal prepping helps to save time during the week by ensuring tasty meals are ready for the days ahead. While it can relieve daily stress, it can also be something fun to look forward to with the people who bring joy.

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