I could not seem to find a better way to do this other than an argument against each counter point I could think of. This is a topic I have been debating with friends for a few days, and I needed a place to lay out my thoughts. Maybe you get something from it, or can challenge me further.

Sub-argument against health:

If you are like me and you meal prep 7 of the same meals for lunch and 7 for dinner each with a grain, veggie, and protein. You are already eating healthier than 90% of Americans and likely 80% of the world. (I’m not using real stats obviously)

Some will say that you need variation in meals to be truly healthy. That is correct, but changing the meals every week should provide that variation. The body can’t adapt that fast.

Would it be healthier to prepare a different balance meal for each feeding? Yes.

Sub-argument against boredom:

I can’t really fight you on this one. It’s more opinion based than the others listed. If you are the type that needs to eat something different then you are welcome to. However, if you are meal prepping in the first place then just make more variety.

Sub-argument against laziness:

I already meal prep raw food for my cats, so doing it for my meals is already more work than average. I’m going to default to the same argument in health, in that, if you meal prep its still a better diet than most of the World.

Let’s argue along the premise of laziness, however. Is it more lazy to make all of your meals at once for 2 hours? Or is it more lazy to buy/make a meal in 5-15 minutes each time? I don’t know, you probably don’t either.

Sub-argument against cost

This is a hard one to define, however, here is my thinking. It is cheaper to buy in bulk ingredients for fewer larger dishes, rather than small quantities for multiple little dishes.

Sub-argument against time:

If you are meal prepping in the first place then in time. The entire point is to streamline meals for time saving. Most can be made in a big pot/slow cooker to make it even faster.

If you would like to argue/discuss with me further here are the points for you to copy and paste:

Health- Boredom- Laziness- Cost- Time- (Add more if you wish)

THE END

  • LadyAlexTheDeviant@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    I’m probably not your desired audience as I meal plan in six week chunks and do more ingredient and freezer prep for family meals than single meals. I don’t mind spending ten minutes in the evening putting it together, but I don’t want to spend much more than that, since I have arthritis in my feet, and especially in the winter, they don’t like me standing on them too much.

    I have ADHD and get bored easily, but I am also autistic and so I like to know what’s coming next. Five week meal plan works and lets me vary things within my safe set of meals, and lets me make things that my partners like to eat. I’m not cooking just for me, after all.

    Tonight we’re having peanut chicken. My wife LOVES it, I like it well enough, and my husband is okay with it. Tomorrow night is turkey pot pie. I LOVE it, she likes it, he is okay with it. Friday is chicken piccata. He LOVES it, I am okay with it, and my wife likes it. We rarely have anything one of the three of us absolutely can’t stand, and this way it’s a nice mix between things I’m okay with and things I love, and I can be good with this.

  • SheddingCorporate@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    I do make a single meal and it eat over and over all week - but with a twist. Every week, I make 2 or 3 or 4 extra portions. That way, after a few weeks, I have enough variety in the freezer that I can choose whatever I want each day.

    Bonus, I’m getting in more plants (via both the main ingredients plus the herbs and spices) in regular rotation, as I trying to get to the “31 different plants per week” recommendation.

    I WFH, so it’s not like I need to meal prep, but it sure helps me meet more of my health goals if I do, rather than trying to just wing it when mealtime comes around - my pantry contains entirely too many easy backup options: instant noodles, canned and frozen foods that may not be the healthiest, etc. If I don’t meal prep, I’ll make a less than healthy choice. And yes, I could keep those things out of my pantry, but life is too short not to have some fun within limits. :D

  • OrigamiMonkey@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    These are all good points for a pro meal prep diet. Especially the nutrition one. Your body doesn’t change that fast to where having the same 3 meals a day for a week and then changing, would cause health/malnutrition issues. If it did it would be a lot easier for people to slim down/ bulk up. I’ve done 2 six day meal preps a week, with a green protein shake for breakfast since 2016 and have had zero health/weight issues.

    But as for the boredom argument, here’s what I would say. If you are in the mindset that food is a “treat” and every meal should be amazing, then I don’t think meal prep is the right option for you. I think we need to understand that we are living beings (animals) that need food to survive. Organic machines that need fuel. If the chicken and rice and green beans you had on Monday was great, but on Wednesday or Thursday you are ‘sick’ of it; I don’t know what to tell you.

  • zxyzyxz@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    I mean you don’t have to eat the same thing for a week, I make 2 to 3 things and eat them throughout the week. This is especially useful with curry type dishes, where you can cook your rice daily and heat up the curry to eat with the rice. Same with other carbs, make a large amount of pasta sauce and boil pasta daily.