Post Holiday Blues: Simple Meal Prep Ideas To Get You Back on Track

Post Holiday Blues: Simple Meal Prep Ideas To Get You Back on Track

Getting back on track after the holidays can feel like a massive effort. But these meal prep ideas will ease you back in...

I hope you’ve had a fantastic summer break, whether at home or away. I love this time of year to recharge the batteries and have some time away to truly relax.

But I know for myself and a lot of my clients it’s switching back from holiday mode to work/school/family routines which is the real killer. 

Let’s be honest, we’re all feeling a bit sad (post holiday blues, anyone?) and often change is in the air - new school year, looming work projects, new routines at home. One of the disadvantages of a break is that getting back into the daily grind feels just that - painful!

How tired?!

I don’t know about you, but I also feel really tired, especially those first couple of ‘back to normal’ weeks. I asked my friend’s teenage son how his first week of the new school year had gone. “Bad”, he said. “How come? Lots of work to do or not liking your teacher?” “No, I’m just sooooo tired”. I know the feeling!

It’s that routine thing. 

Suddenly, those time pressures around getting out on time, having to make lunches and going back to work can feel overwhelming. And even though we all know it’s coming, it still feels like everything is going to hell in a handcart. 

There’s just not enough time to organise your week and still eat healthily, is there?

I can’t make the summertime sadness disappear but using part of the weekend for these meal prep ideas can make the first couple of weeks a lot less painful. It’s not sexy or exciting but it might just make healthy food choices easier and ease you out of the post holiday slump. 

And if you want all the thinking done for you, why not join the live challenge I’m running 16-20th September - you’ll have meal and snack ideas whilst also getting rid of those pesky carb cravings? Sign up below…

Here are my top meal prep ideas and tips on how prepping your food can get you back on track. In these tiring weeks I try to think - what’s the least I can do and still eat well?

Have a list of go-to meals that everyone likes

Mind shower the meals the family likes to eat and then work that into some sort of weekly plan of what you’re shopping and buying. Working out what you are going to have each day at the start of the week will save you time.

Stick A Meal Plan on the Fridge

Just writing out a meal plan and sticking it somewhere you can see it as a visual reminder- that’s what we’re having. And then also anyone else in the house knows, that’s what you’re having.  That makes the common ‘what’s for dinner - shall we just get a take-away’ scenario less likely. 

Keep It basic for breakfast

Some of my clients make a batch of my tasty egg muffins over the weekend and then freeze them. Then they just need to get them out of the freezer and defrost them the night before. 

Even if you do a smoothie, measure out the ingredients for the next day, so that it’s all just as easy as possible. 

Prep easy lunches

Batch the kids’ and the adults’ lunches. For example, with fruit, have it earmarked as to what they’re going to take. For me, I prep small containers of seeds/nuts that I take to work so I’ll do five for the week. 

So worst case scenario, in the morning I can at least grab those and some fruit and nuts and just be gone. 

My other really quick lunch is to take a complete tub of hummus because I know I can leave it in the fridge at work. Then on Sunday I’ll prep a load of carrots and cucumbers and I’ll stick some in a container in the fridge for my husband and I’ll put the rest in a Tupperware container for me. That’s a five minute job.

Dinner prep for the week ahead

It’s a good idea to have a set of recipes that you’re really familiar with that you can fall back on for your evening meals. 

If you can plan the whole week’s meals ahead of time, making sure you’ve got easy stuff in there it makes the week so much easier because you know what you’re having each day.

For example, with chicken you could make enough to take some for lunch the next day or try traybake type recipes that you can at least prep when you feel you’ve got a bit more time and put it in the oven/slow cooker on a timer so that you’ve got food to come back to. 

Sometimes at the weekend I’ll do a range of different salads and put those salads in the fridge so that it almost works like a salad bar,  and I’ll add a spoonful of each of them to a Tupperware to take. 

Or Sunday night I’ll do a salad base for Monday and Tuesday and whatever we’re having for that evening meal I’ll add to that salad base. My big bugbear around salad is that it’s not just lettuce and cucumber - that’s a garnish. Salad can be way more interesting!

It’s not the most nutritious but jacket potatoes are so easy. Before now I’ve prepped them and stuck them in the oven with the timer on if I know we’re going to be late back. At least you know you’ve got something to eat rather than reaching for something really instant or having takeaway. 

Be Aware of the Second Week Super Slump!

I find I am super prepared for the first week back and it’s the second week that’s the killer because the novelty has gone. So your secret weapon is to have another week of prep to have a go at before you’re back on it and know what you’re doing. 

Or alternatively, sign up for my live 5-day challenge that will see you through that second week with me keeping you accountable with meal and snack ideas to see you through. Sign up below and we’ll get through the second week slump together! 

Content Disclaimer

The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this blog are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this blog. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this blog. Midlife Menu Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this blog.

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