A study of 1,000 Brits found they’ll spend 60 minutes a week grocery shopping, 64 minutes preparing meals and 324 minutes (or 5.4 hours) a week cooking.
Over the average adult lifetime, this means a total of 23,370 hours – or 1,015 full days – is spent shopping, preparing or cooking meals – more time than many people will spend on hobbies, exercise, or even some jobs.
The research was commissioned by meal prep company, Prep Kitchen.
Google searches for “healthy dinner ideas” receive 301,000 hits every month, seeing a 22% increase in search volume over the last 12 months*. There isn’t only an appetite for nutritious meals, but also recipes which are ‘quick’ and ‘easy’ – take TikTok’s viral one-dish baked feta pasta as an example. In fact, there are over 400 million posts related to ‘Quick Meals’ on TikTok.
Statista data revealed that 60% of consumers are actively trying to eat healthy*, but balancing this with busy schedules isn’t always easy.
Commenting on the research, Kerry Beeson, Nutritional Therapist (BSc) at Prep Kitchen, says: “When you see just how long people will spend over their lifetime cooking, it’s unsurprising that some of us are looking for more efficient ways to get balanced, nutritious meals.
“While cooking can be great fun, the daily stress associated with meal planning, cooking, and cleanup can sometimes feel draining – especially if you’re trying to hit specific goals such as fat loss or muscle gain.”
Looking for healthy meals in a hurry? Kerry shares 3 top tips:
- Stock up on healthy shortcuts
Kerry advises: “Keeping your cupboards stocked with time-saving healthy items like pre-cooked whole grains and tinned beans can help you assemble meals quickly while keeping them nutritious. It’s also a good idea to have one or two healthy condiments like kimchi and pesto ready to elevate your meals.”
- Make friends with your freezer
Kerry says: “Frozen foods are typically frozen when they’re at their peak of freshness to preserve their nutrients, meaning they can be just as good as fresh, and in some cases, better. Pre-chopped frozen veggies are a great time-saver, allowing you to skip some of the time spent meal-prepping.
“Batch cooking easy, healthy meals and keeping the leftovers in your freezer is a great solution for mid-week dinners, meaning you don’t have to start from scratch every time.”
- Consider a meal prep company
“For those wanting to eliminate the stress and time commitment of cooking, prepping, and grocery shopping, a meal prep service can be a real lifesaver. This is especially beneficial for busy individuals who don’t have time to cook or for those who struggle with food waste as you’re not left with unused ingredients.”
For more information on how you can get a balanced diet through the help of meal prep, please visit: https://prepkitchen.co.uk/
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