I Don’t Meal Prep, But I Do Buy Rotisserie Chicken
Photo by Tofan Teodor/Unsplash
There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that I want to do with my Sunday afternoon less than meal prep. Is it the mature and fiscally responsible thing to do? Maybe. But the thought of sacrificing one of my only two weekend afternoons to plan out a whole week of meals I probably won’t even want to eat after the first day anyway is deeply depressing to me. By Thursday, the idea of eating days-old baked chicken breast and soggy roasted vegetables is the stuff of nightmares.
But I don’t think I’m better than you, meal preppers. Truthfully, I’m jealous that you have the discipline and mental fortitude to plan out healthy, balanced meals for yourself ahead of time. I’m envious of all the extra time you must have during the week because you’re not forced to cook on a daily basis. And I can only imagine that your bank account is more well-padded than mine, which is frequently depleted by two or more takeout orders a week.
It’s taken me a long time to realize that I’m just not the meal prep type. Though I’ve never gone all out and planned a whole week of meals in advance, I’ve definitely attempted to make at least a few meals in advance, cooking larger portions than I otherwise would to ensure I had leftovers later in the week. All too often, though, the time would come to eat those previously prepped meals, and they would seem supremely unappetizing to me, especially after sitting in the fridge for more than a day or two. Maybe I’m picky, or maybe I’ve spoiled myself too much with the aforementioned takeout. Regardless, I’ve unequivocally failed at meal prepping in all its forms—except one.
I guess “meal prepping” is a generous definition for a method I’ve adopted for feeding myself on especially busy weeks. This method involves walking to the nearby Star Market and making a beeline for the deli, where hot, crispy, occasionally overcooked rotisserie chickens sit in their plastic bags, waiting to be devoured by overworked parents of school-aged children. And me, I guess.