Making Meal Prep Easier

We have 9 helpful sections listed below for you! It is really difficult for many to understand how fatigue impacts our ability to make meals for ourselves, and often many in our community are navigating fatigue in addition to other difficult symptoms. One of the first obstacles may include just being able to access various food options given different budget constraints and the energy that may be required to get to the grocery store. Some in our community may choose to have groceries delivered to save energy, but that may not be an option for everyone especially given various financial considerations. Other obstacles can include meal preparation, choosing ingredients and food options that don’t trigger physical symptoms, symptom severity while upright and maneuvering throughout the kitchen, and energy required for cooking and clean-up. The goal is for everyone to have access to meal and snack options that are nourishing, and have access to tools and tips that allow for this access while spending less energy in a way that also minimizes symptoms.

Our team has compiled a list that we will continue to expand upon which we hope is a helpful starting point to make meal prep easier and more accessible when navigating fatigue and other symptoms. Please be mindful that some shortcuts or tips may not be recommended for individuals with MCAS, such as the use of canned goods, premade proteins, or some premade sauces, so we recommend looking at our MCAS meal prep ideas section for more support and information specific to this. Some meal ideas may also not be recommended for you given how much variation there is in our community – please make sure to talk to your care teams before making changes to your dietary plans.

Pacing Yourself

Organizing

Meal Plans

Easier Options

Bulk Cooking

Kitchen Tools

Getting Help

Cleaning Up

Meal Delivery

Fatigue and other difficult symptoms can make meal prep more challenging, but we really hope that all of these strategies help, even a little bit! If you really feel that you need more guidance and support, it may be a good idea to get more assistance with personalized meal prep and planning from a Registered Dietitian (can help with many aspects specific to meal ideas and what food options may be best for you to ensure you are getting all of the nutrients you need in a way that is best for you), and/or an Occupational Therapist (can help you with many aspects specific to tips and tricker to make meal prep easier on your body and feel more manageable).