Meal Prep Brings Me Joy

*When you get a good meal prep hit, it might be the only thing that truly brings you joy in your day. The self satisfaction you get from having 8 servings of your favorite meal, perfectly portioned and ready to go. Your weekly prep makes you feel like you're a floating on top of the world and nobody can bring you down.*<br><br>That's how I feel about meal prep, and I am proud of it. <br><br>Depending on the day, and volume of prep; I can easily spend anywhere from 1-4 hours in the kitchen on a Sunday. My preps are complex, and labor-intensive. I make sure to never repeat any meal for a month. I'm a completely self-taught cook, with zero professional culinary training; but I have always been passionate about food. Nothing makes me happier than the process of transforming raw ingredients into an artfully crafted meal. <br><br>I prepare a wide variety of dishes. Salads, veggies, fruits, lean proteins, grains, legumes, and everything in between. I also love to experiment with different methods of cooking. I've used sous vide, instant pot, pressure cooker, and now even air fryer. I love experimenting with different cooking methods, and experimenting with new flavors and ingredients. My favorite thing to do is take a recipe and completely reinvent it. I use the foundation and take it in a completely different direction. It's a great way to discover new flavors, and might even discover a new favorite meal.<br><br>A month or so ago, I was cooking dinner on a Saturday night. I was making a dish that I had been craving for a while. The meal was delicious, but it was just your run of the mill, weeknight meal. After we finished eating, my partner made the comment "I could never get bored with your cooking". I asked them why, and they told me it was because I constantly change up the menu. They also really liked the variety in the meal prep. They enjoy trying new things, but also like knowing what to expect. They requested that I never get tired of cooking, because they think they would be really sad if I stopped. That comment made me step back and realize just how much cooking and meal prep mean to me. <br><br>I don't care that people might think that I'm overdoing it, or spending too much time in the kitchen. I ignore those who say that meal prep is lazy, or that I'm missing out on family time. I don't care that I have 8 servings of the same meal that I will eat over the course of 5 days. <br><br>I have been lucky enough to have been able to connect with several other meal preppers on Reddit. I have learned so much from them, and it's always very exciting to see someone form a new connection in this community. The people I've met through this platform are passionate, talented, and true artists. I love connecting, listening to their stories, and learning from them. I am so grateful to have formed new relationships through this platform.<br><br>I will never stop meal prepping, and I can't imagine living any other way. <br><br>If people want to judge me for my preps, that's okay. I don't need your approval for the way I choose to eat. Don't try to tell me that you're going to miss the experience of sitting down to eat, with family/friends. I get that, and I respect your opinion. I still choose to make meal prep a cornerstone of my diet, and the way that I eat. <br><br>I will never apologize for how much joy meal prep gives me. It's worth my time, and gives me a sense of fulfillment that I find with no other activity. I can't imagine living any other way, and I wouldn't want to. <br><br>**TL;DR** <br><br>Meal prep is my favorite thing in the world. It brings me so much joy, and enriches my life in ways I never thought possible. I will always be proud of the time and effort I put into my weekly preps. I'm glad I found this community, and I am so glad that I discovered my passion for food.