How long should meal prep take?

Nikkiey's numbers shift slightly depending on where you are. On Ep. 42 she says you should be able to lock yourself in the kitchen for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how many people you're cooking for, and she cooked a full week of her own food in under an hour. On Ep. 195, which is aimed at beginners, she recommends setting aside one to two hours on your chosen day. She explains that it took her longer at the start, and only with repetition can she now do it in 30 minutes or less. So if you're new, give yourself the bigger window. That doesn't mean you're slow. You're still learning the routine.

The fastest version is the simplest. On Ep. 69, Nikkiey says she preps only her proteins, which takes her maybe 25 minutes: chicken in the pressure cooker and ground beef on the stove for about 15 minutes. Brown rice, oatmeal and tortillas come ready from a bag.

Her fix is to strategize, prioritize and act. Put prep on your calendar, have your groceries ready, get all the proteins cooking first, and stay focused until you're done. On Ep. 195 she also suggests making it enjoyable with music or a podcast, and keeping in mind how much time and decision-making it saves you during the week.