'Meal prep used to feel impossible. Then I stumbled on a hack that saved my sanity.'

When I was young, I'd dream about becoming an adult. The unfettered freedom of living out of home, choosing my own bedtimes — it all felt exhilarating.

Adulthood arrived all too soon (the knees going were the first sign), and there was something I wasn't quite prepared for.

That was, just how many conversations revolve around what we eat for dinner. Honestly, whether it's mid-week after work, or on the weekends, the dinner dilemma is truly endless.

"What do you feel like?"

"Any meals you've been craving lately?"

"Hey, where did you see that brothy rice recipe again?"

"How long has this been in the fridge?"

"I'm so bloody sick of chicken."

When my partner and I both landed exciting new jobs last year, these phrases quickly became staples in our home. Balancing increased responsibilities with the very real biological requirement of feeding ourselves day in, day out, we found that the weekend "meal prep" became less of a time-saver and more of a full-time job.

Watch: An easy dinner that's ready in 16 minutes. Post continues after video.

Can we actually be really honest about meal prep? It's supposed to offer freedom — relief from the mid-week scramble — but in execution, it can become its own ritual of stress.

The tyranny of meal prep can feel very real.

There's always one forgotten ingredient that results in a frantic trip to the shops, or that sinking feeling when you find the produce you did buy has gone off before it could be cooked. Meal prep can require the organisation and timing of a military operation.

I'm aware I'm part of the problem. I'm a self-declared foodie who loathes being locked into a menu. By the time I come to cook the recipe we agreed upon, my cravings often swing in another direction entirely. When the weekend rolls around, and I finally have time to cook, the last thing I want, is to spend hours in the kitchen preparing meals I may not even want to eat by the end of the week. I also don't want to spend an age, doing a grocery shop searching for very specific ingredients.

I, like the many carrots lost to my crisper, became wasted and wilted at the prospect of more planning. After months of failing meal prep, and an increasing takeaway bill, I realised I had been approaching it wrong from the start. I was basing everything off the recipes that had caught my eye.

The key? Start with the proteins, build up the pantry staples to fall back on, then work backwards.

Protein first, stress last.

Instead of planning meals around complex recipes, I now pick the weekly protein first, which is normally a blend of chicken, mince, fish and canned legumes such as chickpeas or cannellini beans.

From there, I choose two to three "meal-prep" recipes that make a lot in bulk. Think soups, pastas, curries, stir-frys, chillis, quiche, mince bowls, rice bowls, or stews.

We prioritise cooking these recipes on our days off, so we can fall back on these during the week when we want a "lazy dinner."

We have our favourite recipes, which we mix and match with (I will share some of these below).

Once those staples are decided, I bulk out the week with two simpler, flexible dishes, such as tacos, fajitas, souvlaki, brothy rice, rice bowls, salads, or steak.

Just some of our favourite recipes, which we have on repeat. Image: Supplied.

These don't meal-prep as much as the above, but they add enough variety to the week without over-complicating the shopping list or prep.

This approach has four major benefits.

First, it eliminates the "I'm sick of chicken/soup/leftovers etc" problem before it starts. Second, it keeps the week interesting without requiring hours of extra planning. Third, it restores some of the fun in cooking as I'm not committing to a rigid menu. And lastly, it has simplified our grocery shop.

We now only do one online order a week and then mid-week a fresh veggie top up on the way home from work. Image: Raffaella Ciccarelli.

An example week.

Here are some of the recipes we typically fall back on in our house, and how we mix and match.

Soup: We normally favour a minestrone, Tuscan bean soup or a quick chicken noodle soup or laksa in warmer weather. Soups are a winner as they're easy to prep, reheat well, and provide a comforting start to the week.

Pasta: We normally lean towards simple vegetarian sauces as they're minimal fuss and keep in the fridge longer. That said, if we're hosting, we never pass up the opportunity to make a Ragù or lasagne!

Stir-fry: We pick proteins like chicken or beef mince tossed in a simple sauce, which are served over rice or noodles. Quick, colourful, and infinitely adaptable.

Extras: For mid-week, we normally choose "quick cooks" such as tacos, fajitas, souvlaki, a brothy rice, rice bowls and salads. These are fast, fun, and break up the rhythm of the week.

This roadmap works because it keeps shopping lists simple. You buy your protein, land on a recipe and then pick your fresh vegetables, a few pantry staples, and your curry paste or pasta sauce from there.

There's no excessive grocery lists, no forgotten ingredients, and hopefully, no wasted produce.

Meal prep without the dread.

We still do a bit of Sunday prep, but it's no longer a six-hour ordeal. With a protein-first approach, I feel more in control, and the mid-week "what's for dinner?" panic is almost nonexistent.

The formula isn't revolutionary, but it's practical. It allows for spontaneity, creativity, and yes, even indulgence. There are weeks when we throw out the plan entirely, instead ordering takeout or try a new recipe, but we always come back to the framework.

It gives us a backbone without being restrictive.

Some more household favourites. Image: Raffaella Ciccarelli.

Meal prep often fails because it's treated like a rigid system. We think we need to plan everything down to the last spice or commit to a menu that may not align with mid-week cravings. This protein-first, framework-based approach flips the script. It prioritises flexibility, reduces food waste, and, most importantly, brings the joy back into the kitchen.

Adulting doesn't have to mean resigning ourselves to boring dinners or stressful weekends. With a few simple principles, meal prep can actually deliver on its promise: freedom, variety, and more time for life outside the kitchen.

So yes, adulthood arrived with a heavy dose of "what's for dinner?"

But now, armed with my protein-first formula, I can face the week with a little less stress and maybe even a little excitement about what's cooking.

Feature image: Supplied.