As a student, figuring out your next meal is a bit of a challenge. We have a lot on our minds: the chapter that needs to be read by next class, the test that’s next week, how on earth am I going to pay for next semester, what am I going to do with my life after this?

It’s a whirlwind.

For that reason, food sometimes goes on the backburner. It’s so easy for us to grab chips from a vending machine between classes or stop by the Rhatigan Student Center for a quick pizza or chicken sandwich.

Instead of taking that route — which, I admit, I’ll have to stop for fast-food on my busiest days — I have taken up meal prepping.

Much like the name suggests, “meal prep” is the term health nuts use for preparing their meals ahead of time, usually at the start of the week, like on a Sunday. So in other words, “leftovers,” but a bit more organized and disciplined.

The premise is simple: prepare, in bulk, a few different meal options. Some people go all out and package each meal and snack for the entire week. For example, set out five bananas, five containers for lunch, five more baggies of snack food and five more containers for dinner.

I don’t know about you all, but “ain’t nobody got time for that.”

Instead, I cook a big pot of brown rice, sauté a bunch of asparagus and bake a few large sweet potatoes. I’ll steam some veggies, pull apart a rotisserie chicken and put together a few snack items — such as fruit, yogurt or carrots — and I’m pretty much set for the week.

In the evening or before heading out in the morning, I’ll throw it all into a lunchbox, and I’m out the door. For one day’s lunch (and sometimes dinner), it takes me three to five minutes to mix and match.

Want to try your own meal prep? Here are a few tips.

Pack it: Purchase a pack of reusable containers. Brands like Rubbermaid and Ziploc have great options for a low price. Get varying sizes — large ones for meals, medium for snacks and smaller ones for dressings and dips.

Shop it: If you’re going to cook in bulk, shop in bulk. Be careful, though, that you don’t cook too much, or it all will go bad by the end of the week. It may seem ridiculous to buy a bunch of food for one person, but you’ll thank yourself for it later.

Cook it: Schedule your meal prep as a part of your day. I use this philosophy for exercise, too. If I don’t make it a part of my daily routine, it won’t happen. Treat meal prep, exercise, yoga and other healthy habits just as you treat any other vital part of you day, like showers, naps or even studying.

Stick with it: Once you’ve prepped your meals for the week, it’s much easier to not be tempted by other, less-healthy options. When I walk through the RSC, I’m less drawn to the smell of chicken alfredo when I’ve got a lunchbox full of good foods. That’s not to say it doesn’t take a little bit of work to stick with the meal plan. But once you make a habit, you’ll be good to go.

Find a video of one of my usual meal preps online at runningwithreynolds.wordpress.com.