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Food October 20, 2024 4 min read

Meal Prep Math: How Cooking on Sunday Saves $5,000/Year

The average American spends $3,500/year on lunch alone. Here is how to cut that by 60%.

Eating out for lunch costs $12-18 per meal. Meal prepping costs $3-5. Over 250 work days, that is $2,500-3,250 in annual savings from lunch alone. Add dinner savings and you are looking at $4,000-6,000/year.

The 3-Hour Sunday System

Prep 5 lunches and 5 dinners in one session. Total grocery cost: $40-60 for 10 meals. That is $4-6 per meal versus $12-18 eating out. Time: 2.5-3 hours including cleanup. The most popular recipes: chicken and rice bowls, pasta with protein, burrito bowls, and stir-fry with vegetables.

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