You probably know that doing some advanced food prep on Sunday is key to having a healthier week. But chances are, you don’t have time to spend an entire day slaving away over a hot stove, whipping up tons of healthy meals for the week ahead. No worries—all is not lost! You can still prep for a slim week by following these easy and less time-consuming tips from Keri Gans, RD, author of The Small Change Diet:

Portion out the snacks that you’re going to bring to work: True, you could buy snack-size bags of chips and those little boxes of Cheerios—but everyone knows that they’re way more expensive, not to mention bad for the environment. The cheaper option: Buy big bags of stuff and put portions in smaller baggies on Sundays. That way, you can bring your “snack packs” to work each day and you won’t be tempted by the bad-for-you stuff in the vending machine.

MORE: Top 28 Best Healthy Snacks 

Hard-boil a dozen eggs: Two eggs and a piece of fruit is an ideal breakfast for weight loss, but often, the last thing you want to do slash have time for in the a.m. is egg prep. Hard-boil a bunch on Sunday, though, and you have zero excuses for grabbing a pastry in the morning. It takes almost no time at all to pop an egg or two in your mouth before you head out the door—and you can even eat your piece of fruit on the go.

MORE: The Best Breakfast for Weight Loss 

Chop your veggies: You know that moment right when you get home from work when you open the fridge and start grabbing whatever’s in sight because you’re starving and need something before you make dinner? Cut-up red peppers and cucumbers are a perfect solution to stop you from diving into the chips and dip. Prep them on Sunday so they’re literally right there when you open the fridge after work. Because let’s be honest: You’re going to eat something anyway, so it might as well be healthy. 

MORE: 7 Ways to Eat More Veggies 

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Annie Daly

Annie Daly is a New York City-based freelance writer, editor, and author who specializes in wellness, travel, and culture. She is the author of Destination Wellness (2021), and co-author of Island Wisdom (2022). A former editor at SELF, Cosmopolitan, BuzzFeed Travel, Yahoo Travel, and Good Housekeeping, she has also written for a variety of publications, including Condé Nast Traveler, Vogue, Travel + Leisure, Marie Claire, InStyle, and AFAR, among others. To follow her work, find her on IG @anniemdaly and subscribe to her Substack, Destination Wellness.