A nutritionist reveals the weekend meal prep tips that could transform your weekly diet - including the two-minute breakfast that will fill you up until lunch

It’s a busy day and you’ve already battled to get the kids out of the door, ticked off several life admin tasks and are charging through your work to-do list as the emails pile in. It gets to lunchtime and you have two options: spend what feels like ages preparing yourself a healthy salad with protein on the side, or take a few seconds to shove some bread in the toaster and take it back to your desk.

With so many pressures on our time, it’s no wonder healthy eating often feels like too much work – from chopping up salad leaves to washing and peeling fruit, it occasionally seems like even the smallest tasks are a big effort when you’re busy.

Preparing food in advance, when you might have a free slot during evenings or weekends, is the answer. Although when you look at those #mealprep posts on Instagram, full of elaborate regimes and stacks upon stacks of Tupperware, even that can seem daunting.

However, it doesn’t have to be, says Alexa Mullane, a nutritional therapist and advisor to Wiley’s Finest. She has revealed the simple steps she takes every weekend to get her ready for a healthy week ahead, along with exactly how many minutes each one takes – which suddenly makes the whole thing look much more achievable. Here’s what she does…

Chop fresh veggies (10-15 min)

‘I pre-chop peppers, cucumbers, carrots, celery and so on, and store them in airtight containers for easy snacking or to add to a quick lunch.’

Roast veggies (prep 5 min, cooking 30 min)

‘I roast a big batch of vegetables (including a whole rainbow of colour - onions, garlic, courgettes, broccoli, peppers, aubergines, carrots, cauliflower) and keep it in the fridge then I use them for lunches or to add to sauces and curries etc for dinners.’

Cook protein (20 min)

‘I cook a few portions of chicken breasts, eggs or salmon so that I have a ready-made protein source for salads, bowls, or wraps for my lunches and dinners. The pre-boiled eggs are great for a very quick breakfast of avocado and egg on toast before heading out to work.’

Make a healthy carb base (15 min)

‘I cook a batch of quinoa, brown rice, or roasted sweet potatoes to use throughout the week.’

Prepare a versatile dressing (5 min)

‘I blend extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, and herbs for a homemade dressing that works on salads, grains and proteins. I keep this separate in the fridge and add it to salads before eating, to make sure that they don’t go soggy from adding it too early.’

Overnight oats or chia pudding (2 min)

‘I prepare a few servings in jars with milk, chia seeds, grated apple and cinnamon for eat grab-and-go breakfasts.’