Navigating grad school with lectures, research, TA duties, and a social life is honestly a constant juggling act—and for me, healthy eating was always the first thing to fall apart. I used to scramble for food between classes, spend way too much on takeout, and then wonder why my energy and focus were all over the place (plus my wallet was suffering). So I built myself a meal prep system that actually works for a crazy busy week, and in this video I’m walking you through it step-by-step. My approach is simple: I prep two main dishes for variety without overwhelming my Sunday, and I do it with what I call “parallel prepping” (aka cooking two mains at the same time). I start by chopping all my veggies first—especially aromatics like onion, garlic, and tomato—because they become the flavor base for everything. This week I make chicken curry (with super affordable Costco drumsticks) and pork sinigang (the coziest bowl when it’s cold), then portion everything into airtight containers. I also prep marinated chicken for quick dinners, plus extras like rice, sliced baguette for toast, and washed lettuce—so weekday meals feel easy, cozy, and budget-friendly.