Is It Actually Worth It To Order Chipotle Catering For Meal Prep?

If you have the time, meal prep is a great way to get a head start on your lunches and dinners, taking some stress out of every work day. However, it can be daunting trying to plan and make an entire week's worth of meals at once, especially if you're inadvertently making some common mistakes. That's why TikTok users have begun sharing one trick for making meal prep a little easier.

Recently, TikTok user Alicia Briggs posted a video in which she shares that she typically eats a lot of chicken and rice throughout the week. She previously saw another TikTok user ordering Chipotle's catering service to use for meal prep, and was inspired to do the same. As she revealed in the comments, Briggs has four children; while it took a while for Chipotle to get her order ready (and Briggs needed some help from her husband to get the food in the house), she claims that ordering catering from Chipotle saved her a bunch of time.

According to the Chipotle website, the restaurant offers a few different meal options for catering. The burrito boxes, for example, come with already-prepared burritos, which you could store in the fridge or freezer to enjoy later. However, many TikTok users recommend the Build Your Own option, which allows you to get your favorite Chipotle toppings in carryout containers. Still, Briggs paid nearly $140 for the food; is that really worth it to make meal prep a little easier? It depends on who you ask.

When you order Chipotle's Build Your Own catering option, you can pick your favorite protein, two toppings, two salsas, and two bases, which include beans, rice, or lettuce. You can also choose between soft flour tortillas or crunchy taco shells. While this could save you some time prep time, is that actually worth spending over $100?

According to some TikTok users, the answer is yes. Alicia Briggs certainly thinks so, saying "I can't contain my excitement" as she opens the box and shows off all the components. "I am excited for meal prep this week," she exclaims. In another video, TikToker Ericka Gunn says that, although the order she placed was for 10 servings, she had some extra food left over. One commenter asked how long the food lasts in the fridge, and Gunn responded that it survives between three to five days. She also recommends splitting the servings with another person so that you don't get tired of eating the same food every day, as well as to reduce the amount of wasted food.

However, not everyone is convinced that using Chipotle catering for meal prep is worth it. Avery, who goes by averybrynn1 on TikTok, shared a video comparing the cost of Chipotle catering to the price of ingredients purchased from the grocery store.

Avery notes that the non-protein components included in the catering boxes — beans, rice, cheese, sour cream, salsa, and lettuce — can be purchased for significantly less than they cost at Chipotle. All together, she says, the bill comes out to about $30. "You're basically paying $100 for meat," Avery's video claims. "Granted, it's very well-seasoned meat, I respect that. But, bestie, that's not a deal."

Additionally, it's important to keep in mind that the food from Chipotle will only keep for a few days, even if it's stored in the fridge. Grocery store products generally last a little longer. In the end, while the convenience of ordering a catering box from Chipotle may seem like an easy way to meal prep, it's more financially savvy to spend your money at the grocery store and make homemade burrito bowls instead.