When you are busy and short on time its often the case that the quickest most convenient meals are far from the healthiest option. Equally the thought of spending hours in the kitchen at the weekend cooking ahead isn't very appealing. However, a little bit of planning and prep though will help minimise the times when you reach for an unhealthy "panic meal". To help you, I have put together some meal prepping tips to help you save time and eat healthier. Here are five tips that make meal prepping easier for me:
1. Start small and plan your meal prep ahead.
Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to make a whole week’s worth of meals at once. Start with a few meals or snacks for the next few days and see how it goes. You can also use a calendar or a spreadsheet to plan your weekly meals (I have a menu board for the week up on my kitchen wall). with a clear view on what you are going to have, you can also plan your shopping list and minimise overbuying at the supermarket. Batch cooking a bolognese or chilli and freezing portions for use later in the week/next week is another great idea. Jamie Oliver has some great batch cooking recipes.
2. Use different containers and storage methods to make this easier.
Having good-quality containers that are microwave-safe, freezer-safe, and leak-proof will make your meal prep easier. You can also use assorted sizes and shapes of containers for different types of foods, such as salads, soups, or snacks. Having the ability to use your containers in the freezer so you have the flexibility to freeze some meals for longer storage or refrigerate them for shorter-term use is helpful.
3. Make one base recipe that can be used in different ways.
Instead of making several different dishes, you can make one large batch of a versatile ingredient, such as chicken, rice, beans or roasted vegetables, and then use it in different ways throughout the week. For example, you can use chicken for salads, wraps, tacos, or stir-fries.
4. Use a slow cooker.
Slow cookers are great for meal prepping because they allow you to cook large amounts of food with minimal effort and supervision. You can make soups, stews, curries, casseroles, and more with a slow cooker. Just dump the ingredients in the morning and come home to a delicious meal ready to eat or freeze or refrigerate.
5. Keep a well-stocked pantry and freezer.
Having some staple foods in your pantry and freezer can help you whip up quick and easy meals when you don’t have time to prep or shop. Some examples of pantry staples are canned beans, tomatoes, tuna, pasta, noodles, rice, oats, nuts, seeds, spices, and sauces. Some examples of freezer staples are frozen fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, bread, and cheese.
I hope these tips are helpful for you, if you have any more tips to make meal prepping easier drop them in the comments below. If you would like to receive our blog posts, special offers and more in your inbox please subscribe to our mailing list here.
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