MEAL PREP - What's all the fuss?
There is a lot of hype and excitement around "meal prep" at the moment; on social media, on TV, and amongst peers. Businesses such a 'lite n easy', 'hello fresh' and 'Marley Spoon' make millions of dollars every year by helping people live a healthier life through providing assistance with preparing healthy meals. Meal prep can help support us to stay consistent on our health journey, but did you know that you can meal prep yourself at home?
Here are my tips to MEAL PREP at home...
1. The Planning...
The Pantry Inventory: Check the pantry, fridge, and freezer to see what ingredients you already have on hand.
Look for inspiration: I only cook meals I enjoy eating, this is often A GOOD PLACE TO START. I often theme each week with a cuisine. Look for inspiration for recipes online, in cookbooks, or from family and friends. You could also use the surprise method where you write 20-30 different meals on pieces of paper, place them in a jar and randomly select 7 from the jar for the week.
Make a meal plan: Create a meal plan for the week, taking into account any upcoming events or commitments that may affect meals. Write down each meal for each day of the week, including snacks and drinks. Purchasable magnet meal plans can be found online and at some homeware stores (Or you can print your own below)
Create a shopping list: Based on your meal plan, create a shopping list of the ingredients you need to buy.
Shop for groceries: Go to the grocery store and purchase all the ingredients on your list.
2. The Doing... How I prepare my meals
Sundays are for meal prep in our household. We prioritise our time and activities on a Sunday to fit in time for meal prep.
To start, we get all of our ingredients for the weeks meals and snacks out onto a bench/table to see what we are working with
We use helpful equipment such as food processors, slow cookers and rice cookers to make chopping/grating/cooking quicker and easier
We batch wash and chop vegetables, cook grains, and marinate/freeze meat. This will make it easier to put together meals throughout the week.
We cook Mon-Wed meals on Sunday and cook Thurs-Saturday on Wednesday night. Anything not consumed within 48 hours we freezer or feed to the chickens.
3. The Storing...
Proper meal storage is important to maintain the quality, safety, and freshness of your food. Here are some of the best meal storing methods:
Refrigeration: Refrigeration is one of the most common methods of storing meals. Cooked meals should be stored in airtight containers
Freezing: Freezing is another popular method of storing meals for longer periods of time
Glass containers: Glass containers are a good alternative to plastic containers for storing meals. They are durable, reusable, and can be easily cleaned in the dishwasher. Glass containers can be used in the refrigerator and freezer.
Mason jars: Mason jars are a popular option for storing salads, soups, and other meals. They are affordable, reusable, and easy to clean.
By using these meal storing methods, you can keep your meals fresh and safe for longer periods of time, which can save you time and money in the long run.
Give it a try today and see if it helps you on your health journey!
TRY OUR FREE MEAL PLANNER BELOW
