If you have made it your mission this January to eat better and get healthier, then you’ve probably made the decision to start meal prepping. Meal prepping involves preparing a variety of meals or dishes beforehand that you can either store in the refrigerator or freezer for a quick and handy meal throughout the week. In today’s article, we have a look at some helpful tips that will assist you in becoming a meal prep master. Read on to find out more!
Gather Your Arsenal
When it comes to meal prepping, efficiency is key. You don’t want to be spending your entire weekend preparing meals for the week. This is why it is so important that you gather all the tools you need which will help you prepare fresh and healthy meals in a jiffy. Some great additions to your kitchen that will aid in meal prepping include food processors, blenders, slow cookers, measuring cups, glass storage containers and mason jars. Having these tools at your disposal is step one in mastering the art of food planning.
Calculate How Many Meals You Need
If you are food prepping for the entire workweek, it is important that you calculate how many meals you need. The last thing you want happening is running out of meals and having to resort to takeaways or other unhealthy options. Preparing too much can also result in food waste, which is why calculating exactly how many meals you will need throughout the week is key. Ideally, if you’re looking to prep for all 3 meals of the day for the working week, you’ll want to prepare 15 meals in total. You can also add in midday snacks or post-dinner snacks in case you’re worried about feeling peckish between meals.
Choose Simple Recipes
If you’re prepping 15 meals for the week, it is important that you choose simple recipes. Of course, 15 meals doesn’t mean 15 different dishes. Most meal prep experts choose 3 dishes to prepare ahead of time. Sourcing simple recipes that don’t require hundreds of ingredients or hours of cooking is key when looking to prepare food for the week. We highly recommend stews that you can prepare in a slow cooker whilst you’re cooking something else or recipes that utilize similar ingredients so that you can keep food costs at a minimal.
Choose Non-Perishable Ingredients
Because you will be preparing meals beforehand that will have to last you for at least 5 days, it is important that you ensure you are using ingredients that won’t go off within a matter of days. This means avoiding adding ingredients such as Avocado, Yoghurt, fruit that will go brown or greens that will wilt. What you can do is prepare everything else and then include these perishable ingredients into your meal just before you are going to consume them. This way, your meals are kept fresh throughout the week and you won’t have to throw anything out come Friday.
Choose The Right Containers
Lastly, the containers you store your meals in are just as important as the preparation process. One of the most common questions we receive is if plastic containers are ideal for meal prep. If you are going to use plastic containers, we highly recommend purchasing airtight BPA free boxes as they are microwave and dishwasher safe. BPA free containers will also prevent chemicals or plastics from leaching into your food. Ideally, the best and most eco-friendly option when it comes to meal prep containers is either glass or stainless steel. However, if you are preparing a meal that needs to be heated up in the microwave, remember to avoid metals such as stainless steel.
And there you have it! Everything you need to know about becoming a meal prep master. We hope that this article has given you some valuable insight into how you can prepare fresh and healthy meals for yourself that will not just leave you feeling healthy but also save you money during the week.
