Meal prepping is a popular strategy for busy professionals, parents, and students who want to ensure that they’re eating healthy. It’s especially helpful for people who are trying to lose weight or gain muscle.
It’s important to note that not all foods keep well when cooked ahead of time. Focus on recipes that include ingredients that can be stored for longer, such as hard boiled eggs, chopped veggies, roasted vegetables, and salads.
Planning
The first step to a successful meal prep is planning ahead. This involves creating a meal plan for the week, selecting recipes that are easy to cook and will make you feel satisfied when eaten.
A meal prepping plan can also help to reduce food waste – on average, UK households throw away about 2kg of food every day, which includes vegetables, meat, fish, fruit and bread. Preparing meals in advance allows you to purchase just what you need, and any extra ingredients can be batch cooked and frozen for a later date.
Another way to avoid food waste is purchasing bulk items that can be repurposed in different ways, such as making a big batch of turkey chili for lunch and dinner on several days of the week. This can be a great way to use up ingredients you already have on hand and can be an easy solution for people who are worried about getting bored with eating the same dish over and over again.
Prep Day
The key to success with prepping meals is planning ahead and taking your time. This may mean choosing a day to do all of your meal prep (such as Sunday afternoon) or spreading the preparation out throughout the week.
Aim to reduce food waste by only buying the ingredients you need. This will save you money as well as saving the environment. This can be achieved by using a shopping list to plan your meals and by cooking larger portions and freezing leftovers for another time.
You can also consider preparing component meals, which are ready-made foods that can be used to create different recipes and dishes. This is a great option for those who enjoy variety and flexibility in their eating. These foods include quiches and pies (both pastry and potato), casseroles, chilli, ratatouille, black bean sauce, pasta bakes and cannelloni (but be careful not to overcook these). The best way to prepare them is by portioning the ingredients into reusable containers that are suitable for the freezer and workbag.
Ingredients
When it comes to meal prepping, good organization is key. Palinski-Wade suggests creating a meal prep pantry or storage area where all your tools and ingredients are easily accessible. Keeping track of what you have on hand (and which items need to be replenished) will help avoid unnecessary trips to the grocery store.
For the best results, it’s important to plan recipes that reheat well. While the idea of meal prepping can conjure up images of towers of containers that will last a week, it’s recommended to start small: prep two or three days worth of meals at once, or even a batch of snacks. This will ease you into the routine, help you avoid food waste, and ensure that your meals are both tasty and satisfying. It’s also a good idea to add some variety to your diet — an unsatisfactory, monotonous diet will quickly send you reaching for the takeaway menu! Try adding herbs, spices, or salad dressings to your dishes for a pop of flavor.
Meals
Having meals prepared in advance eliminates the stress of trying to figure out what to cook each day. Whether you’re an athlete, trying to lose weight or simply want to eat more healthily, having pre-portioned meals ready to go can help make it easier to stick to your diet goals.
Meal prep helps ensure your meals are well-balanced, giving you protein for muscle power, fiber to support digestion and a rainbow of vegetables to fuel your body. It also helps reduce impulsive buying at the grocery store, which can lead to food waste.
One of the biggest challenges of healthy eating is portion control. Having meal-prepped meals waiting in the fridge can be like your food superheroes, making it less likely you’ll reach for the cheeseburger. But don’t fall into the trap of monotony, as eating the same thing over and over can make it harder to keep your diet on track. Try mixing up your recipes or incorporating different spices or condiments to create variety.