Meal prepping, you see it on Instagram, taunting you with the pictures of beautiful, colorful meals, in trendy bento boxes, arranged and organized in a spotless refrigerator. You admire the organization and skill of these people who must have all the time in the world, a farmers market down the street and the untouchable culinary wizardry of some of the top chefs in the world! Yet you know you could benefit from this healthy strategy in the middle of the week when all you want to do is hit the drive thru or throw something you found in the back of the freezer into the microwave after a long day at work. How does a person even get STARTED with the logistics, shopping, and preparing with this meal prep thing? Don’t worry!! Here are nine tips and tricks to get you going:
Invest in the right containers! Containers that you can store and reheat and eat from are key! If you can swing an all glass container option, some even have dividers to help keep foods separate are a wonderful environmentally friendly choice you can use for virtually a lifetime. There are also plenty of semi-disposable options and kits available at almost every grocery store. Pro-Tip: buy the same brand to increase the likelihood of having matching lids!
Stock-up on meal-prep staples! Items like rice, quinoa, frozen fruits and vegetables when having fresh on hand is a challenge. Consider things like steel cut oats, frozen chicken, beans, salsa, chicken or veggie broth that can work in a variety of options.
Start slow! You may see Instagram meal prep geniuses prepping 10 or more dishes at once. That's ambitious! Don't overextend your meal prepping talents and start slow (with three or four recipes) and work your way up to the amount you feel comfortable prepping. If you have access to a healthy lunch at work, then there is no need to prep lunch. Meal prepping is individual, so do what is right for you. OR target the meal that challenges you the most.
Bust out your kitchen gadgets! Soups and stews in the crock pot are the best! Let it do the cooking for you, even while you sleep! Or the Instant Pot-- cut down on the cooking time with this time saver! Maybe have them BOTH going at the same time?!? Mind blown!
Carpe Diem on the weekend! Utilize a Saturday or Sunday morning or afternoon and get yourself set up with healthy meals for the week! OR alternately, you don’t necessarily HAVE to meal prep only on the weekend. Are your weekends filled with other activities? Divide your prepping into two days, Maybe Sundays and Wednesdays? There is not one right way to do this! Whatever works for you, is the way that works for you!
Find shortcuts! Buy pre-cut vegetables, or frozen. Just because you are meal prepping doesn't mean you have to make everything from scratch. Utilize pre-made sauces, dressings, marinades, etc. to speed up the process a bit. The goal of meal prep is to save you time during the week, not take up your whole weekend! You may find you spend and waste less in the long run, and definitely save TIME in the kitchen.
Prep for the Meal Prep! Do you find yourself buying lots of produce that you don't end up using, and it goes to waste? When you get home from the grocery store, before putting the produce in the fridge, do all of your peeling, cutting & chopping first! If your veggies are already prepped and ready to cook with, you are far more likely to use them. And when it comes time to do the cooking, your meal prep will go super smoothly.
Go Long to Short! Save time starting with the recipe that will take the longest and work your way to the shortest recipe. For example, begin with the slow cooker, then a sheet pan recipe, then a quick skillet recipe. That way, you’re always making something while something else is cooking, which saves time!
Plan Ahead! Meal prepping is also known as meal planning, with an emphasis on planning. Now, if you’re just getting started, this doesn’t mean spending tons of time researching and analyzing macros. It literally means spending 5-10 minutes thinking about dishes that you want to eat in the week ahead and asking yourself, “What sounds good to eat?” Once you answer that question, get that grocery list going. Keep the list in one spot in your house, or utilize the notes section on your phone.
Implementing some of these tips you hopefully can avoid a logistical nightmare, spilled quinoa, a sink full of dishes, and the disarray of plastic containers. You can bask in the glory of saving time and money, helping yourself stick to a nutritious eating plan, and ward off a trip through the drive thru! Go forth, meal prep, and happy eating!