Why should you meal prep?
Regardless of whether you are a mum, student or full time worker it can be hard to cook all of you meals at home each day due to our busy day to day lives. Without meal preparation you will increase your chances of reaching for the convenience foods when you get stuck with out food.
So what is meal prep?
Meal prep can mean different things to each person, so it is important you find a routine that works for you. Essentially, it should save you time in the kitchen and make it easier for you to eat healthier during the week. You may choose to prepare only breakfasts, dinners or even all of your meals, including your snacks. You may need to use a little bit of trial and error to get settled into a routine that suits your lifestyle and preferences. If you struggle to get dinner together because you work late, you should focus on preparing dinners.
Tips to Mastering Your Meal Prep:
- Get the right gear! For meal prep and for easy lunch-packing, it’s important to stock-up on proper equipment. I recommend glass or stainless steel for storing food given that many plastics may be a hazard to health, especially when heated. If you do purchase plastic, look for BPA-free containers and get into the habit of transferring food onto a plate before warming
I recommend food containers of varying sizes for food storage as well as smaller containers for individual portions of meals and snacks. - Plan – If you don’t, you risking not finding the time to prep and will be scrambling to build healthy meals during the week.
- Pick a Prep Strategy –Â There is no right or wrong way, you just need to decide what works for you. Begin by looking at your calendar and decide what meals you would need to make ahead of time for that specific week. When are you busiest and home too late to cook? Next, choose a prep strategy that meets your needs:
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- Mix and match prep: A good strategy if you don’t have much time to prep and if you like to mix-up your meals during the week. This is about preparing batches of food that can be used in many ways during the week. Choose 1-2 foods to prep from each category to easily build balanced meals during the week:
- Starches:Â Grains (quinoa, rice), sweet potato, butternut squash soup, Beans (chickpeas, lentils, black beans), Oats (baked, overnight)
- Proteins:Â Hard-boiled eggs, chicken (baked, grilled, roasted whole, shredded), poached salmon, Shrimp (roasted, grilled, boiled)
- Vegetables:Â Greens/lettuce (wash, spin and store), Raw vegetables (carrot sticks, pepper slices), Cooked vegetables (Steamed broccoli, roasted cauliflower, blanched green beans)
- Mix and match prep: A good strategy if you don’t have much time to prep and if you like to mix-up your meals during the week. This is about preparing batches of food that can be used in many ways during the week. Choose 1-2 foods to prep from each category to easily build balanced meals during the week:
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- Macro meals: This strategy requires you to prepare balanced meals and store them in single-serve containers. This requires more prep time and can be repetitive but is helpful if you’re on a very tight schedule and want to stack meals in the fridge for easy grab and go.
- For example you can prepare several portions of grilled chicken with sides of sweet potatoes and green beans for weekday lunches and a prep batch of chili ready for you when you get home.
- Macro meals: This strategy requires you to prepare balanced meals and store them in single-serve containers. This requires more prep time and can be repetitive but is helpful if you’re on a very tight schedule and want to stack meals in the fridge for easy grab and go.
