What ’ s for Dinner ?
It ’ s dinner time and you have no idea what to make . Sound familiar ? You stare into your refrigerator , then move to the cupboard and then the fridge again , yet your mind is blank .
We ’ ve all been there before , wishing dinner would magically appear — even though we haven ’ t been to the supermarket in weeks and probably should ’ ve started cooking 30 minutes ago . If this sounds a little too familiar to you , then it ’ s time for meal prep .
Don ’ t panic ! Meal prepping is only as complicated as you make it . Though it requires some planning and time up front , it saves you far more time , energy and money in the long run . With a little preparation , you ’ ll have less food waste , spend less time cooking and spend less money on takeaway food . It also makes it easier to stick to your healthy eating goals because even on the busiest of nights , dinner can be ready in minutes .
Meal Planning
At its most fundamental , meal planning simply means you plan out your meals in advance . If you don ’ t already have one , start by making a list of all the meals you like to eat . Expand this list by asking family or friends for ideas or by searching online .
Next , use your list to plan what you ’ ll eat each day . Plan at least one or two weeks ahead . Choose which meals to plan out and use your plan to create an easy shopping list . You ’ re the one with a meal plan , so make it work for you and your family .
Whether your aim is to eat more healthily , eat out less often , save time , or waste less food , planning out your meals in advance can help you maintain your goals , especially if you keep your meal plan somewhere you can easily and quickly reference : your phone , a calendar hanging in your kitchen , or even a simple list on your fridge .
Meal Prepping
With your meal plan in place ( and grocery shopping finished ), set aside some time at the weekend to prep . This can be done in several ways :
• Slow and pressure cooker meals : Use a large container or sealable bag to hold all the ingredients for one meal . Depending upon when on your calendar you ’ ll need these meals , place them in the fridge or freezer .
• Precooked proteins : Cook large batches of chicken , beef , pork and so on to use for meals throughout your week . If you planned your meals for longer than a week , freeze a portion of the protein for week two and move it to the fridge to thaw the next weekend .
• Microwave meals : Cook and assemble single-serving meals in microwave-safe containers . These are perfect for busy nights when family members need to eat at different times .
• Ingredient prep : Clean , slice , shred , grate , chop and portion out all the ingredients for multiple meals . Store portioned amounts in containers ready to assemble at mealtime . Cleaning and preparing fruits and veggies fresh from the grocery store keeps them fresh longer and makes them easier to fit in as snacks , as well as in the meals you ’ re prepping for .
• Freezer meals : For meals that freeze well , cook a double or triple batch — one for the fridge and two for the freezer . These will make easy additions to a week of meal prep .