Save time by preparing meals all at once for the week–even if you are working from home. Batch prepping and batch cooking can save you time and money, ensure leftovers don’t go to waste, and keep you stay in control of portions and
ingredients. Determining your time availability and needs each week will help you decide what game plan works best for you. This may sound like a daunting task but with a little planning, it can be done in a couple of hours over the weekend.
Basics of Meal Prep:
- Choose one or two simple recipes. For example, Mediterranean Lunch Salads & Mushroom Beef Tacos.
- When grocery shopping, buy enough lean protein, whole grains, and vegetables for five meals.
- Cook all the food at once (a large batch of brown rice, a sheet pan full of chicken and vegetables).
- Portion the food into reusable containers and store them in the refrigerator until needed.
If you do not have enough time to prepare an entire meal, start by cutting up all your vegetables and dividing them into containers as soon as you get home from the grocery store. This way, the thought of making the entire dinner after a long day at work will not be quite as daunting as most of the prep and clean-up will already be done for you! (You can also buy pre-cut vegetables from the store, but these tend to be more expensive.) Having fresh fruits and vegetables ready at hand will not only make it easier to fit more nutrients into your daily meals, but this trick will also free up more time for you to do the things you love.
Click here for additional tips check out our blog on Meal Prep. Part of meal prepping includes meal planning, check out Meal Planning 101 for free downloadable templates.
For more meal prep and meal planning recipes, check out Prep Like A Pro from Cooking Essentials, Ingredients for Life.
Don’t miss another great blog: Subscribe Now