There are many different methods of approaching meal prep. Some like to prep a few “staples” and do some light cooking with yummy, healthy recipes on a daily basis. Some people like to package every single meal or lunch for up to 3-5 days in advance. (Refrigerate 3 days worth of food, freeze the rest until the night before- thaw in the fridge)
Whichever approach you choose to follow, having food that’s ready in the morning to simply pack into a couple containers for you and your family will save you time in the morning, money, and help you avoid junk food. Trust me, this will save you when you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to prepare food. If you decide not to do meal prep just make sure to have a plan regarding what you’re eating and how you’re going to prepare it the day before!
HOW TO MEAL PREP:
1. Pick one day or two days in the week. to prepare the bulk of your food for the week. I prefer Sundays and Thursdays as they are my least busiest days. If you want to do it all in one day, as mentioned before, have 3 days of food in the fridge, and freeze the rest to keep it from going bad!
2. Follow the recipes below to cook your “staples”. (i.e. your proteins, vegetables, fats and carbs for the week). Prepare your carbs first since they take the longest, meats second, vegetables third.
3. Package individual meals beforehand in storage containers so you can grab and go in a pinch. If you don't like the feeling of “leftovers” you CAN preserve the freshness of your meals by freezing after preparing and defrosting in the refrigerator the night before consuming.
4. You can also cook a little extra protein, carbs, and veggies and store them away in a big container. That way you have already cooked “Staples” you can use to make things on nights you’re home and have time to cook. You could mix the “Staples” in stir-fry, vegetable scrambles, pizza toppings, salads, etc. Mix and match with what your craving in the moment. It takes the guesswork—and preparation work—out of meal planning, while saving a lot of time.