5 easy meal prep tips

5 easy meal prep tips

 

A proper meal prep plan is a great start to your week. Here are some tips to help get the ball rolling.

1. MAKE TIME

For meal prep to work, you have to actually find time to cook! Sunday works the best for most people for obvious reasons—it’s closest to Monday to keep your food fresh throughout the week, and it’s a weekend so you have time off. Even if you don’t have much time on Sunday (you’ll need 2-3 hours), just getting the shopping out of the way or getting the prep out of the way will still save you time during the week.

2. FIND INGREDIENT OVERLAPS

When picking recipes for meal prep, try grouping them by overlapping ingredients. If you need to make rice one night for a chicken curry dish, you can use it later in the week for fried rice. Spinach can be used in a salad or, in the filling of lasagna roll ups.

3. MIX IT UP

If you can’t fathom eating the same thing two days in a row, plan on making two or three different dishes that you can alternate or mix-and-match throughout the week. With the right planning and creativity, you can make the same food go a long way. By just making different sauces, already prepped chicken and vegetables can make a huge difference.

4. GO FREEZER-FRIENDLY

The first thing to consider when choosing recipes is making sure they’re freezer-friendly. Some food is better suited to freezing and reheating than others: “Soups, broths, smoothies, and sauces can be frozen in ice cubes trays, which comes in handy for portion control and weight management.

5. 5. GET PROPER CONTAINERS

Make sure you have quality containers! Mason jars, tupperware, and plastic bags will all do. You can also check out a local restaurant supply shop for some takeout-style containers. If you're unhappy with your plastic containers, recycle them and replace them with stainless steel or glass containers.


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