How to Meal Prep: Pick Your Faves First

This is where most people go wrong when it comes to meal prepping. They think about all of their favorite foods and then try to fit them into one week’s worth of meals. That leads to some very unappealing combinations. Instead, when learning how to meal prep, it’s important to pick your absolute favorites first and work from there. Then, you can add in your other favorites as needed. For example, if you love Mexican food but hate cilantro, make sure you include something else green (like spinach or kale) instead of trying to sneak in some cilantro. Similarly, if you enjoy spicy food but don’t care much for hot peppers, it’s best to avoid them altogether.

How to Meal Prep: Plan Ahead

Planning ahead is crucial when it comes to successful meal prep. Once you know what you’re going to serve, it’s important to think about everything that needs to happen during each stage of preparation. When learning how to meal prep effectively, consider the following questions: What ingredients do you need? How long does each step take? Do any steps require special equipment? When you write out your meal prep list, break down each step into individual tasks, even if it seems simple enough to just throw together once you get to the store.

How to Meal Prep: Shop Early

When you’re learning how to meal prep, planning and organization are key. This means having things ready before you leave the house, and that starts with shopping early. Don’t wait until the evening to shop; you won’t be able to buy anything fresh if you wait until after dinner. When learning how to meal prep efficiently, don’t forget to double-check your pantry and freezer as well. Make sure you have everything you need to complete each task. This includes condiments, spices, oils, seasonings, and extras such as cheese, bread, crackers, etc.

How to Meal Prep: Cook Everything Together

When it comes to meal prepping, a great time-saving tip is to cook multiple recipes simultaneously. This not only saves time but also conserves energy. Additionally, consider utilizing different pots and pans. Depending on the dish, you might only need one large pot to boil pasta, while another smaller pan could be used to sauté vegetables. This efficient cooking method streamlines your meal prep process and allows you to maximize your efforts.

How to Meal Prep: Keep Leftovers Fresh

Ensuring the freshness of your meal prep leftovers is essential. Make extra portions of soups and stews or freeze them in single-serving containers for future use. When it comes to salads, it’s best to keep them separate from the main course. Utilize Tupperware or airtight containers to pack up leftovers and promptly refrigerate them. Alternatively, you can place them directly in the microwave for quick reheating when needed.

How to Meal Prep: Set Up a Prep Station

Utilizing a designated prep station can greatly enhance your meal prep efficiency. While you may already use a countertop area near the stove, consider setting up a dedicated prep zone near the sink if you have limited space. Organize your knives, spoons, plates, serving bowls, measuring cups, and other utensils within reach. This way, you won’t have to constantly reach over or search for tools during the meal prepping process.

How to Meal Prep: Double Check Ingredients

When engaging in meal prep, it’s important to double-check your ingredients for accuracy and freshness. Don’t solely rely on the label of canned beans or frozen veggies. Measure liquids and solids separately to ensure precise quantities. Take note of the expiration dates on dairy products and discard any expired items. It’s also crucial to account for any ingredients that end up in the trash bin, such as the olive oil you drizzled onto your salad.

How to Meal Prep: Store Like Items Together

Efficient organization is key when it comes to meal prepping. Keep your herbs, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and spices grouped together for easy access. Store them in sealed glass jars or plastic containers to maintain their freshness. If you prefer buying bulk items, consider purchasing larger quantities to allow for division among various bags and containers. This approach provides more storage options for your meal prep ingredients.

How to Meal Prep: Get Creative With Extras

Say goodbye to traditional brown paper bags and plastic storage tubs and embrace reusable containers and baskets, especially if you tend to misplace items. Consider repurposing old wine bottles, mason jars, or other glass jars for storing your meal prep creations. Keep small containers handy for storing leftover sauces, spreads, and dips. This creative approach not only helps with organization but also reduces waste and promotes sustainability in your meal prepping routine.

Take Advantage Of Freezer Space

A well-organized kitchen doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor. Freeze extra servings of meat and poultry so you always have something quick and easy to heat up. Stock up on frozen produce so you never run out. Frozen potatoes, peas, corn, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, spinach, and herbs are great additions to almost any dish. Just remember to defrost them thoroughly before adding to a recipe.

Use Sturdy Utensil Sets

When you’re chopping garlic cloves, you’ll want to protect your hands from getting cut. So, invest in a good pair of gloves that allow you to still access your fingers. Likewise, a sturdy knife set with sharp blades makes slicing vegetables easier. Investing in such tools will eliminate repetitive motions and prevent accidents.

Use Baking Pans As Storage Containers

Instead of buying plastic storage bins, use baking sheets as makeshift containers for dry goods. Simply line a sheet tray with parchment paper and fill it with whatever you’d like to keep on hand. To prevent spills, simply fold the excess parchment back over the top edge of the tray.

Reuse Plastic Baggies and Glass Jars

It takes less time and effort to clean up a mess in the fridge compared to the garbage can. Save yourself the hassle by keeping these two areas tidy. Instead of throwing out food packaging, wash and reuse it again. Likewise, empty jars and lidded containers can be reused to hold leftovers.

Buy In Bulk

Bulk purchases offer significant savings and ensure you’ll always have staples on hand. Plus, you’ll end up with fewer trips to the store. Buying in bulk keeps costs low and helps you plan menus around what you already have on hand.

Avoid Wasting Food

The final tip involves reducing food waste. One common mistake many new cooks make is overcooking a batch of pasta. Rather than wasting the entire batch, set aside half of it for later use. Then, when the second portion is done, toss it into the refrigerator to cool. After cooling, chop it up and add it to a sauce or stir fry. Even better, make a big batch of risotto and freeze some for future use.

No matter how you decide to approach meal prep, the goal is to spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying delicious food. So, don’t let the term “meal prep” scare you. It isn’t rocket science – it just requires organization and forethought. By following these tips, you’ll be able to create tasty, healthy meals without spending hours in the kitchen.

How did you begin preparing your family’s meals? Share your experience below!

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