Meal prepping, in which you make whole meals ahead of time, has become popular recently. Particularly for busy people, making your meals for the week ahead of time can add extra organization to a packed schedule. In addition to saving time, meal prepping can:
- Minimize food waste
- Help with portion control
- Promote healthier eating
Getting into the habit of preparing your meals ahead of time can seem like a difficult task if you haven’t done it before. However, once you get a routine down, it’s pretty simple! Check out these meal prep tips and tricks to get on track.
Get the Right Containers
Before you even begin meal prepping, it’s essential to make sure you have the right containers! Typically, you’ll put each meal in its own container when meal prepping. Luckily, they make containers specifically for meal prep to make your job easy. Many places like Amazon have a variety of meal prep containers for sale, like these Rubbermaid Meal Prep Containers! Once you order your containers, you are good to go!
Save Recipes You Like
The internet holds a wealth of knowledge, so this might be the best place to start when you’re thinking about what you’d like to meal prep for the week! Websites like Pinterest have various creative meal prep recipes to try. Keep all of your favorite recipes somewhere you can easily find them, like a Google Document or a Pinterest board. This can help you get creative when you feel like you’re in a recipe rut! Once you find the recipe you want to try, build your grocery list.
Build Your Shopping List
Now that you have your containers and your recipes, you’re ready to begin the prep! It’s time to make your grocery list. What will you be prepping for the week? A simple place to start is by covering all the bases for ingredients. You’ll want to incorporate proteins, veggies and fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats. Think about what you already have at home, and build off it!
Pick a Day and Stick to It
One of the main reasons people meal prep is to save themselves time. After all, during the workweek or the school week, you’re likely busy with many other activities and don’t have much time to whip up your lunch or dinner. Pick a day, like Sunday, where you will do all of your cooking for the following week. You’ll start the week feeling prepared and accomplished!
Freeze Food
While meal prepping food in bulk, feel free to utilize your freezer! You can use all of the food you bought at the store while preparing meals even further in advance. Freezing portions of the meals you make is a great way to save even more time and money while further eliminating food waste.
With these meal prep tips, getting started is easy! By preparing your meals ahead of time, you’ll save yourself money, maximize your food, and optimize your time during the week. Say goodbye to thrown-together lunches and meal prep delectable meals.
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