Search results
Jun 18, 2024 · Decide the number of nights you want to make dinner at home. Five nights is ideal for many households, but for some people three nights is the sweet spot. Choose meals that create leftovers: Big batch cooking and meals that can be repurposed in a few ways make cooking for the week quicker and easier.
- Meal Planning for One
Instead, keep some sort of flatbread or pizza dough on hand...
- ND How to Solve Them
The solution: Don’t discount meal prep. It’s the step the...
- Wait, What Exactly Is Meal Planning
Prep ingredients on Sunday. On Sunday afternoon, set aside...
- Pizza Night
Pizza for dinner always feels a bit frivolous and fun. Pizza...
- Cookbooks
So, set yourself up for week-after-week success by getting...
- Make Week After Week
The whole concept of meal planning appeals to me immensely —...
- 5 Things Expert Meal Planners Do Before They Go to The Store
If you’re already a pro at meal planning, consider these...
- Hali Bey Ramdene
Let's take the mystery out of meal prep. Hali Bey Ramdene....
- Meal Planning for One
- Overview
- Different Ways to Meal Prep
- Picking the Right Number and Variety of Meals
- Tips to Cut Down on Cooking Time
- Picking the Right Storage Containers
- Cooking, Storing and Reheating Foods Safely
- Steps to a Successful Meal Prep
- The Bottom Line
Meal prepping is the concept of preparing whole meals or dishes ahead of schedule. Since it requires you to determine what to eat ahead of time, meal prepping may lead to more nutritious meal choices over the long term.
Meal prepping is particularly popular amongst busy people because it can save a lot of time.
Having pre-prepared meals on hand can reduce portion size and help you reach your nutrition goals. This way, you’re less likely to reach for TV dinners or takeout, especially when you’re overwhelmed or exhausted. By planning ahead, it may lead to more nutritious meal choices.
If you’re looking for more help creating delicious, healthy recipes and meal plans, consider signing up for a meal-planning service like PlateJoy.
Was this helpful?
Despite what people may think, there are various ways to meal prep — not all of which involve spending a whole Sunday afternoon cooking dishes for the week to come. You can choose methods that work best for you.
You may think that cooking meals for the week ahead will consume a big chunk of your weekend.
However, because there are various ways to meal prep, you don’t have to stand in the kitchen for an entire Sunday afternoon. Everyone can find a suitable meal preparation style.
The most popular ways to meal-prep include:
•Make-ahead meals: Full meals cooked in advance which can be refrigerated and reheated at mealtimes. This is particularly handy for dinnertime meals.
•Batch cooking: Making large batches of a specific recipe, then splitting it into individual portions to be frozen and eaten over the next few months. These make for popular warm lunch or dinner options.
•Individually portioned meals: Preparing fresh meals and portioning them into individual grab-and-go portions to be refrigerated and eaten over the next few days. This is particularly handy for quick lunches.
Figuring out how many meals to make and what to include in each meal can sometimes be tricky.
The best way to plan ahead is to first decide on which meals you’d like to focus and which meal-prepping method fits your lifestyle.
Then, check your calendar to decide the number of breakfasts, lunches and dinners you’ll need for the upcoming week.
Also, remember to account for times you’re likely to eat out — for instance, on dates, at brunch with friends or at client dinners.
When selecting which meals to make, it’s best to start with a limited number of recipes that you already know. This will ease your transition into meal planning.
That said, it’s also important to avoid picking only one recipe for the whole week. This lack of variety can lead to boredom and won’t provide your body with the nutrients it needs.
Stick to a Consistent Schedule
Meal prepping works best when you stick to a regular schedule. Knowing exactly when you’ll shop for groceries and prep your meals will help you form a good routine. For instance, you might reserve Sunday mornings for grocery shopping and meal prepping. Or you could select Monday evenings for making lunches for the rest of the week. The schedule is up to you and should fit your weekly routine. Keep in mind that picking specific times and sticking to them will simplify the decision-making process, freeing up mental space for other things.
Pick the Right Combination of Recipes
Picking the right combination of recipes will help you become more effective in the kitchen. To save time, select recipes requiring different cooking methods. Having too many recipes requiring the same appliance — the oven, for instance — will limit the number of dishes you can prepare at once. This is especially important when selecting make-ahead meals or for batch cooking. A good rule of thumb is to stick to one oven meal and a maximum of two stovetop meals at once — for example, loaded baked potatoes, a stir-fry and a soup. Then simply add meals that don’t require cooking to the mix, such as sandwiches or salads.
Organize Your Prep and Cook Times
A well-thought-out workflow will save you a lot of time in the kitchen. To best organize your prep and cook times, start with the recipe requiring the longest cook time. This is often the soup or oven meal. Once that meal is underway, focus on the rest. Reserve the cold meals for last since they can easily be made while the other meals are cooking. For extra time savings, double-check the ingredients for all recipes before starting. This way, if two recipes require diced onions or julienned peppers, you’ll be able to chop the total quantity at once. Using automated gadgets such as a rice cooker or slow cooker can further streamline your workflow.
Your food storage containers can make the difference between a fabulous or mediocre meal.
Here are some container recommendations:
•Airtight containers for ready-to-cook ingredients: Washable, reusable silicone baggies and stainless steel containers are great for keeping ingredients crisp and foods fresh.
•BPA-free microwavable containers: These are both convenient and better for your health. Pyrex glassware or collapsible silicone containers are some good options.
•Freezer-safe containers: These will limit freezer burn and nutrient losses. Wide-mouth mason jars are ideal, as long as you leave at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of headspace so food can expand as it freezes.
•Leak-proof, compartmentalized containers: These are great for lunches or meals which require ingredients to be mixed at the last minute. One good example is bento lunch boxes.
Food safety is an important yet overlooked component of meal prepping.
Cooking, storing and reheating foods at the right temperature can prevent food poisoning, which affects an estimated 9.4 million Americans each year (1, 2).
Here are some government-approved food safety guidelines (1, 2):
•Be mindful of proper temperatures: Make sure your refrigerator is kept at 40°F (5°C) or below and your freezer at 0°F (-18°C) or below.
•Cool foods quickly: Always refrigerate fresh foods and meals within two hours of purchase or cooking. For quick cooling, spread out cooked foods in shallow containers and immediately place in your refrigerator.
•Keep storage times in mind: Cook fresh meat, poultry and fish within two days of purchase and red meat within 3–5 days. In the meantime, keep them on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator.
Prepping a week’s worth of meals can sound daunting, especially for first-timers. But it doesn’t have to be hard.
Below, you’ll find a simple step-by-step guide to streamline your meal prepping process.
1.Select your meal prep method of choice: This can also be a combination of methods and should be based on your lifestyle and nutrition goals.
2.Stick to a schedule: Pick one day each week to do your meal planning, shop for groceries and cook.
3.Pick the right number of meals: Bear in mind your calendar and the restaurant meals you’ve planned for the week.
4.Select the right recipes: Keep an eye out for variety and preparation methods. When starting out, stick to recipes you already know.
Meal prepping is great for people who want to spend less time in the kitchen.
It can also promote nutrient-rich, healthy meals and discourage less nutritious fast food options.
Depending on your goals, schedule and meal preferences, meal prepping may involve making large batches to be frozen, full meals to be refrigerated or prepared ingredients to be combined as needed.
Find a method that works for you and pick one day per week to meal plan, shop and cook.
- Review Your Schedule. Before you plan which recipes you’ll be cooking, you need to figure out when you will cook. This will help you determine which style of recipe you will choose for your meal plan.
- Choose Your Recipes. There are a billion (well, probably 2 billion) recipes on the internet to choose from, so where do you even begin?? Here are a few lifestyle factors that can help you choose which recipes to put in your meal plan
- Plug and Play. Now that you have a list of recipes that you’d like to make, plug them into your schedule in the times you’ve dedicated to cooking.
- Make Your Grocery List. This is probably the step where most people say, “nuh-uh” and go back to spending $$$ on take out. BUT this is where the magic happens and where you’ll save the most moolah.
Although any type of meal prep requires planning, there is no one correct method, as it can differ based on food preferences, cooking ability, schedules, and personal goals. Here are some examples: If you now eat fast food or takeout several nights of the week, your goal may be to choose a specific day of the week to create a food shopping list and hit the grocery store.
Feb 20, 2024 · How long you spend doing prep work is up to you and your schedule, but here are a few food items you can start with. Fruits and Vegetables Turoff recommends prepping produce as soon as you get ...
Jan 15, 2024 · Leads to more thoughtful meals: When you meal prep, you give yourself time to think through and create balanced meals that provide a variety of nutrients. “Meal prep prevents you from choosing ...
People also ask
Should you create a meal prep schedule?
Why do you need a meal prep & ready to go?
Does meal prepping work?
What are the different ways to meal prep?
When should you pick a meal prep day?
Sep 22, 2022 · Portioned meal prep. Portioned meal prep is when you prep a recipe and portion it out into individual containers. Buffet style meal prep. Buffet meal prep is when you prep ingredients separately and build each meal from the “buffet” of ingredients. Once again, the type of meal prep you choose to is all about personal preference.
