Eating out can be expensive and unhealthy, but cooking dinner every night of the week is time-consuming. Even the most inexperienced cook can get a meal on the table every night of the week if they think ahead and do some meal prepping. Doing so is healthy, inexpensive, and can be enjoyable.
Meal prepping involves preparing and cooking most of the week’s dishes on one day, usually the day someone has the most free time. Some people like to prepare the entire meal and have it in the fridge ready to warm up. Others prefer to prepare all the individual ingredients and have them ready to go into recipes every day of the week.
Cooking meals on one day of the week may seem overwhelming at first, but it has many benefits.
Healthier for Everyone
Meal planning is often healthier than eating out because the cook knows what is in each meal. They can add healthy ingredients, like spice world garlic, and turmeric, to help meals be as beneficial as possible. Portioning meals into individual containers also helps people eat the proper amount of food rather than too much.
Budget Friendly
Cooking meals at home is almost always cheaper than going out to eat. Cooks can save even more by using food already in the refrigerator or pantry or buying what’s on sale that week. Buying items in bulk from warehouse stores saves more money.
Time-Saving
Cooks who spend a few hours on the weekend preparing meals for the week open up their weekday schedules for more time with family and friends. The last thing many people want to do after a busy day at work is to come home and cook a meal. Imagine already having each meal complete and ready to eat without waiting in line at a restaurant or waiting for something to be delivered.
Tools and Supplies
Several small appliances will make meal prepping easier, including a slow cooker, a pressure cooker, and a rice cooker. Other small tools that help are large baking sheets, large saucepans, and a large soup pot. These enable cooks to make large batches of rice, vegetables, and sauces. Cutting boards and sharp knives help make the chopping and dicing go quickly. Parchment paper makes clean-up simple, and having a variety of food storage containers is essential.
Foods for Meal Prepping
While any food can be used in meal prepping, starting with whole foods usually leads to better results. Choose whole fruits like apples, oranges, peaches, and bananas. Firm vegetables, including carrots, cauliflower, bell peppers, and cabbage, work well. Whole grains and starchy vegetables make a great side to any meal with a lean protein such as ground turkey, chicken tofu, or seafood.
Meal Prepping Process
While it may seem overwhelming, the process is quite simple. First, choose a day to prep the meals. For most people, this is the Saturday or Sunday before a week begins. The next step is making a meal plan. There are many online meal-planning websites and ideas. Pick one and make a flavorful, healthy menu. Next, create a grocery list and go shopping. Finally, do the prepping. In a few minutes, anyone can have a week’s worth of family meals packed in the fridge.
Meal prepping is a rewarding and beneficial way to spend time on the weekend. When the busy weekdays roll around, people are glad for the investment in their health.
