Meal Prepping = More Time!

Do you meal prep? One of the best ways to save time is to prepare your meals in bulk ahead of time! Meal prepping can really help save you time and money--and it can give you a chance to try something new!

First things first. How many meals do you need every day? Where will you be eating them? You might love salmon, but if you’re microwaving your lunch in a crowded office, you might want to plan to have salmon for dinner, not bring it to work. Will you need any snacks on busy days? Write down how many of each meal you’ll need in a week. 

Choose your cooking day. Having a dedicated day to prepare your meals for the week frees you up to try more intensive recipes, like roasting a chicken, or using your slow-cooker. Choose a day when you have plenty of time--enjoy the process! Even if you spend a few hours on your meals, you’re still saving time later in the week. 

Next, find your recipes! You’ll want a balanced diet--make sure that every meal has a protein, a grain, and some veggies. Pinterest is full of great recipes designed specifically for meal-preppers who want to cook in bulk! Not great with complicated recipes? Make pasta, rice, or couscous your base, and then steam a simple vegetable and add some turkey sausage or a salmon burger!

Once you have your recipes for the week, you have your shopping list. Hit the stores the day before your cooking day.

On the big day, cook up your recipes (hint: look up “one-pan recipes” on Pinterest to limit the number of dishes you have to wash!). Portion them into containers for the week, and put your snacks in reusable snack bags! The best part of meal prepping is the feeling of just opening the fridge and grabbing a container to take to work--no thought or effort before you’ve had your coffee!

Good luck, and happy prepping!