Meal Prepping Hacks

Preparing some of your foods and meals in advance saves time throughout the week and takes the guesswork out of what to make and what to eat!  

Having healthy meals ready to grab and go will ensure you have healthy, filling, nutritious meals to eat anytime, anywhere and prevent you from foraging around eating anything and everything in sight... it will keep you from hitting the drive-thrus!

Truthfully, sometimes we don’t feel like eating chicken (again) BUT, if you’ve already invested the money and time preparing it, you’ll probably feel more inclined to eat it anyway! 

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Consider your Schedule

We recommend scheduling your meal prep into your calendar or having set times each week. Life gets hectic and can be unpredictable at times as things pop up.

Consider what your week is like. For example, if you have business lunches, dinners or social events to attend, you don’t want to prepare too much and end up wasting food. You’ll be more inclined to execute your meal prep if it’s firmly written into your calendar.

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Preparing your meals for freshness, quality and safety

A frequently asked question is: How many times per week should I prepare my meals?

The answer is: It depends on your preference and lifestyle.

Once per week 

If you prefer prepping all of your meals for the week in one shot, we recommend keeping 2-3 days' worth of meals in the fridge and the remaining meals in your freezer. This ensures that food stays fresh and doesn’t spoil. You can take meals out the night before as needed and unthaw them in the fridge. Never leave more than three days worth of food in your fridge. It increases the risk of food-borne illness and impacts the taste and texture. And let’s face it, nobody wants to eat rubbery chicken breasts.

Twice a week or more 

Some people prefer prepping meals twice a week or more because they don’t like the taste and texture of food once it's been unthawed from the freezer. It ensures your food is fresh and safe and allows you to add variety to your diet because you can switch up your meals to prevent boredom.

‍Pro-tip 

Meal prepping a second time later in the week will also help you stay on track over the weekend.  What often happens is the weekend rolls around, life gets crazy, we end up hungry and reach for the quick-easy fix such as fast-food or take out.

Don’t let your weekend be your WEAK-END!

Have the right ingredients and tools for the job 

Stay on top of what’s in stock (or out of stock) in your kitchen. When you go grocery shopping, make a list and try to buy enough for the week or even two weeks if possible. 

Pro-Tip 

• Buy protein sources in bulk and freeze extra portions. 
• Frozen fruits and veggies are affordable and keep for a long time! 

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Kitchen Tools  

You’ve scheduled the time to get all the ingredients; now, let’s ensure that you have all the kitchen tools for successful meal prep.

• Food storage containers, plastic baggies, and jars are a must! They’re durable, better for the environment, and a healthier option than plastic containers. I love to use glass Tupperware.
• A food scale and measuring cups for portion control. 
• Air fryers, Instapot, slow cookers and steamer baskets are great small kitchen appliances for meal prep.
• Non-stick cooking sprays are handy and will reduce the amount of oil needed.
• Kitchen shears, slicers, choppers and spiralizers are more efficient. 

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Time to cook! The Actual Prep

• Figure out how much food you will need to cook to have everything ready.
• Start the food that takes the longest to cook first, and utilize multiple appliances to save time. For example, Preheat the oven for your sweet potatoes, turn the barbeque on for your steak, put your rice in the rice cooker, use the stove-top to steam your veggies and lastly, your air-fryer for your chicken breast. You’ll be amazed at how much food you can prepare in under an hour.
• Pro-Tip: Bulk cook your foods and protein sources with little sauce/seasonings. Instead, add the flavorings as you eat the meals to switch up the taste and not get bored; for Example, Grill up plain chicken that can then be added to wraps, soups, salads, or stir-fry.

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Organize your meals 

• You can package the prepped foods in bulk using separate containers and put the meals together daily. Or you can portion your complete meals into individual Tupperware containers and grab and go. 
• Label your foods and meals to keep organized, use prep dates to maintain freshness, and maybe even write your name on it if you have gremlins in your kitchen who will steal your meals.

Suppose you are in a pinch and need some quick and healthy meals. Despite our best efforts to stay prepared, from time to time, things pop up. Here are our “go-to's.”

• Rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked chicken breast is available in all grocery stores.
• Canned tuna is a good backup, non-perishable protein source
• Pre-Cut Fruit and veggies trays are great 
• Bagged salads
• Shelled hard-boiled eggs
• Microwaveable rice packs

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Like anything, building habits is a skill that takes time and consistency!  

With a bit of practice, you will find a convenient, effective, and enjoyable system.