An Easy Guide to Meal Prep
From an early age we’ve been taught the benefits of healthy eating. We know a balanced diet is good for us. Some people thrive in the kitchen, and can cook up a storm, so eating well is not a problem. These creative cooking geniuses find cooking fun. They are not stressed at all when it comes to mealtime. Others, like me, love to eat but find preparing meals a little, well, stressful.
Meal prepping may help. It’s the concept of preparing meals, either whole or partial, ahead of time. It can save you time and money, and help you stay on track with nutrition. Best of all, meal preparation takes away the worry at dinnertime. Sound good? Here’s our easy guide to meal prep.
The Right Containers
The idea is to make life easier with meal prepping. Having the right containers is a great start. A quality container should do more than keep your food fresher for longer. It should also retain the nutrients in the reheating process. Many experienced ‘meal-preppers’ recommend glass or silicone containers. These options are ovenproof, and microwave and dishwasher safe – very convenient!
One Vs Many
Depending on your likes and preferences, you can either prepare whole meals, or dishes that can make up different meals. A meal that is fairly easy to cook and can include a lot of nutrients is casserole. If you like casserole, cook a big pot and simply divide it into the containers. This is an easy way to have numerous meals ready to go. Another idea is to cook something like a bolognese sauce. Portions of this delicious dish can be thawed out and easily used for lasagne one night, shepherd’s pie the next, tacos another. It can even be used as a filling for a jacket potato, and more.
Pre-prepped shortcuts
One of the benefits for meal prepping is to help us stick to a balanced diet. Here’s a shortcut that you’re sure to love. Cook all your vegies in one go. Choose from potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, capsicum, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, butternut squash, and more. Cut your vegetables and toss them in olive oil and salt. Place them in a big roasting dish or oven tray and pop them in the oven. Keep the vegies grouped in their type. Because cooking times vary for each vegetable, this makes it easier to remove each variety when ready. There’s nothing wrong with buying a whole roasted chicken from the supermarket for convenience. Break up the chicken and add this to your containers of roasted vegetables. It’s that easy – many healthy, nourishing roast meals ready to go.
Did you know that Simply Helping can assist you in the kitchen? Our qualified care workers can help with cooking, meal preparation, and even lend a hand when shopping for groceries. Click here to find out about our in home care services.
