How to Meal Prep in Advance
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Meal planning and preparing food in advance are great skills to have to help you eat well, no matter busy you are. A well-thought-out meal plan can help you to improve your diet and save you some money. Here are some simple tips to make meal planning and prep simpler.
Start Small
If you don’t usually meal plan, it can seem overwhelming. Getting into the habit of meal prepping is no different from making any other positive changes in your life. Start small, and gradually build up your confidence to make your new good habits something you can keep up. Start by planning out just a few meals a week or one new recipe you want to tackle, like learning how to make strawberry macarons. You will be able to learn which planning strategies work for you.
Think About Each Food Group
Make sure each good group is represented in your plan. The healthiest meal plan should include whole food, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, protein, and healthy fats, and not too many refined grains, sugars, and salt.
When you’re looking for meals to make, keep these good groups in mind. If anything is missing, make sure you fill in the gap.
Get Organized
Good organization is important in the kitchen. If you keep your kitchen, fridge, and pantry well organized, buying groceries and preparing meals will be a lot easier. You’ll know what you already have and where everything is. There’s no correct way to organize your kitchen, as long as the way you do it works for you.
Invest in Good Storage Containers
You need plenty of food storage containers for meal prep. If you have a cupboard full of Tupperware with no lids, you’ll find meal prep frustrating. Buy some good containers to make storing the meals you have prepared much easier. If you want to freeze, microwave, or clean them in the dishwasher, make sure you choose containers that are suitable for this kind of use. You can get glass containers online and in-store quite easily. Buy your containers in a few different sizes for different meals.
Keep a Well-Stocked Pantry
You can make preparing your meals and creating menus simpler by keeping your pantry well-stocked. Here are a few good examples of healthy and versatile foods that you should keep in stock in your pantry:
Whole grains, like brown rice, quinoa, oats, bulgur, whole-wheat pasta, and polenta
Canned or dried legumes, like black beans, pinto beans, or lentils
Canned foods like low-sodium broth, tomato sauce, tomatoes, corn, no added sugar fruit, tuna, or salmon
Oils, like coconut, olive, or avocado oils
Baking essentials, like baking powder, baking soda, flour, or cornstarch
Other ingredients, like almond butter, peanut butter, dried fruit, nuts, and potatoes.
If you can keep some of these basic essentials on hand, you will only need to buy fresh items in your weekly grocery shop. This is less stressful and will make it easier to more efficient in planning your meals.
