Are you new to meal prepping? Meal prepping can make your life easier. However, it may seem overwhelming in the beginning. There are a lot of tips out there, but you may be unsure where to begin. The idea of cooking and prepping a lot of food at once can be a bit scary. You may wonder, will this really save me time, when it’s taking so much time at one sitting? Well, if you follow a strategy it can actually save you time and even provide convenience.
The key is to use your time wisely, consider when you typically have a little extra time in your day. Maybe it’s over the weekend… When you first start, pick a day that week that you know you’ll have a window, then start with small things. You can boil some eggs, precut meat for meals that week, or meal prep for just 2 days. When you start out slow, you’ll have time to get the hang of it, before getting overwhelmed and stopping immediately. When starting, choose meals that are easy to make, with only a few ingredients, you may even want to stick with ones you know by heart. Simplify your life by walking into meal prep slowly. You’ll find overtime that you’ll become more comfortable and be able to get more creative with your meal prep.
Make sure you have containers available for your meal prepping. There are lots of options out there, ones that divide into portions, various sizes, etc. But, as you’re starting out, you can probably get away with using what you have in house. No need to run out and buy a bunch of new containers, until you’ve given this a real go – especially if you’re on a budget. You’ll also want to be familiar with safe refrigerator times, so you know how long certain foods keep in the fridge. Anything that gets close to expiration should be frozen (and dated). You can use these for future meals.
When you meal prep, you not only save yourself time, but you can save money, by reducing the amount you need to spend on last minute meals. You’ll most likely eat healthier too, because you’re prepping your meal at home, which equals less fast food runs!
There are a variety of ways to simplify meal prep too. For example, you can “season meats in one pan 3 ways and freeze blended smoothies in muffin tins.” The good news is, meal prep has become popular enough that people are posting their secrets to success online for you to use.
Meal prepping is great for anyone trying to find more time in their schedule and those who want to save money. Will you be trying it out?
Meal prepping can also help you save money by reducing last-minute takeout and grocery waste.
Meal prepping can also help you save money, and if you want more ideas, see How to Save Money on Groceries.
If you want another way to stretch your food budget, you may also like Eating Out on a Budget.
