One thing that we are very dedicated to adhere to in 2023, however, is the goal of cooking more at home. Here’s where these simple meal prep ideas Enter Each of the brilliant tips outlined below will help make the art of home cooking easier than ever, and help you squeeze even more protein and healthy fiber into your diet. Ready to ditch Seamless once and for all? Say it with us: We had this.
4 simple meal prep ideas that will simplify the task of making healthy meals at home
1. Pre-prep your ingredients
In restaurant kitchens, a safety technique that chefs use to put food on the table quickly and in an organized manner is known as establishment. The French phrase, which translates to “put everything in its place,” refers to the simple task of setting up your workstation and gathering your ingredients and tools in advance (yes, before you start making a dish ). The key is to read your recipe ahead of time, and make sure your ingredients are washed, cut, chopped, measured or ground – in short, ready to go – before jumping into the cooking process. This is especially useful for those who like to prepare meals in advance for the busy week ahead.
Once you have your meal plan for the week set (check out how an RD recommends doing this here), preparing your ingredients at once will save you tons of time while preheating the oven. Pre-cut the veggies, fruits and similar in all your recipes in one sitting and dividing once you are ready to use, for example, is a great way to start. (Say that several dishes on your menu include chopped onions – preparing them all together at the same time is ace when it comes to efficiency).
You can also parboil, which means partially cook or boil the food (usually vegetables) until they are slightly soft, and then finish cooking later.
2. Batch cook breakfast ahead of time
We learned that breakfast is perhaps the the most important meal of the day. That means making sure you have plenty of options ready—hello, zero excuses to skip breakfast on any given day—is a top priority when it comes to meal prep.
Enter batch-cooking. Making your meals ahead of time can be the answer to your hectic morning rush. A few recipes we like batch cook include overnight oats (full of flavor, fiber and protein), which you can pre-portion in small containers for easy grab-and-go portions. Homemade granola bars, smoothie cups, egg muffins and yogurt parfaits are other delicious, heart-healthy treats. breakfast recipes you can make ahead of time.
3. Embrace cold or cold meals
Frozen meals are nothing to be ashamed of, especially today when there are so many of them health focused food brands offers endless nutritious options to choose from. One of our recent go-tos is the roasted garlic chicken from Kevin’s Natural Foods (made without antibiotics, refined sugar, gluten and soy), which has a whopping 23 grams of protein per serving. This refrigerator-friendly entree helps ensure we have enough protein for a lazy, no-cook night. And when paired with a side of ready-to-cook pre-cooked brown rice or frozen peas, a well-balanced and nutritious dinner can be ready in a flash.
4. Shop the canned goods section at your grocery store
Having canned foods like tuna and beans ready to go in your pantry at a moment’s notice can help speed up your meal prep routine. They can last years in your pantry, meaning you always have something delicious and nutrient-dense ready to go when you’re in a pinch. To begin with, we highly recommend it dive into the canned fish trend: It’s convenient, healthy for the heart and sustainable (and yes, you can use canned fish to make it very much more than just tasty tuna salad sandwiches).
An RD explains how to eat for optimal energy: