Do you ever wonder how some people are able to have beautifully portioned dinners every night at the drop of a hat? Well, I can tell you how. They have mastered the art of meal prep! For us, meal prep is our bread and butter. For you, it may be a little more foreign, but we want to help! We want you to know how to prep your weekly meals, while also not breaking the bank. You might be thinking, “why would a personal chef company give away trade secrets?” Because we love you guys! We want you to be as successful as possible in your life. New techniques in any avenue are a great resource! Now, let’s get cooking!
1. Invest in glass containers
We like to use Pyrex containers. One reason why they are great is that they are oven safe. You can pull your dinner from the refrigerator and put it straight into the oven! Easy Breezy! Glass containers help reduce our plastic use. Switching out plastic for glass is an easy way for us to help Mother Earth. I don’t know about you, but I do not like the idea of eating food that has been cooked in a plastic container.
2. Prep Your Breakfast
Think about what you eat for breakfast (Hopefully you’re all eating breakfast). Prepping is a great way to make sure your body gets the fuel it needs. It also ensures that you do not skip the most important meal of the day, due to lack of time or energy.
Egg Cups are great for a grab and go meal. There are so many different variations. Right now I’m loving my ground turkey, peppers and Parmesan combo! Overnight oats and yogurt are also an easy and quick breakfast! You can prep your oats the night before and have an energizing breakfast ready when you are. Top your oats or yogurt parfait with fruit for a balanced meal.
3. Buying Bulk
Buying items in bulk is usually much cheaper than buying large, prepackaged bags (you can also use small paper bags to reduce plastic waste). Grains, pasta, seeds, and nuts are great to buy in the bulk section.
When you buy an item in bulk, you don’t have to worry about it sitting in your pantry for too long and going bad. You can buy the exact amount you need. This really comes in handy if you are making a recipe with an item you have never tried before and don’t know if you like it.
4. Frozen Fruits
Frozen fruits are great for those quick additions. Don’t take them for granted! Now, I’m not saying they are acceptable in all situations, but they do have their place. Frozen fruits are great for smoothies, oatmeal and yogurt parfait (remember those overnight oats we have waiting for us?).
They are packed full of antioxidants, and they will give you the energy you need for the day. They are great this time of year to help avoid the winter blues. Did you know that blueberries pack a ton of vitamin C?
5. Leftovers
Ok, so you’ve created this beautiful menu for your upcoming week, but now have an abundance of food? Many times we overestimate how much food we need and then it ends up in the trash. Not anymore! Plan for those leftovers! They can be the perfect (and easy) lunch for the next day. If you love the time saved by reheating leftovers, you’ll love our weekly home meal prep service!
If you have dinner planned out Monday through Thursday, you’ll have a buffet of options on Friday! If you’re like me, you love options. And food options are my favorite kind!
