Meal Prep Concepts And Information For Busy Mums

When you’re a busy mum (verify) with a to-do record so long as your arm (verify) who desires to eat nicely however hasn’t acquired hours to spend within the kitchen (verify verify), this meal prep information is for you.

We do discuss an terrible lot about meal prep concepts and ideas right here on the Wholesome Mummy and on the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem, however we perceive that a few of you might have by no means tried it earlier than.

So it’s possible you’ll be feeling just a little overwhelmed with the way it all works.

Key takeaways:

• An enormous number of meal prep ideas and recommendation 
• The correct containers for meal prep
• Recipe solutions that may work nicely for you 

All aboard!

Soar forward to seek out out extra:

So….what’s meal prep?

When you consider the time you spend within the kitchen every day or evening making ready meals, it rapidly provides up by the tip of the week. And if there’s one factor that us busy mamas don’t have sufficient of – it’s TIME.

That is the place meal prep is available in. By spending a while a couple of times per week (or no matter works for you and your loved ones) chopping, cooking, and packaging up your meals and snacks, you may slice a TON of hours off your weekly meal prep and cooking schedule.

However you don’t must really feel overwhelmed. Meal prep could be made up of straightforward duties like chopping components and storing them in hermetic containers, making a batch of wholesome meal prep recipes from the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem, or cooking a double batch of your favorite wholesome meals forward, so you may freeze some for one more day.

What are the advantages of meal prep?

Oh, so many…

1. No extra cooking within the kitchen each single day. By cooking in batches (as an illustration, you may make a double batch of Bolognese, one to make use of this week and one to freeze for one more household meal subsequent week).
2. Get monetary savings by shopping for your components in bulk – it’s usually less expensive should you purchase 3kg of hen breast as a substitute of 500g. Identical goes with components like 2kg luggage of potatoes, 1kg luggage of rice and so on. Each little bit of cash saved is cash in your pocket.
3. You’ll have spare time to hold with the children within the witching hour (after they simply need to snuggle up and skim a guide or play a recreation), as a substitute of getting emotional children pulling at your legs whilst you attempt to prepare dinner dinner.
4. Keep away from the temptation to seize a takeaway if you’re drained and hungry, understanding there’s a wholesome meal already made at house.
5. You employ much less electrical energy and water as you don’t have to prepare dinner as usually. You’ll have much less washing up as you’ll make one BIG mess as a substitute of a multitude EVERY DAY!

What’s going to I have to get began?

You don’t want numerous kitchen gear, however these are the fundamentals to make it just a little simpler.

Meals processor, blender, kettle, sharp knives, chopping boards, pots and pans, gradual cooker (optionally available, however we find it irresistible), and meal prep containers for the completed product.

And, after all, don’t neglect the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem app!

What ought to I make for my first try?

Don’t go too exhausting too quickly! To start out with, why not simply put together two 28 Day Weight Loss Problem dinners (doubling the recipe to make 4 household meals) and two double batches of snacks?

As an illustration, you might make a double batch of Gradual Cooker Asian Rooster after which a double batch of Mexican Lasagne.

Then as soon as they’re cooking, you might make a double batch of the Raspberry Muffins, and a double batch of the Weetbix Slice. That might make FOUR entire household meals and THIRTY SIX serves of some wholesome snacks!

How do I start?

Getting began with meal prep doesn’t must be this enormous factor the place you spend each weekend planning and doing all of your weekly meal prep. Relying in your freezer area and the dimensions of your loved ones, you are able to do weekly meal prep or simply pre-prep the meals for the times you’re all attempting to eat more healthy. No matter you resolve, getting began with meal prepping begins by taking step one.

Step 1. Determine what you wish to prepare dinner throughout your session. 

You possibly can select to prepare dinner a dinner meal prep recipe (an important begin!) or add in lunch meal prep concepts too (why not simply use dinner leftovers for lunch?), you may need to meal prep some snacks too.

Soar on the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem app and sort in an ingredient you need to use (e.g. mince), and see what wholesome meal prep recipe pops up that you just just like the look of. You possibly can customise your meal plan after which hit the ‘purchasing record’ button.

Step 2. Make a purchasing record (or use the one on the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem) and buy groceries.

Make a purchasing record (or use the one on the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem) and buy groceries. Verify the cabinets to see when you’ve got fundamentals like oil, flour, pepper and so on.

Many mums discover it helpful to make use of on-line purchasing in order that they will see what their complete spend might be and make modifications if wanted to suit inside their finances.

Step 3. Carve out a while (relying on what you’re cooking and what number of recipes you might have) to spend within the kitchen cooking

A lot of our 28 Day Weight Loss Problem members swear by the Sunday afternoon cook-up, however do no matter works for you. Many mums do meal prep twice per week.

Step 4. Begin chopping and getting the components prepared

The meals processor could be useful right here to cut onions, carrots, cabbage, and so on. Why not strive utilizing the oven, stovetop and a gradual cooker suddenly in an effort to put together a number of meal prep meals?

Step 5. Begin cooking!

Get your apron on, throw on some tunes, and get into your meal-prepping session.

It’s usually finest to get something cooking first that may take just a little longer, then work again from there.

Suppose forward of time about what you can also make whereas one other meal is baking within the oven, as an illustration.

Step 6. As soon as the meals has cooled, it’s time to package deal it up

You may select to package deal your meals into single-serve parts or into family-sized parts, relying in your wants.

Permit the meals to chill utterly within the fridge in a single day, then place it within the freezer the subsequent day. This avoids freezer burn. Label every part in an effort to see at a look what you might have within the freezer.

What if I don’t have sufficient room to retailer a great deal of containers?

That’s OK! Not everybody has a giant freezer or numerous meal prep containers. Right here’s what you are able to do:

• Make your lunch for the week – place some cooked hen, rice and greens, or some pre-chopped salad into 5 containers (no dressing) you could simply pull out every day.
• Kind breakfast out to make mornings a breeze. As an illustration, you may make these Chia Puddings (or there are a great deal of recipes in the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem) or a batch of the Gluten Free Granola to maintain readily available for the week.
• Meal prep your snacks for the week and retailer them within the fridge. Suppose Zucchini Carrot Cake, or Lemon and Coconut Bliss Balls. These don’t take up a lot room.
• Simply prepare dinner and freeze the principle element of the meal, which you’ll be able to then add simply with a facet of rice or veggies. You may make a triple batch of Chilli con Carne or Bolognese to make use of with pasta one evening, then tacos one other evening, wraps, or on high of a jacket potato. Simply freeze it in household sized parts and defrost it within the fridge in a single day earlier than you propose to make use of it.

Which containers ought to I exploit for meal prep?

Choosing the proper meal prep containers may be very a lot a private selection.

However the principle choices for freezing meals are a budget and cheerful takeaway-style containers from the grocery store (round $3 for 10), which are sometimes single-use;

Or the dearer however higher high quality plastic tubs comparable to Décor, Tupperware, Ikea or Sistema.

It’s also possible to use ziplock luggage for issues like bliss balls or muffins, as they take up much less room.

Which dinner recipes work nicely for meal prep?

Listed below are among the favorite wholesome meal prep recipes of the Challenge members that love meal prep. All of those wholesome meal prep concepts and recipes can be found to members of the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem. When you’re on the lookout for inspiration and for 1000’s of meal prep concepts for weight reduction you will discover a lot on the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem and Wholesome Mummy web site.

Meat

Listed below are a few of our favorite meal prep concepts for the meat-eaters who wish to eat more healthy:

Seafood

If seafood is extra your model, take a look at these wholesome meal prep recipes excellent for the entire household:

• Fish & Vegetable Curry
• Coconut Fish Sizzling Pot
• Tuna Pasta Bake (pictured above)
• Salmon & Zucchini Patties
• Chilli Tuna Patties with Asian Coleslaw

Vegetarian

We even have an important vary of wholesome recipes excellent for the subsequent weekly meal prep which might be excellent for vegetarians:

• Baked Cheese & Tomato Risotto
• Spinach & Pumpkin Curry
• Straightforward Fried Rice (pictured above)
• Pesto, Spinach & Ricotta Rolls
• Zucchini & Corn Fritters
• Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Household Pleasant

As busy mums it may be so exhausting to seek out scrumptious, wholesome recipes that the entire household loves which is why The Wholesome Mummy has 1000’s of family-friendly heathy recipes prepared so that you can meal prep:

Snacks

When on the lookout for meal prep concepts for weight reduction, one of the vital vital meals to incorporate in any meal prep is snacks as a result of everyone knows how straightforward it’s to seize a less-than-healthy snack. Listed below are our favorite snack recipes prepared to your weekly meal prep:

Why do these mums like to meal prep?

Sascha Farley (proper) misplaced an unimaginable 34kg following the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem.

Sascha says, “Realizing I’m making the fitting decisions, particularly with regards to ‘treats’ has been the most important studying for me. I’ve at all times acquired 2-3 wholesome treats prepared for my candy tooth hits. With training comes freedom, and The Wholesome Mummy program has given me that.”

Kaitie Purssell (left) misplaced 21kg with the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem and credit her weight reduction to her newfound love of wholesome meals.

Kaitie says, “Being ready and getting organised doesn’t solely save money and time, it additionally makes your life a lot simpler. The Wholesome Mummy life-style was made for busy mums like myself.”

Rhian Allen (centre) is the founding father of the Wholesome Mummy. As a busy mum of two, she is aware of that a meal prep routine is a good way to assist those that are struggling to eat nicely.

Rhian says, “Meal prep provides you peace of thoughts, understanding that on the finish of a busy day, you’ve acquired a wholesome meal able to go at house.”