The Magic of Meal Prep!
I'v got to share something that has absolutely been rocking my world and adding magic to each week-- Meal Prep! As the name suggests, meal prep is just preparing an extra large meal, or larger portions of basic meal components at one time and then saving them for several days' worth of meals. Meal prep is something that I've done a bit of in previous years, but for the past month I've gotten into a real groove with it!
Lately meal prep on Sundays has been making such a HUGE difference to my week! No matter how busy things get or how exhausted I am at the end of the day, I open my fridge and feel like I’ve given myself a big hug!
. It’s more than just about eating tastier food ( but yes the meals are super yum) , or trying to eat “healthier” (but yes my meals are nutrient- dense) or even saving money on delivery and take out (but, 💰💰💰 🎉) , it’s something about having given myself thought, care and effort in advance that makes each meal more satisfying. My stomach AND my heart are full throughout the week with just a few hours of work.
With how much happiness it has been bringing me, I want to share some of my favorite tips for bringing meal prep magic to your week!
Cover the basics-- which for me is protein, grains, and vegetables. For example, I might throw a large batch of brown rice or quinoa in the rice cooker while I cook several chicken breasts and roast a large quantity of vegetables in the oven. I can store these seperately in large containers or portion them out into smaller lunchboxes that I keep in the fridge to reheat later.
Don't skip snacks! When I think of a snack I usually crave something crunchy or sweet. During my Sunday meal prep I have been washing lettuce leaves and slicing veggies and fruits to store in the fridge so they are always on hand when I need a snack fix. I've also been working on making my own crackers using just rice and seeds--- so yummy! I could ! Stay tuned~ I’ll be posting my video of how I make the crackers soon!
Get saucy and dip it up! Preparing a simple salad dressing of herbs, oil and vinegar, a sweet and salty peanut sauce, a greek yogurt and honey dip, or a hummus during meal prep is key! They help add more flavor to my meals or keep my cut veggies and fruits from geting dull and going to waste. It also makes it easier to mix up the meals presentations, for example by wrapping slices of chicken and a raw veggie or two in lettuce leaves then dipping them in peanut sauce as "spring rolls."
Split up the work! My kitchen isn't huge and I don't want to spend the entirety of Sunday slaving away in there. So I split up the meal prep work with another friend who lives nearby. One week she washes and prepares all the raw fruits and veggies in containers for us while I am in charge of the roasted veggies and so on. This allows us both to save time, bond over sharing recipes and brainstorming, and have a larger variety of components to create meals with throughout the week.
Can you tell how much I've been loving my meal prep or what?! I can't wait to share some of the recipes and meal ideas that have been really hitting the spot in the future with you! Have you tried meal prep?! What is your favorite make ahead meal? I'd love to get some inspiration from you!
Have a happy and delicious week!
xx,
Katie