Meal Prep Concepts And Information For Busy Mums

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

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

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

Key takeaways:

• An enormous number of meal prep suggestions and recommendation 
• The best containers for meal prep
• Recipe strategies that may work effectively for you 

All aboard!

Soar forward to seek out out extra:

So….what’s meal prep?

Should you consider the time you spend within the kitchen every day or night time making ready meals, it rapidly provides up by the top 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 few times per week (or no matter works for you and your loved ones) chopping, cooking, and packaging up your meals and snacks, you’ll be able to slice a TON of hours off your weekly meal prep and cooking schedule.

However you don’t should really feel overwhelmed. Meal prep could be made up of easy duties like chopping substances 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’ll be able to freeze some for an additional 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 would possibly make a double batch of Bolognese, one to make use of this week and one to freeze for an additional household meal subsequent week).
2. Lower your expenses by shopping for your substances in bulk – it’s typically less expensive when you purchase 3kg of hen breast as an alternative of 500g. Identical goes with substances like 2kg luggage of potatoes, 1kg luggage of rice and many others. 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 wish to snuggle up and browse a e book or play a recreation), as an alternative of getting emotional youngsters pulling at your legs whilst you attempt to prepare dinner dinner.
4. Keep away from the temptation to seize a takeaway while you’re drained and hungry, realizing there’s a wholesome meal already made at house.
5. You utilize much less electrical energy and water as you don’t have to prepare dinner as typically. You’ll have much less washing up as you’ll make one BIG mess as an alternative of a large number 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 a little bit 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, in fact, don’t neglect the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem app!

What ought to I make for my first try?

Don’t go too onerous too quickly! To begin 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?

For example, you can make a double batch of Sluggish Cooker Asian Hen after which a double batch of Mexican Lasagne.

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

How do I start?

Getting began with meal prep doesn’t should be this large factor the place you spend each weekend planning and doing all of your weekly meal prep. Relying in your freezer house and the scale of your loved ones, you are able to do weekly meal prep or simply pre-prep the meals for the times you’re all making an attempt to eat more healthy. No matter you determine, 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 would possibly wish to meal prep some snacks too.

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

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

Make a buying listing (or use the one on the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem) and buy groceries. Examine the cabinets to see in case you have fundamentals like oil, flour, pepper and many others.

Many mums discover it helpful to make use of on-line buying in order that they will see what their whole spend can be and make adjustments if wanted to suit inside their funds.

Step 3. Carve out a while (relying on what you’re cooking and what number of recipes you will 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 substances prepared

The meals processor could be useful right here to cut onions, carrots, cabbage, and many others. Why not strive utilizing the oven, stovetop and a gradual cooker suddenly with the intention 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 greatest to get something cooking first that may take a little bit longer, then work again from there.

Suppose forward of time about what you may 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 bundle it up

You would possibly select to bundle your meals into single-serve parts or into family-sized parts, relying in your wants.

Enable the meals to chill fully within the fridge in a single day, then place it within the freezer the following day. This avoids freezer burn. Label every thing with the intention to see at a look what you will 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) which you could simply pull out every day.
• Type breakfast out to make mornings a breeze. For example, you would possibly 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 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 part of the meal, which you’ll then add simply with a aspect of rice or veggies. You can make a triple batch of Chilli con Carne or Bolognese to make use of with pasta one night time, then tacos one other night time, wraps, or on prime 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 could be very a lot a private alternative.

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 resembling Décor, Tupperware, Ikea or Sistema.

You can even use ziplock luggage for issues like bliss balls or muffins, as they take up much less room.

Which dinner recipes work effectively for meal prep?

Listed here are a number of 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. Should you’re on the lookout for inspiration and for 1000’s of meal prep concepts for weight reduction yow will discover loads on the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem and Wholesome Mummy web site.

Meat

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

Seafood

If seafood is extra your type, try 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 following weekly meal prep which are 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 onerous 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 crucial vital meals to incorporate in any meal prep is snacks as a result of everyone knows how simple it’s to seize a less-than-healthy snack. Listed here 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, “Figuring out I’m making the correct decisions, particularly in the case of ‘treats’ has been the most important studying for me. I’ve all the time 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.”

Uninterested in questioning what to prepare dinner?

Now you’ll be able to simply meal plan with our personalised plans & over 6,000 household & funds pleasant recipes catering to a variety of dietary necessities.

The Wholesome Mummy is a holistic program to nourish your physique with nutritious meals and make it easier to keep energetic in your busy, on a regular basis life. Yours and your households effectively being ought to be a precedence so allow us to take the trouble out of it.

Unlock the important thing to sustainable life adjustments that may depart you feeling your very best.