A Guide to Getting the Most From Meal Times
Meal times can be stressful especially if you’re rushing around trying to feed the whole family. While convenience foods might be the go-to in this instance, in the long run, it’s best to avoid these unhealthy habits in your diet. Meal preparation isn’t a new concept, but it is being hailed as a fantastic way to get the most out of your meal times. You can prep everything from breakfast through to dinnertime and snacks in between to make sure you’re getting all the goodness each time. There are some simple ways to implement food preparation into your lifestyle, so check them out below.
Planning ahead
The key to meal preparation is planning ahead, so get the calendar out and start noting down how many meals you’re going to need each week. It may seem like a lot of work at first, but this initial stage will save you time in the long term. Factor everything in including travel, special occasions, and work lunches. If you have kids too, you’ll have to consider their commitments too such as afterschool clubs and lunch breaks.
Create a menu
Sometimes meal preparation can seem boring to people and making the same meals week in and week out may make it appear that way, but that’s not to say you can’t mix it up a little. While you need to ensure you have everything for it to be a nutritionally balanced meal, you can also get creative in the process. There’s no doubt eating the same thing over and over again is dull so why not spice it up with some other ingredients or create some new recipes of your own to impress everyone.
Optimize your grocery shopping
Once you have a list of your ingredients and meal plans, the next step is buying it all. Try to get all your shopping just before you need to prep it all, as that way you have the longest dates for storing food. It’s also great for motivation too, as once you have it all, you’ll want to start prepping it so it’ll offer some inspiration before the week ahead. Be sure to stick to the list while you shop as veering off course could lead to temptation.
Prepping and packing your meals
Lastly, all you need to do is start cooking everything up and prepping it for the week ahead. Most things can be prepared in advance, and that will save you time during the week. Steam or roast vegetables in big batches so they can be reheated, make sauces and dressing in plenty of time and prepare meats and poultry to feed you for the coming days. Storing it is another crucial factor, as you need easy access and visibility, so it makes cooking easy. Some things can be refrigerated, but other food can be frozen for later in the week. For excellent storage options, see these vacuum sealer bags for smart storage options.
Meal preparation is super simple and can save you time and money for improved overall health. Try it today and get the most out of your meal times.
The key to meal preparation is planning ahead, so get the calendar out and start noting down how many meals you’re going to need each week. It may seem like a lot of work at first, but this initial stage will save you time in the long term. Factor everything in including travel, special occasions, and work lunches. If you have kids too, you’ll have to consider their commitments too such as afterschool clubs and lunch breaks.
Create a menu
Sometimes meal preparation can seem boring to people and making the same meals week in and week out may make it appear that way, but that’s not to say you can’t mix it up a little. While you need to ensure you have everything for it to be a nutritionally balanced meal, you can also get creative in the process. There’s no doubt eating the same thing over and over again is dull so why not spice it up with some other ingredients or create some new recipes of your own to impress everyone.
Optimize your grocery shopping
Once you have a list of your ingredients and meal plans, the next step is buying it all. Try to get all your shopping just before you need to prep it all, as that way you have the longest dates for storing food. It’s also great for motivation too, as once you have it all, you’ll want to start prepping it so it’ll offer some inspiration before the week ahead. Be sure to stick to the list while you shop as veering off course could lead to temptation.
Prepping and packing your meals
Lastly, all you need to do is start cooking everything up and prepping it for the week ahead. Most things can be prepared in advance, and that will save you time during the week. Steam or roast vegetables in big batches so they can be reheated, make sauces and dressing in plenty of time and prepare meats and poultry to feed you for the coming days. Storing it is another crucial factor, as you need easy access and visibility, so it makes cooking easy. Some things can be refrigerated, but other food can be frozen for later in the week. For excellent storage options, see these vacuum sealer bags for smart storage options.
Meal preparation is super simple and can save you time and money for improved overall health. Try it today and get the most out of your meal times.