5 tips to make meal prep easier
Search
5 tips to make meal prep easier
Preparation is key!
Make lunch time more interesting by prepping your meals with these time-saving tips.
1. Do your shopping and basic preparation on weekends says Belinda Smith, mother, helath and wellness coach. “My number one tip is to give it a bit of thought ahead of time rather than opening the lunch box in the morning and wondering what to put in it,” she says. “If you know you’re going to make chicken sandwiches, roast a chicken then pull it apart. By the time you come to pack lunch each morning or night, it really is just a matter of following a road map.”
2. Look for recipes that are suitable for freezing, advises practising dietitian Aloysa Hourigan. “Zucchini slice and other egg-based dishes can be frozen in single portions, then defrosted each day and served with salad,” she says. Keeping your freezer well stocked with homemade goodies such as protein balls will likewise ensure you always have healthy snacks on hand. Visit Nutrition Australia or Health Food Healthy Planet for recipes.
3. You can reduce prep time at home, Hourigan continues, by taking food to work at the beginning of each week, then throwing it together at lunchtime. “That way, you’ve got the ingredients ready and don’t have to think about what you’re going to eat each day.”
4. Keep a store of long-lasting items at work so you have a fall-back option on those days when you lack time (or motivation) to prepare lunch. “Wholegrain crackers, baked beans, canned fish, raw nuts, dried fruit: they can sit there safely for weeks, just use them before their expiry date,” says Hourigan.
5. Consider adding fruit and vegetable smoothies to your lunchtime menu, says Meg Campbell personal trainer and wellness coach. She recommends preparing ingredients on the weekend and storing them in zip-lock bags or glass containers in the freezer. “All you have to do in the morning is blend and go,” she says.
