Preparing your meals can not only save you valuable time. It can also help you become healthier since you focus on what you will be eating rather than letting your stomach control your food choices. Here are some tips to make meal prep easy and convenient whilst focusing on nutritious healthy foods:
Meal Prep Tips
- Invest in quality glass storage containers that you can freeze and are ovenproof. I recommend steering clear of plastic even if it says BPA free. Microplastics can leach into your food, especially when food is hot. The ones pictured here are meal-sized so you can prepare a meal per container and store in the fridge or freezer for later consumption.
- Put aside a cooking morning or afternoon. This can be your meal prep time. Ideally, shop and cook on the same day so you are using fresh ingredients.
- Choose your recipes carefully. Opt for quick recipes with few ingredients with make-ahead tips. I have many healthy recipes on this website that fit those criteria.
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Shop smart. Check out these convenient tips for healthy meal planning which include tips when shopping.
Pre-soak (read why you should soak grains here) and pre-cook your grains. This way, they will be ready to add to rainbow bowls or mains. For example:
- Quinoa – a great addition to rainbow bowls or as a side or as porridge in the morning
- Oats – great for porridge the next morning
- Rice – do not keep for more than two days in the fridge, I recommend freezing rice in portion-sized glass containers)
- Pre-cook your greens. For example, use this Chinese Stir Fry for tasty greens that you can add to main dishes or rainbow bowls
- Use a slow-cooker (crockpot) – not only is it convenient, but it also retains the nutrients of your ingredients. Here are some yummy healthy slow-cooker recipes:
- Pre-make your breakfast. Some ideas include:
- As a rule of thumb, do not to keep leftovers in the fridge for more than 3-4 days. If you want to consume them later than this, freeze them once they have been cooked and cooled to room temperature.
- Use the oven to reheat rather than the microwave.
