Meal prepping

Like I mentioned last week, I'm doing a blog post on meal prepping. There are lots of resources on the internet on the subject, but most of this post comes from A Sweet Pea Chef.

To start with...what is meal prepping and why would you want to do it? Meal prepping is preparing several days worth of meals at one time...usually on the weekend. The reason for doing that is because you can save time and money by planning your meals in advance, so there's a lot less eating out because you don't have time or don't feel like preparing meals during the week.

From Sweet Pea:

HOW TO MEAL PREP

If you want to learn how to meal prep, you have to learn how to plan. Planning is everything because it helps to keep you organized and focused.  Meal prep without planning is kinda impossible. Or frustrating and stressful. Which is exactly what we want to avoid.

So, here’s how to meal prep:

• Make a plan and stick to it.
• Make lists – meal prep recipe lists, shopping lists, menu lists. Lists should become your best friends. They are very helpful friends, trust me.
• Make it your own. If you don’t like to pack your lunch for work, choose only meal prep recipes for breakfast and dinner.
• Choose a day or 2 for meal prepping if you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen at one time.
• Make meal prepping fun. If you don’t have time for complicated recipes, choose a simple meal prep. It’s better to choose what works for you.
• Make it delicious and not boring. Experiment with spices, herbs, and marinades. You’ll have countless easy meal prep ideas without too much effort.

The key takeaway is that meal prep is flexible. The goal is to make it work for you so it’s something YOU want to do.  If you want to do it, you’ll stick to it and be successful.

When I was in Target last night buying a chocolate cake for Chocolate Cake Day, the lady behind me was buying a bunch of freezer bags and meal prep storage containers.

How To Store Meal Prep Recipes

• Allow the food to cool before transferring it to meal prep containers and store it in the fridge. However, make sure you don’t keep the food for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
• If you want to freeze your meal prep recipes, allow them to cool completely before you place them in the refrigerator.
• To reheat freezer meals, you have 2 options – thawing the food overnight in the fridge and then reheating it in the microwave for about 2 minutes or reheating in the microwave without thawing for about 5 minutes.
• If you use gallon freezer bags for meal prepping, make sure you squeeze as much air as possible out of the bags before you store the food in the fridge or freezer.
• Some meal prep recipes last for up to 7 days in the fridge while others last for only 4-5 days. This is something to consider if you want to cook for the entire week.
• If you meal prep for the entire family, it is better to prep the meals twice per week.

MEAL PREP CONTAINERS

To store your meal prep recipes, you’ll need some sort of air-tight storage, like these meal prep containers.

You can store the protein and the side separately for a buffet style meal prep or you store them together in a meal prep container for a full meal.

Types Of Meal Prep Containers

• Airtight containers – plastic or glass. I prefer glass containers but if you have plastic meal prep containers it is totally fine.
• Gallon freezer bags – some meal prep recipes are stored better in gallon freezer bags or Ziploc bags than in airtight containers. Also, gallon freezer bags can be used for all your meal prep recipes if you don’t have airtight containers.
• Mason jars – other meal prep recipes are better stored in mason jars than in airtight containers or Ziploc bags. Salads, for example, are better when kept in mason jars because you can stack the layers to avoid getting the salad ingredients soggy.

Meal prep can be stored in the fridge or, in some cases, in the freezer. Make sure you check if your meal prep containers can be stored in the fridge. If not, use freezer-safe gallon freezer bags.

She then goes on to list a bunch of recipes for different categories of meals. Be sure to check them out. But I think one of my favorite categories will be crockpot meals...I have a crockpot but I've only used it a few times! The Art of Manliness also has several crockpot recipes, including this one:

Weekly Chicken 

Weekly chicken, in chile relleno form

I call this recipe such, because it’s usually a Sunday ritual in my home to cook this chicken for use throughout the week. The chicken shreds beautifully, and it always turns out flavorful and juicy. I like to use this chicken in sandwiches, quesadillas, or as the base for chile rellenos.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• 1 jar salsa, whatever brand you prefer

Directions

Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker and season with taco seasoning. Pour salsa over chicken. Cook on high 4 hours, or low 8 hours. Shred chicken in juices and serve immediately, or pack tightly and refrigerate for use throughout the week.

To make chile rellenos: Char the skins of 2 poblano peppers, then remove. Cut peppers in half. Pour enchilada sauce into the bottom of a baking dish, add peppers, and stuff with chicken. Top with grated cheese, and more sauce if desired. Bake at 350 degrees F until warmed through and cheese has melted.

I think I'll pick a few recipes, buy some meal prep containers and begin meal prepping this weekend! And since next Monday is Homemade Soup Day, maybe I'll start with some soup.

P.S. I started bullet journaling last night.

Interesting days

Today - Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, Data Privacy Day, Blueberry Pancake Day, Kazoo Day and Global Community Engagement Day

Tomorrow - Puzzle Day, Freethinkers Day, Cornchip Day and Curmudgeons Day

Next Monday - Thank A Letter Carrier Day, Homemade Soup Day, Stuffed Mushroom Day, World Cancer Day and Sweater Day

February 28 - Scouse Day, Rare Disease Day, Digital Learning Day, Chocolate Soufflé Day, Tooth Fairy Day, Floral Design Day, Chilli Day and Peace Corps Week