Five Tips to Save Time Meal Prepping

Meal prepping is when you plan and prepare some of your meals and snacks ahead of time by either creating larger batches of food to make multiple, healthy meals or portioning out meals into calorie-controlled portions. Incorporating meal prepping into your weekly routine can allow you to incorporate healthy meals into your diet plan with less stress and energy.

By making your healthy recipes in larger batches ahead of time, you can save time cooking throughout the week, as well as rely less on willpower since your meals are already made for you (no more going out to eat because you don’t feel like cooking!). Listed below are five tips to help make meal prepping easier in order for you to stick with your weight loss plan.

1. Utilize Your Slow Cooker

Using a slow cooker allows you to make larger batches of food with very little cooking effort. You can use your slow cooker by either making entire meals and soups or by cooking just one portion of a dish such as meats or beans. To save even more time, use a slow cooker liner for less clean-up!

2. Create Versatile Bases

My husband HATES eating the same thing multiple days a week. In order to save time cooking, I meal prep bases that allow him to put whatever toppings and sauces he would like in order to change the flavor of the dish daily. Some healthy versatile bases that I cook are: a rice and cauliflower rice mixture; spaghetti squash; or a peppers, onions, and potato combination.

3. Freeze Leftovers for Future Weeks in Portioned Containers

This tip is a LIFESAVER if you live by yourself or are eating differently than the rest of your family. As long as you do not add cream or other dairy products to your meals ahead of time, portion out what you need for the week and then freeze the rest in individual portioned containers. This allows you in future weeks to grab what you need without having to cook a large batch again.

4. Use Pre-Cut Vegetables & Fruits

Using pre-cut vegetables and fruits allows you to save significant time meal prepping and cleaning dishes. I also use microwavable “steam in the bag” vegetables to save time cooking.

5. Portion Out Your Snacks

Portioning out your snacks right when you buy them allows you to prevent overindulging in your favorite snacks as well as allows you to grab your sides to your meals quickly. By having your healthy snacks pre-portioned, you allow yourself to have something healthy when you are craving food, but you don’t know what to make or eat. I use snack bags and tupperware to portion out my snacks.