You’ve probably heard of “meal prepping” if you have a tightly knit schedule that doesn’t allow you to spend much time in the kitchen. It is a surefire method to not only save time but also eat healthily, save money and reduce portion size.
Meal prepping is a great way to make sure you have healthy meals ready to go when you need them. It can also help you save money on food, since you’ll be buying ingredients in bulk.
Decide what meals you want to make. You don’t have to plan out every single meal, but it’s helpful to have a general idea of what you want to eat for the week. This will help you figure out what ingredients you need to buy.
We think it is a great idea to plan out your meals every week, especially if you’re following a low carb, or keto, diet.
Choose recipes that are easy to make. You don’t want to spend your whole weekend cooking! There are plenty of easy recipes that can be made ahead of time. However, what if you simply don’t like cooking and want to spend your precious time doing something else that actually excites you? After all, how often do you get stress-free personal time? We understand your situation, and so we’ve brought forth our “no-cook food prep” idea.
Prep your ingredients. This step can save you a lot of time when you’re actually cooking the meals. Chop vegetables, cook meat, and measure out dry ingredients so that all you have to do is put everything together when you’re ready to chow down.
You will not have to dedicate hours to cook these meals. They can easily be prepared and stored in the fridge, waiting to be devoured. You can easily assemble no-cook or low-cook meals using ingredients that are healthy and fresh.
Store your meals in airtight containers. This will help them stay fresh for longer. Carefully thought out mixes can make your meal absolutely delicious. The best part is that preparing these meals barely takes 10 minutes of your day. Here are the best ingredients for your healthy no-cook food prep.
Veggies
They are the healthiest of them all. You can prepare tasty salads, snacks, and stir-fries using them. Cucumber, zucchini, tomatoes, broccoli, radishes, asparagus, cabbage, beets, sprouts, onions, snap peas, green beans, and various lettuces and herbs can all be used to prepare these meals and store them.
Carbohydrates
The easiest sources for gaining carbs are bananas, oranges, apples, pears, watermelons, and various other yummy fruits. Evidently, meals made with them are satiating and super easy to prepare. They will refresh and energize you instantly.
Proteins
Proteins need to be sufficiently present in your body for you to keep pace with your busy schedule. You can prepare super easy meals using portioned deli meat, canned tuna or salmon, hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, and string cheese.
Sauces
You can add portion cups of salad dressing, hummus, or cooking sauces to your meals and make your meals better. Sauces are excellent flavor enhancers!
Final Words
Sometimes we have no control over what our bodies crave. You might want to eat something that you can’t prepare salubriously either because of time constraints or lack of energy. You might not want to waste time on the internet researching various recipes and then working tirelessly to follow them.
For these situations, (and for school lunches!) you can have some go-to meals stashed in the freezer, such as pepper steak, mac and cheese, and chicken alfredo. One-click on the microwave, and they are ready to be savored.
One delectable combination is cheesesteak macaroni with sautéed peppers and onions. You can always experiment. We hope we made your days easier!