Advanced Meal Prep Tips

Has any of these things happened to you: You have to rush out the door without breakfast because you are running late and didn’t have time to fix anything? You are stuck wondering what to have for dinner, so you go to a restaurant and pay more than you had planned and blow your diet to smithereens, and still have to go to the grocery store to buy food for the rest of the week?
Do you hope the vending machine at work was recently restocked because whatever is in there is going to have to be lunch for today?  You know it won’t be nutritious and it will be filled with unhealthy ingredients like excess salt and sugar, but you are just so hungry and you have a whole afternoon to get through? If any (or all) of the above describes you, you may want to pay attention to the next several paragraphs. Meal prepping may just solve the problems mentioned above.  Meal prepping is a great way to improve your diet, save you both time and money, and make you feel more in charge of your life. To make meal prepping easier, here are three useful hacks for shopping, cooking, and dividing your meals into manageable portions for the week ahead:
Omaha woman fast food lunch
Omaha-NE healthy food prep
Prepare food in advance in Omaha-NE
  1. Set aside a specific day and time each week for cooking. If possible, do your grocery shopping and meal preparation all at once. By doing so, you can limit the number of times you need to heat up your oven and reduce the chaos of chopping and slicing ingredients. This will also free up time during the week for other important tasks and activities.
  1. Utilize a crockpot to save time and effort. The internet has literally millions of recipes available for whatever type of meal you need to prepare. Even dishes that weren’t originally designed to be prepared in a slow cooker has been converted by someone who has made it available online. Slow cooker recipes often have the featured benefit of added vegetables and other ingredients that provide a nutritional boost.  One of the best things about creating meals in a slow cooker is the set-and-forget nature of the method.  A little shopping and meal preparation in advance then let it work its magic while you go and enjoy your day.
  1. Don’t forget to plan for snacks. It’s common to crave a snack between meals, but these cravings can often derail your diet and fitness goals. Instead of relying on vending machines, stock up on healthy snacks that are pre-portioned and ready to go whenever you feel the need to munch on something unexpected.
 Another important aspect of meal prepping is understanding the timeline for freshness of different foods. Some items, like apples, are more prone to oxidation and will turn brown and lose their freshness quickly. To prevent this, postpone cutting or slicing them until you’re ready to use them in a recipe.
Remember, there’s no harm in repeating meals throughout the week or in subsequent weeks. In fact, most kids like a relatively small number of dishes in rotation, and don’t mind frequent repeats. What matters most is that you enjoy what you’re eating. If you have a particular recipe you love or enjoy having leftovers, feel free to make a larger batch and serve it later in the week.  Most meals can be prepared in larger quantities and the leftovers can be warmed up in the microwave the next day.
eating healthy wrap in Omaha
Lastly, before you start meal prepping, ensure your refrigerator is well-organized. The last thing you want is to rush in the morning and struggle to find your carefully prepared breakfast. Creating a system for your food storage will save you time and effort. As you progress in your meal prepping journey, you’ll discover more tips and ideas to make it even more enjoyable. Don’t hesitate to explore meal prepping blogs and the vast resources available on the internet to see what innovations others have come up with. With a little planning and preparation, meal prepping can truly transform your life and make healthy eating a breeze.