If you happen to’re a busy mum (examine) with a to-do checklist so long as your arm (examine) who desires to eat nicely however hasn’t received hours to spend within the kitchen (examine examine), this meal prep information is for you.

We do speak an terrible lot about meal prep concepts and ideas right here on the Wholesome Mummy and on the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem, however we perceive that a few of you could have by no means tried it earlier than.

So chances are you’ll be feeling a bit of overwhelmed with the way it all works.

Key takeaways:

• An enormous number of meal prep ideas and recommendation 
• The appropriate containers for meal prep
• Recipe solutions that can work nicely for you 

All aboard!

Bounce forward to seek out out extra:

So….what’s meal prep?

If you happen to consider the time you spend within the kitchen every day or evening getting ready meals, it rapidly provides up by the top of the week. And if there’s one factor that us busy mamas don’t have sufficient of – it’s TIME.

That is the place meal prep is available in. By spending a while a few times per week (or no matter works for you and your loved ones) chopping, cooking, and packaging up your meals and snacks, you possibly can slice a TON of hours off your weekly meal prep and cooking schedule.

However you don’t need to really feel overwhelmed. Meal prep could be made up of easy duties like chopping substances and storing them in hermetic containers, making a batch of wholesome meal prep recipes from the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem, or cooking a double batch of your favorite wholesome meals forward, so you possibly can freeze some for an additional day.

What are the advantages of meal prep?

Oh, so many…

1. No extra cooking within the kitchen each single day. By cooking in batches (as an example, you may make a double batch of Bolognese, one to make use of this week and one to freeze for an additional household meal subsequent week).
2. Lower your expenses by shopping for your substances in bulk – it’s usually less expensive for those who purchase 3kg of rooster breast as an alternative of 500g. Similar goes with substances like 2kg luggage of potatoes, 1kg luggage of rice and so forth. Each little bit of cash saved is cash in your pocket.
3. You’ll have spare time to hold with the youngsters within the witching hour (once they simply wish to snuggle up and browse a ebook or play a sport), as an alternative of getting emotional youngsters pulling at your legs when you attempt to cook dinner dinner.
4. Keep away from the temptation to seize a takeaway once you’re drained and hungry, figuring out there’s a wholesome meal already made at house.
5. You employ much less electrical energy and water as you don’t must cook dinner as usually. You’ll have much less washing up as you’ll make one BIG mess as an alternative of a multitude EVERY DAY!

What is going to I must get began?

You don’t want numerous kitchen gear, however these are the fundamentals to make it a bit of simpler.

Meals processor, blender, kettle, sharp knives, chopping boards, pots and pans, sluggish cooker (non-compulsory, however we adore it), and meal prep containers for the completed product.

And, in fact, don’t overlook the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem app!

What ought to I make for my first try?

Don’t go too laborious too quickly! To begin with, why not simply put together two 28 Day Weight Loss Problem dinners (doubling the recipe to make 4 household meals) and two double batches of snacks?

As an illustration, you can make a double batch of Sluggish Cooker Asian Hen after which a double batch of Mexican Lasagne.

Then as soon as they’re cooking, you can make a double batch of the Raspberry Muffins, and a double batch of the Weetbix Slice. That will make FOUR entire household meals and THIRTY SIX serves of some wholesome snacks!

How do I start?

Getting began with meal prep doesn’t need to be this enormous factor the place you spend each weekend planning and doing all your weekly meal prep. Relying in your freezer house and the scale of your loved ones, you are able to do weekly meal prep or simply pre-prep the meals for the times you’re all making an attempt to eat more healthy. No matter you resolve, getting began with meal prepping begins by taking step one.

Step 1. Determine what you want to cook dinner throughout your session. 

You possibly can select to cook dinner a dinner meal prep recipe (a fantastic begin!) or add in lunch meal prep concepts too (why not simply use dinner leftovers for lunch?), you may wish to meal prep some snacks too.

Bounce on the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem app and kind in an ingredient you wish to use (e.g. mince), and see what wholesome meal prep recipe pops up that you simply just like the look of. You possibly can customise your meal plan after which hit the ‘buying checklist’ button.

Step 2. Make a buying checklist (or use the one on the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem) and buy groceries.

Make a buying checklist (or use the one on the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem) and buy groceries. Examine the cabinets to see when you have fundamentals like oil, flour, pepper and so forth.

Many mums discover it helpful to make use of on-line buying in order that they will see what their whole spend might be and make adjustments if wanted to suit inside their finances.

Step 3. Carve out a while (relying on what you’re cooking and what number of recipes you could have) to spend within the kitchen cooking

Plenty of our 28 Day Weight Loss Problem members swear by the Sunday afternoon cook-up, however do no matter works for you. Many mums do meal prep twice per week.

Step 4. Begin chopping and getting the substances prepared

The meals processor could be useful right here to cut onions, carrots, cabbage, and so forth. Why not attempt utilizing the oven, stovetop and a sluggish cooker abruptly so to put together a number of meal prep meals?

Step 5. Begin cooking!

Get your apron on, throw on some tunes, and get into your meal-prepping session.

It’s usually greatest to get something cooking first that can take a bit of longer, then work again from there.

Assume forward of time about what you may make whereas one other meal is baking within the oven, as an example.

Step 6. As soon as the meals has cooled, it’s time to package deal it up

You may select to package deal your meals into single-serve parts or into family-sized parts, relying in your wants.

Enable the meals to chill utterly within the fridge in a single day, then place it within the freezer the subsequent day. This avoids freezer burn. Label the whole lot so to see at a look what you could have within the freezer.

What if I don’t have sufficient room to retailer a great deal of containers?

That’s OK! Not everybody has a giant freezer or a lot of meal prep containers. Right here’s what you are able to do:

• Make your lunch for the week – place some cooked rooster, rice and greens, or some pre-chopped salad into 5 containers (no dressing) that you would be able to simply pull out every day.
• Type breakfast out to make mornings a breeze. As an illustration, you may make these Chia Puddings (or there are a great deal of recipes in the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem) or a batch of the Gluten Free Granola to maintain available for the week.
• Meal prep your snacks for the week and retailer them within the fridge. Assume Zucchini Carrot Cake, or Lemon and Coconut Bliss Balls. These don’t take up a lot room.
• Simply cook dinner and freeze the principle element of the meal, which you’ll be able to then add simply with a aspect of rice or veggies. You can make a triple batch of Chilli con Carne or Bolognese to make use of with pasta one evening, then tacos one other evening, wraps, or on prime of a jacket potato. Simply freeze it in household sized parts and defrost it within the fridge in a single day earlier than you propose to make use of it.

Which containers ought to I take advantage of for meal prep?

Choosing the proper meal prep containers could be very a lot a private selection.

However the principle choices for freezing meals are a budget and cheerful takeaway-style containers from the grocery store (round $3 for 10), which are sometimes single-use;

Or the costlier however higher high quality plastic tubs comparable to Décor, Tupperware, Ikea or Sistema.

It’s also possible to use ziplock luggage for issues like bliss balls or muffins, as they take up much less room.

Which dinner recipes work nicely for meal prep?

Listed here are a number of the favorite wholesome meal prep recipes of the Challenge members that love meal prep. All of those wholesome meal prep concepts and recipes can be found to members of the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem. If you happen to’re on the lookout for inspiration and for 1000’s of meal prep concepts for weight reduction yow will discover lots on the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem and Wholesome Mummy web site.

Meat

Listed here are a few of our favorite meal prep concepts for the meat-eaters who want to eat more healthy:

Seafood

If seafood is extra your type, try these wholesome meal prep recipes excellent for the entire household:

• Fish & Vegetable Curry
• Coconut Fish Sizzling Pot
• Tuna Pasta Bake (pictured above)
• Salmon & Zucchini Patties
• Chilli Tuna Patties with Asian Coleslaw

Vegetarian

We even have a fantastic vary of wholesome recipes excellent for the subsequent weekly meal prep which are excellent for vegetarians:

• Baked Cheese & Tomato Risotto
• Spinach & Pumpkin Curry
• Simple Fried Rice (pictured above)
• Pesto, Spinach & Ricotta Rolls
• Zucchini & Corn Fritters
• Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Household Pleasant

As busy mums it may be so laborious to seek out scrumptious, wholesome recipes that the entire household loves which is why The Wholesome Mummy has 1000’s of family-friendly heathy recipes prepared so that you can meal prep:

Snacks

When on the lookout for meal prep concepts for weight reduction, one of the vital meals to incorporate in any meal prep is snacks as a result of everyone knows how simple it’s to seize a less-than-healthy snack. Listed here are our favorite snack recipes prepared on your weekly meal prep:

Why do these mums like to meal prep?

Sascha Farley (proper) misplaced an unimaginable 34kg following the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem.

Sascha says, “Realizing I’m making the precise decisions, particularly in terms of ‘treats’ has been the most important studying for me. I’ve all the time received 2-3 wholesome treats prepared for my candy tooth hits. With training comes freedom, and The Wholesome Mummy program has given me that.”

Kaitie Purssell (left) misplaced 21kg with the 28 Day Weight Loss Problem and credit her weight reduction to her newfound love of wholesome meals.

Kaitie says, “Being ready and getting organised doesn’t solely save money and time, it additionally makes your life a lot simpler. The Wholesome Mummy life-style was made for busy mums like myself.”

Rhian Allen (centre) is the founding father of the Wholesome Mummy. As a busy mum of two, she is aware of that a meal prep routine is an effective way to assist those that are struggling to eat nicely.

Rhian says, “Meal prep offers you peace of thoughts, figuring out that on the finish of a busy day, you’ve received a wholesome meal able to go at house.”

Bored with questioning what to cook dinner?

Now you possibly can simply meal plan with our personalised plans & over 6,000 household & finances pleasant recipes catering to a variety of dietary necessities.

The Wholesome Mummy is a holistic program to nourish your physique with nutritious meals and allow you to keep lively in your busy, on a regular basis life. Yours and your households nicely being must be a precedence so allow us to take the effort out of it.

Unlock the important thing to sustainable life adjustments that can depart you feeling your best possible.