Struggling to juggle virtual office life, keeping the family entertained and preparing healthy, wholesome meals? The answer is meal prep, unless if you want everyone to attempt to make their meals, and you have the will to supervise clean-up afterwards.
Meal prep can be described as the preparation of food in advance using different methods. You can either cook food and preserve it by freezing, for example, or prepare ingredients ahead of time so that only the cooking is left to be done. Here are some useful meal-prep tips to help lighten the burden.
1. Planning is key
The key to effective meal prep is planning. Jot down what you want to cook in the next few days and take it from there. It might make the most sense to set aside time for meal prep on a Sunday afternoon or evening for the week ahead. Whatever time you end up choosing, make sure you stick to the schedule, otherwise interruptions may derail your plans.
2. Get your meal prep essentials in order
Make sure you have reusable food bags, storage containers and glass jars with lids because you’re going to need to put the food somewhere. Also, have the following items handy in your pantry or cupboard:
- A variety of spices and herbs
- Mixing bowls
- Kitchen scissors
- A kitchen scale
- A slow cooker
- A food processor
3. Get everyone involved
Since everyone is home anyway, you might as well take advantage of their availability. If you have children who are old enough to find recipes, ask them each to share a recipe they like. Task them with the meal prep for that recipe –it can be as simple as them cutting the vegetables in advance so that all you have to do is cook.
Did you know?
Multiply Premier members now get an extra 3% in cashbacks from Pick n Pay on top of your normal cashbacks percentage. How about that to help you save on your meal ingredients?
This offer is valid from 1 April to 30 April and will be applied to both in-store and online shopping. Please check directly with your nearest store for updated trading hours. If you haven’t activated the benefit, visit the Pick n Pay partner page on our site to find out how.
You might also want to try these tips for working at home productively.
References
https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/healthy-tips/2019/10/meal-prep-tips-hacks-experts
https://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/nutrition-bloggers-meal-prep-tips
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a28377603/how-to-meal-prep/
