It’s mid-semester and you’re short on time. I get it. The last thing you want to do when you have a spare minute is make a meal. But how are you going to run across campus without any energy? Fear not! There is another way to enjoy delicious meals without having to cook each day.
Meal planning is the process of planning and creating meals in advance. This process allows you to make a delicious meal one day in the week and enjoy it for multiple days after. Meal planning may seem daunting at first but with these helpful tips and a little bit of practice, you’ll be making delicious, speedy meals in no time!
Step 1: Determine your meal prepping technique
There are many different ways to prepare your meals and some may work better for you than others. Here are a few to choose from:
- Make ahead meals involve preparing entire meals in advance to be heated up throughout the week. An example would be making a pot of soup and splitting into small single-serving containers to enjoy throughout the week.
- Batch cooking and freezing involves cooking multiple batches of a dish and separating it into containers to be frozen and used in the upcoming weeks or months. An example would be making a large batch of breakfast burritos, individually wrapping them and then putting them in the freezer to heat one up each morning.
- Leftovers is also an option which involves preparing meals, enjoying the meal and then taking the leftovers and separating them into individual servings, either to put in the fridge or freezer depending on when you would like to eat that meal again. For example, if you made a stir fry and then had leftovers you could put them into individual containers to enjoy later in the week. Maybe you put one single-serving container in the fridge for lunch the next day and two single-serving containers in the freezer to eat the following week.
- Pre-prep means prepping the ingredients ahead of time which makes cooking the meal a much shorter process. An example would be cooking chicken on the weekend and then using that chicken in three different recipes, like chicken tacos, a salad, and a pasta dish. Or slicing up garlic, onions, and other veggies on the weekend and then adding them to dishes during the week.
You can also do a combination of any of these techniques. Whatever fits best in your life!
Step 2: Pick a day of the week for prep work
Meal prepping requires a bit of time to prepare the initial meal or ingredients, so it is helpful to pick a day or two of the week where you have some free time. Schedule time on that day to shop and pre-slice or pre-cook some of the items in your upcoming meals, or go ahead and make some meals to refrigerate or freeze for the week.
Step 3: Find meals you enjoy
Eating the same dish over and over again is likely to get old quick. Look around online for recipes of some of your favorite meals or something new that you want to try. Maybe experiment with a new type of rice or a vegetable you’ve never tried before. Don’t get too hung up on the nutrition piece. If possible, just plan meals that offer a variety of food groups.
A fun app that can help with meal planning is Mealime. This free app allows you to browse recipes and when you find one you like, add the ingredients to your shopping list.
Step 4: Make a shopping list
Once you have some meal ideas, it’s time to make your shopping list. It may be beneficial to download an app that shows the sales grocery stores have each week to get the most bang for your buck. One option is the app, Flipp.
Another resource for food is Louie’s Cupboard which is our campus food pantry, or Flagstaff Family Food. At Flagstaff Family Food Center you can pick up two boxes of free food per month. You don’t have to show proof of income or residency.
Step 5: Start Small
You do not have to go all in with meal planning and prepping. You can start by just planning to make one or two meals in a week. If you like saving money and enjoy the process, you can aim for 3-4 meals a week, and go from there. Do what works best for you and your schedule.
Now that you have some information about meal prepping you are ready to start your journey! Good luck and enjoy those extra few minutes of relaxation each day!
Source: https://www.eatingwell.com/article/290651/a-beginners-guide-to-meal-prep/