Making 3 meals a day for a whole family 5 days a week is never an easy task.
If we work and have busy lives too, it can be all the more difficult.
Not having meals prepared and ready to go adds to stress and increases the potential that you will choose quicker but more unhealthy meals for dinner time, such as fast food and takeaways.
A great way to keep your meals convenient but no less healthy or tasty is to prep them all in advance.
A.k.a meal prep.
Here’s how you can meal prep for your family in a super easy way.
Use Easy Recipes
Keep your meal prep simple by using easy recipes that you know the whole family will like.
The weekends and more free nights are better times to experiment with your cooking. Meal prep is intended to keep things calm and organised during the week, and so simple meals are much better.
Go for things that will keep well in the fridge or freezer too.
We are much less likely to get fed up of meals if they aren’t something we like and regularly want.
It doesn’t go well if it isn’t things your kids will want either.
Keep it simple and keep everyone happy.
Make The Most of One Shopping Trip
Meal prep can save you money in the long-run, if you do it right.
Try and pick a couple of different recipes which use the same central ingredients and then spread the items you buy across those different meals.
For example, if you buy a big bag of potatoes you can make a cottage pie, burgers and potato wedges, or a Mexican hash all in one go.
Buy ingredients you know you will use and that you know you will like. If things have good expiration dates, stock up on them.
Try and shop efficiently as possible.
A golden rule is to never shop when you’re hungry, as you will make unnecessary purchases that you regret later.
Plan Freezer Back-ups
Your children won’t always automatically like what you pick to have for dinner on a given night.
Avoid difficult conversations and tantrums by having some back up meals in your freezer.
Things like soup, casseroles and lasanges will be ideal for this.
Pick things that your children tend to always eat, no matter what mood they are in.
Yes, it isn’t always the right thing to give in to your children’s demands, but sometimes we are exhausted and it has been a long week. In this case, it is ok to pull out the freezer meal you know they will eat.
Set a Cooking Day
The best part about meal prepping is having free time during the weekdays where you don’t have to cook or prepare meals.
To make the most of this positive aspect, pick one or two days during the day where you do all of your cooking at once. Make multiple meals at once and get them all into the fridge and/or freezer.
It can seem like a lot all at once, but it will really really help you later on in the week.
