Basic Meal Preparation Tips
Before I launch into a full series of recipes, ideas and tips for meal preparation - I thought a quick post on what essentials you should actually include would be a good idea!
It does to a certain extent depend on how many meals you’re looking to prepare, but essentially the basic components are…
Fridge, freezer and ideally microwave safe Tupperware/food storage boxes you can store prepared meals in. Being able to microwave the boxes means you can reheat meals if you would prefer not to eat them cold. Freezing is a good way of keeping food safe and fresh for latter parts of the week. Having leak proof boxes is also very important!
You’ll also want some kind of cutlery to take with you if you’re travelling with your meals.
Different easonings you enjoy to spice things up a bit (I love the Nando’s rubs sold in supermarkets)
An idea of how big a portion you’ll want in each meal. You’ll probably find this other introductory article to meal prep and this macro calculating article useful in that regard
Some way of batch cooking meals, whether that’s through an oven, grill, saucepan or even microwave
Quick staples in your store cupboards, and fridge, such as microwaveable rice, sweet corn and root vegetables
Somewhere to write down what you have planned for the week
To plan ahead for the upcoming week’s meal prep:
1) First work through how many meals you think you’re going to prepare.
2) Then, depending on your macros, you’ll want to pick a protein source. Whether that’s meat, Quorn, beans (I’ll go through specific recipes in future) or anything else, you’re probably going to want one of these sources for your meal. It may be easier to pick just one protein source in the beginning to prevent buying excess.
3) With a protein source picked, decide upon the serving size. For example, if you want about 150g chicken and are prepping five meals for the week, you’ll need about 750g chicken for the week. Likewise for any other source. You can then buy this in a bigger bulk pack to cook - or you could even buy pre-cooked protein.
If you want to buy Red Tractor, Welfare Assured British meat, you can use the code BNC5 at livelean.co.uk to get £5 off.
4) You’ll want to follow a similar principle for fruit and/or vegetables. Pick hardier vegetables such as peppers and carrots for latter parts of the week as they freeze well. Use ‘softer’ vegetables such as cabbage, brocolli and kale earlier in the week to maintain texture.
5) Dried fruit and other shelf stable snacks will last fine for later in the week but may be best stored in cupboards rather than with your freshly prepared meals.
6) As for main carbohydrate sources, potatoes last well frozen. Pasta can go a bit ‘jelly like’, so keep portions of those for earlier in the week.
7) Any sauces or sides can be stored in small pots. You could actually prepare these the night before to prevent separation.
When it comes to cooking and storing:
Maintain good food safety at all times by separating meat utensils from vegetables and other foods
Don’t pour fat down the drain - pour it in an old tin can and dispose of it as per your local recycling regulations
When it comes to meat, cooking low and slow and in marinades/rubs will not only preserve moisture and flavour, but will also be a better way of ensuring a thorough cook and limiting rubberiness
Cooking meat in roasting bags is an excellent way of preserving moisture and also a good way of fully tossing meat in seasoning (when the bag is closed!) without making a mess
If you’re cooking meat in a pan or on a grill, thinner pieces are ideal. Place the meat on an oversized piece of cling film and then add another piece over the top. Bang the meat through the cling film with a rolling pin. Season as normal. Cooking the meat through will then be much safer and less likely to char the outside with a raw middle
Food sources with a high water content should be kept for earlier in the week, as they won’t freeze well - you’ll want to keep them in the fridge
Once your food is cooked, allow it to fully come to room temperature before putting it in the fridge. This will prevent the temperature of your fridge rising (encouraging bacterial growth - food poisoning!), and will also prevent condensation from steam collecting on the inside of your meal prep boxes. This condensation can make food soggy if not allowed to dissipate into the air.
Don’t feel like you have to prepare gourmet meals from fresh, either. Grabbing microwaveable conveniences can be a great way of quickly meal prepping and getting used to the idea of having pre prepared meals. It usually still ends up being cheaper than buying meals out on the day.
You could actually just prepare large boxes of prepared vegetables, protein and carbs and then pick and choose as you like on the day if having a rigidly prepared meal is not your thing
Don’t be afraid to try different options, too - meal prep doesn’t have to be the traditional meat, carb and 2 veg! You can also prep your favourite meals even for when you’re at home, such as cooking a large lasagne and splitting it into portions. It’s a good way of saving money and time even if you aren’t tracking specific macros.
If you have prepared meals for the later days in the week, once they’re fully cool - pop them straight in the freezer. Take them out of the freezer and put them in the fridge the night before the day you will eat them.
That’s about it for now! In future meal prep recipe posts, I’ll still try my best to include what practical things you’ll need to make them.
All you need to remember though is that things don’t have to be super complicated or to have every single morsel of food planned out for the week. This should be enjoyable as well, otherwise you’ll never keep it up. Meal prep should be a help, not a hindrance.
I’ll update this post with any further tips I think of, but for now - I hope you find this useful.
