Preparing meals ahead of time can be a big time and money saver. You’re doing all of your cooking on one day, and will be saving money because you’re only buying the ingredients you know you need.
While cooking all your breakfasts, lunches and dinners for a week, in one day, may seem daunting, but with these tips you’ll be able to meal prep for a week and not have to wonder, “What’s for dinner?” anymore!
Find your recipes.
Before even starting the process, you should print out the recipes you will be using for the week. This means printing or writing down recipes for all meals for 7 days. If you will be making snacks, like homemade granola bars or protein bars, print those recipes as well. Now you have a master list of all the ingredients you will need.
Divide up your grocery store list.
Go through each recipe and categorize each item. Your grocery list should have sections broken down into protein, carbs, vegetables, fruits, spices, and other. Doing this will make it much easier (and quicker) to find the things you need when you’re at the grocery store.
Buy the right containers.
If this is something you will be doing on a regular basis, you want to make sure you have durable containers that are made to last. Don’t skimp out on this. I really like these reusable containers.
Cut your vegetables and fruits.
Once you’re back from the grocery store, start by chopping up your vegetables and fruits. Organize them by whether you’re using them as a snack or will be using them as ingredients in a meal.
Use the oven.
The oven is great for baking meats, potatoes, vegetables and more. Make a list of every item that needs to go in the oven and put it all in. If your oven is going to be on, you might as well cook everything at once!
Use your slow cooker.
Many people who meal prep like to make freezer meals. This can be preparing something, like meatballs, and freezing them to cook at a later date, or preparing an entire meal which will then be thawed and cooked. If you have a slow cooker, doing this is especially easy. Take a look at my posts, 9 Slow Cooker Freezer Meals or The Ultimate Before Baby Freezer Cooking Listfor some ideas. You could search Pinterest for slow cooker freezer meals to find recipes as well. Even if you don’t want to freeze your meals, you can still prepare all of the ingredients you’ll need and use your slow cooker to cook the meal. It will save you time all week!
Use different seasonings.
One can only eat so much plain chicken. When you go grocery shopping, make sure to pick up different seasonings for each meal. Get creative with how you season or marinate your protein options.
Make one huge dish.
If you don’t want to prepare 5 different dinner options, you can make enough of one recipe that will last you a few days. Find one you really like and cook it in bulk. If you have meals or items that will last longer than 3 days, put the leftovers in the freezer and cook it when you’re ready. Our family really likes these Chicken Pesto Stuffed Shells. It makes two dishes so I will cook one right away and freeze the other one for another day.
Make grab and go meals.
The last step is to just divide everything up into your containers. Take each meal and put it in a container so it is ready to go for each day of the week.
Meal prep can be a great way to save time throughout the week. Although it may take a full day on the weekend, once you know what meals you’re making and what ingredients you’ll need, you’ll become more efficient at it. No more worrying about what’s for lunch or dinner!
Do you do any sort of meal prep at your home? What does your current system look like?
Do you like the idea of planning a regular menu, but have difficulty with actually making plans or sticking with them? Check out this Non Planner’s Guide to Menu Planning over at I Heart Planners.
I thought you all would enjoy this menu planning inspiration I found over at Canadian Living!
Canadian Living has created 22 Quick and Easy weeknight dinners to help carry you through dinner time in September! Each weekly plan even includes a grocery list!
How easy will this make your menu planning? I’m going to be using this as a guide, but I’ll have to swap out a couple of meals that won’t appeal to the majority of this household.
This weekend, in between feeling sorry for myself because I’m sick, I spent a bit of time looking for supplies that I need for some projects that I have in mind. Thing is, I couldn’t find half of the stuff I needed! I like to be able to keep my shopping down to one or two stores, when I need crafty stuff, especially when I have a child in tow. Alas, I’ll have to venture out again to find the remaining items for the projects that I hope will make an appearance on Simply Frugal in the nearish future!
Moving on…you came for the menu. 🙂
I found a couple of tasty looking recipes that I’m excited to try out this week! One being a soup that uses tortellini, which is one of Sienna’s favs, so I know it will be a hit with at least one of us! I’m sure if I add some garlic bread or something I can get my husband on board too!
Have you found any new recipes that you’re excited to try out this week?
A while ago I signed up for a year’s worth of menu plans from The Fresh 20. I don’t use it every week, but the week’s I do use the suggested meals, I’m impressed! I have to substitute some of the ingredients for someone in our household who is “picky” (and it’s not the toddler!), but they have still tuned out wonderfully. This week, I’m using a menu from The Fresh 20. Unfortunately I can’t share the recipes, but I’m sure you could still get some ideas!
Chicken Cacciatore, mashed potatoes
Maple Soy Glazed Salmon (but we’ll have chicken instead), Mushroom & Kale Quinoa
Ham & Potato Galette, salad
Homestyle Chicken Soup
Tortellini with herb & garlic cream cheese (not Fresh 20)
I want to know, what will you be eating this week? Leave your menu in the comments!
A friend and I were talking, and we decided we could definitely do well with hiring a cook. While I do enjoy cooking, and especially baking, it would be wonderful to have someone take that task of my list! Besides, food just tastes better when someone else makes it!
Since there’s no cook on the horizon, here’s what I’ll be making this week:
