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Do you struggle to get dinner on the table? Finding that by the time dinner is made, eaten and cleaned up you need to be out the door to the next activity. Or it’s already time to bathe the kids and get ready for bed? This is where meal prep can save you time. Simplified easy to follow steps to streamline your meal time so you can get on with the rest of life.
Meal prep 101
Meal prep is slicing, dicing and organizing your food to make meal time easier. This may mean breakfast is ready and waiting for you as you walk out the door to drop the kids off a school. Lunches are packed and organized for Mom, Dad and the kids. Dinner ingredients are ready to pop into the Instant Pot the moment you get home.
Meal prep can come in many different forms. If you are looking to save time and money freezer cooking is at the top of list. You can prepare breakfast burritos for easy grab and go. Or simple dump and cook slow cooker meals for dinner.
Preparing your meals
Spend a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday preparing your meals for the week, place them in the freezer to keep them fresh and your ready to go. If you are looking for freezer meal inspiration checkout these 100 money saving freezer meals.
Another great meal prep method is slicing, dicing and dividing. Slicing up all your fruit and vegetables for easy snacking and meal ingredients. This is a great place to get the kids involved in the meal preparation. Let them slice up and prepare all the produce you need for the week or tonight’s dinner.
Divide and conquer.
Mornings are crazy busy setting aside a few minutes the night before to divide up your sliced fruits, vegetables and leftovers from last nights dinner or your favorite protein.
Pack the next days lunches in easy to distinguish containers. This will save you loads of time in the morning as everyone is heading out the door. If you have a husband or family member that work on the road try this oven lunch box and pack leftovers or soup on the go for great warm meal.
How meal prep saves you money
Most people shop for what they like and want. Filling their fridge with basic ingredients, a few sales items, proteins for meals they think they might make and snacks. Meal planning changes all that.
With meal planning you have a set number of meals you need to prepare, a list of ingredients and recipes to follow. You know what food is going to be made and what groceries need to be shopped for. If you stick to your meal plan grocery list you will save money.
Additional money can be saved by shopping sales, buying generic or shopping multiple stores. You can learn more grocery money saving tips here.
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How meal preparation saves you time.
On an average evening you are coming home from work or your spouse is and you are rushing to get dinner on the table before you need to get the kids to soccer or basketball or youth group.
Mornings are not much better as everyone is trying to get out the door and into the bathroom at the same time. Preparing your meals in advance can save you time when time is crunched. You spend a few extra minutes on a Saturday evening so the week flows smoothly.
Time to start preparing your meals.
Before you start your meal preparation you need to stock up on air tight food storage containers. This will help your meals stay fresh longer and help in freezer storage.
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Meal Prepping programs
If you are super tight on time and/or need some inspiration in the recipe and menu department look no further than My FreezEasy. They have an amazing collection of Keto, Paleo, gluten free, diabetic and everyday meal plans including chicken, fish, pasta, beef recipes and more.
