Meal prepping can be a daunting task, so I wanted to share info on meal prep for beginners! If you're new to meal prep, or if you've been doing it for a while but want to be more efficient, keep on reading!
How to Start Meal Prepping
Knowing where to start can be overwhelming. I recommend starting by looking in your fridge, freezer, and pantry to get an idea of what you already have on hand.
Check expiration and use-by dates! By doing this, you'll know what needs to be used first. Don't forget to move things around and check the way back to see if anything is hiding back there. This step can also help reduce food waste and throwing money away because you're using what you've already bought!
Meal prep for beginners doesn't have to be complicated. I recommend following these steps if you're just starting out:
- Take inventory of what you have on hand
- Decide on a protein, starch, and veggie for each meal
- Find recipes (online, cookbooks)
- Make a grocery list and then get in the kitchen!
Meal Prep Ideas
Once you've made a list of things you have at home, use it to brainstorm fun recipe ideas. When it comes to deciding on what to make for the week, I make sure each meal has each of the following:
- Protein (click here to learn more about protein sources!)
- Starches (click here to learn more about carbohydrate sources!)
- Veggies
If you have some brussels sprouts in the produce drawer that need to be used, check out these crispy roasted brussels sprouts. Or if you have cherry tomatoes that could go bad any day, make this creamy tomato sauce. This is the time to get creative!
How to Make a Grocery List for Meal Prepping
Once you have recipes, you want to be sure to scale them to the appropriate amounts. Factor in how many people will be eating this recipe and how many days you want it to last (i.e. are there 2 people who need 5 lunches for the week? Factor that in!).
Now you can make your grocery list. Compile all of the ingredients needed (I recommend double checking to see if you may already have some on-hand!) and there's your grocery list. You're ready to go to the store and get cooking!
5 Steps to Efficiently Meal Prep Without Spending Hours in the Kitchen
If you want to take your meal prepping game to the next level, you have to check out my 5 Steps to Meal Planning Efficiently Without Spending Hours in the Kitchen workbook! It's a fillable step-by-step guide that walks you through meal prepping, from checking your pantry to what to do with any meals/food you may not be able to eat in time (due to last-minute lunches or dinners out). Plus, I include links to over 30 recipes to give you some ideas!
As always, please rate and review this post and let me know your thoughts! Snap a photo of you meal prepping or using any of these tips and post on your stories and tag me @theperfectpearr so I can see and share on my page! 🙂
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