At the end of a long day, preparing a fresh meal for your family can sometimes be the last thing you want to do. When dinner’s done, your work still isn’t overー it’s time to clean up and make tomorrow’s lunches. It never ends! Half the battle is rinsing, chopping, slicing, and shredding the fresh ingredients that give each dish its flavor, so why not plan it out in a way that fits your schedule better? By preparing your meals all at once, you can not only save precious time on weeknights but also elevate your everyday menu with fresh recipes.
How to Meal Prep –
Setting a smart meal prep routine that aligns with your family’s lifestyle can be a transformative step towards embracing more vibrant and healthy ingredients. It isn’t too complicated to get started, so let’s dive right in!
Begin by planning your menu for the whole week, making sure to include a mix of tasty breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes that you know and love, plus some exciting new recipes. Don’t forget to prepare some easy grab-and-go health snacks while you’re at it!
Next, compile a grocery list of the ingredients you’ll need, focusing on a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Make sure to plan your meals so that you get to enjoy different fresh ingredients every day, keeping your menu interesting and ensuring a healthy dose of nutrients, fiber, and flavor. With the convenience of greenhouse grown vegetables, there’s always a steady supply of high-quality ingredients to choose from in every season.
Set aside a few hours on the weekend for your meal prep day to do all the washing, chopping, and portioning. Hit play on your favorite album or turn on Netflix to make this tedious work more fun. You can even get the kids involved! Cook or assemble as much as you can during this time, storing meals in grab-and-go containers.
That’s all there is to it! The beauty of meal prepping lies in its flexibility. You can adjust the quantity, variety, and complexity of meals based on your schedule, ensuring that each week is tailored to meet your family’s needs and preferences. As you get into the rhythm of meal prepping, experiment with unique ingredients and try new recipes to prevent mealtime monotony.
Delicious Recipes Made Easy by Meal Prep –
Waking up with a premade breakfast like the Strawberry Chia Parfait can be an energizing and nutritious start to your busy day. This recipe combines the delicate sweetness of Sweet Blooms® Strawberries, packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, with the fiber-rich goodness of chia seeds. Layered inside a grab-and-go mason jar with creamy Greek yogurt for added protein, this parfait is simple yet satisfying. With this wholesome, balanced breakfast ready to go, you have everything you need to tackle your day.
Busy families need easy, ready-to-go lunches for work or school. Strawberry Chickpea Salad fits the bill perfectly. This vibrant salad combines the freshness of sustainable greenhouse grown Sweet Blooms® Strawberries with the filling protein punch of chickpeas. Alongside the classic Mediterranean combination of fresh basil and mozzarella, plus a light balsamic vinaigrette, this well-rounded lunch is great for big families with a lot of lunch boxes to pack every morning. With only a few ingredients to prep in advance, you can easily portion them and neatly stack everyone’s lunches in the fridge.
For dinner, One Pot Vegetable Curry is the perfect hearty and flavorful family meal to end the day. Centered around the rich taste of Craft House Collection® Baby Eggplants, this curry is a testament to the expertise of real chefs who understand the art of maximizing flavor through high-quality ingredients and efficient meal prep. These eggplants, with their deep, nuanced flavor, are sautéed to perfection alongside Sweet Bell Peppers and Roma Tomatoes. To simplify the process ahead of time, ingredients like onions, peppers, and eggplant can be chopped, making the actual cooking quicker and more convenient. You can also measure and mix the spices in a resealable bag. You’ll be amazed at how quick and easy it can be to cook a gourmet meal.
Snacking On The Go –
When meal prepping, the most important meal most people neglect isn’t really a meal at all. Of course, we’re talking about snacks! If you ignore snacks while meal prepping, you’re setting yourself up for the temptation of unhealthy, processed foods.
It’s smart to prepare a few healthy snack options like Cucumber Chicken Salad, Pizza Pop Tarts, and Mini Veggie Bacon Quiche. Cucumber Chicken Salad is a great blend of freshness and protein that you can make with pre-cooked, shredded chicken and Poco Bites® Cocktail Cucumbers for a quick, satisfying bite. Pizza Pop Tarts brings a fun twist to a familiar favorite that you can take on the go or after school. Mini Veggie Bacon Quiches are a great mid-morning snack option to keep in the freezer ready to be enjoyed when hunger strikes. These snacks are not just about curbing hunger; they’re about ensuring you have healthy, homemade options readily available all the time.
As you get into the groove of meal prepping, you’ll start to notice the little ways it makes life smoother and more enjoyable. It’s all about making the most of your valuable time – time you can now spend playing with the kids, diving into your hobbies, or just unwinding after a long day. For more healthy living tips and delicious recipes, make sure to sign up for our newsletter.
