In today’s day and age, most of us are busy and cannot just spend all our time in the kitchen cooking food. Thus, the need for some efficient meal prep proves to be vital. The main goal in meal prepping is to find the correct balance of foods. Inculcating some skills about meal prep has become a basic prerequisite in every modern household. It’s all about finding hacks to make your food taste better. But many of us tend to make some common and basic mistakes while prepping for the week. There are several ways that people let themselves down when they falter in meal prepping. These are actually small adjustments—in habits or simple planning—that can be overcome with a bit of discipline.
• Having an assortment:
The most common mistake people tend to make is a lack of variety. Having the same food every day proves to be boring and monotonous. This is one of the reasons it is difficult to stick to a diet. We want variety in our food and to keep it interesting throughout the week. It's the variety that helps us stay excited about stepping back into the kitchen after the weekend and eating fresh, home-cooked food.
• Good Storage:
A cook's worst nightmare is a bad container that ruins the food he or she has so lovingly prepared. So, invest in some good storage containers that will keep your food fresh and safe. Buy containers that will last you a few years or more. The ones that fade or sag just make food seem uninteresting when you come back after a long, tiring day. Bad food presentation is such a buzzkill. Make certain to buy different sizes so that when you are cooking large portions of some foods, you can store them in one container instead of multiple boxes. There's only so much room in the refrigerator.
• Timing:
Busyness is not a valid excuse to not get in the kitchen. It will surprise you how much you can get done in a short amount of time. So, cook as much as you can, when you can. A bit of discipline goes a long way. Create a schedule (yes, boring perhaps, but setting regular time aside for any activity is the best way, and you know it) and stick to it. When you see the benefits of this small change, you'll never
• Spice mix:
To avoid food boredom, make one all-purpose spice mix that will be like a secret weapon throughout the week and will come in handy for various dishes.
• All-purpose grain:
Another big problem that people face during meal prep is that they keep running out of food. To avoid that, have a base grain in your kitchen, kind of like a good pair of jeans that will go with everything. Ensure you're never shirt of it, and a large part of your meal prep falls into place.
• Bulk Cooking:
If you quickly burn through your food in a few days, get a large sheet pan, throw some veggies or protein on it, put it in the oven, and voila! You have the most delicious roasted veggie stir. Alternatively, you can also use a large kadhai. Backup food always works when in a rush.
• All-purpose sauce:
To save time, make one sauce that you can pretty much put on anything. You can sauce up chicken, veggies, and salads. Think about something that can have multiple uses throughout the week.
• Kitchen Gadget:
Take advantage of machines like pressure cookers, slow cookers, and anything that will make your life easier so you can work on other meal-prep.
• Freeze fruit:
Eating healthy throughout the week is vital. A lot of people struggle with this, but we need to eat well because we are always on the go, and good, healthy food can give us energy to perform our day-to-day tasks better. Frozen fruit can be a great solution; you can stack them in smoothies, eat them in a fruit salad, or make healthy snacks out of the fruit. To avoid clumps, wash it and allow it to dry before freezing.
• Healthy snacks:
If you don’t have healthy snacks in between meals, you’re going to want to indulge in junk food and deviate from your healthy meal-prep route. So, make sure to have self-popped popcorn and homemade trail mix using nuts to satiate that sweet or salty kick that is customizable.
• Raw-prepped food:
If you’re lacking raw food, you’re more likely to snack on junk food. Prep fresh ingredients so that they are ready for salads, veggie wraps, and so on. Also, cutting up raw veggies and having them on hand makes you more tempted to eat them. It's alll about what's avaiable when the craving hits.
• Leftovers:
Take advantage of leftovers and get creative with them. Look at what you have in the fridge and try to make something out of it. Put your brain to work and avoid food waste. If you have leftover stir-fry veggies, throw them in with some rice, scramble some eggs, and there you have it! Some delicious fried rice
• Have fun:
Do not think of meal prep as a chore; otherwise, you are not going to be motivated to get in the kitchen. Listen to a podcast, catch up on your favorite daily soap, or just jam out to your ultimate Spotify playlist!
As Alice Waters said, "Food can be very transformational, and it can be more than just about a dish." Food is more than just a meal. It is energy for the soul. So, the next time you want to be ready for the week with some delicious food, make sure you avoid the above meal-prep mistakes and, most importantly, have fun!