5 Tips For Meal Planning And Prep

1. Decide what you’re going to make by creating a menu plan.

It’s hard to begin the process if you don’t know what you’re going to eat! Create a 5-day menu plan that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as snacks or beverages (like elixirs, teas or kombucha) if applicable. If you’re cooking for a family, get everyone involved in the process by having them suggest meal ideas. We like looking to healthy cookbooks, food blogs, magazines, as well as our favourite  Instagrammers for inspiration.

2. Gather the right tools and equipment for meal prep.

You don’t need a ton of fancy gadgets to become an expert at meal prep, but there are some inexpensive essential cooking tools that are going to make the process much easier. What you use in your kitchen will depend on what you find helpful, though these are the basic things we recommend.

3. Choose a finite amount of ingredients to use in a given week.

We’re all for eating a variety of foods, but you don’t need to eat 19 different vegetables during a five-day workweek. In other words, keep it simple. Select 5 or 6 key vegetables to focus on each week, as this will help you menu plan/meal prep easily and will likely reduce your food waste and grocery bills too. If you have a well-stocked pantry and flavourful spice rack, you can complement your dishes as needed with extra oomph.

4. Get chopping and batch cooking – and recruit help if you need it!

This is where the rubber hits the road in meal prepping. Depending on what’s on your menu plan and the ingredients you’re using, you may need to:

• wash and dry produce only and chop it right before making your recipe
• slice, dice and chop everything in preparation for cooking, sauteeing, roasting, snacking etc.
• pre-make recipe components so they can be used for assembly (condiments, cooked grains, nut butters, etc.)

5. Invest in quality storage containers

ood storage containers are one of the most essential meal prep tools. If you’re currently working with a cupboard full of mismatched containers with missing lids, you may find the meal prep process very frustrating. It’s well worth your time and money to invest in high-quality containers. Before you make a purchase, consider each container’s intended use. If you’ll be freezing, microwaving, or cleaning them with a dishwasher, make sure you choose containers that are safe for doing so. Glass containers are eco-friendly and microwave safe. They’re widely available in stores and online. It’s also handy to have a variety of sizes for different types of foods.