How to Begin Prepping Meals Beforehand

Meal prep and planning is not all about just cooking and throwing the meals into a container. There are certain things you need to do to begin prepping meals before you even start cooking. These basics will help you keep to a meal plan and help you budget it out before heading to the store. Here are a few of those basics to keep in mind.

Set Aside a Day

The key to making meal prepping work before you even start is to set aside a day for the prep and cooking. You may think that prepping should not take long, so you could do the next day of food the night before. The truth is that can become very stressful overtime and you may forget something or just not feel like doing it. Also, consider that life gets in the way sometimes. Picking one day, or afternoon, a week will help you get through the week of prep and make sure you don't overlook anything or become too stressed. 

Cook Like Temperatures Together

One way to speed up the process and make sure that everything is cooked properly is to cook foods of like temperatures together. For example, if you are baking chicken that takes twenty minutes at 375 degrees, you can also bake potatoes that take an hour and a half at the same temperature. The key is to set up a timer to ensure you are taking out the foods at the right time. This will save on energy costs since you will be running the oven for less time and cooking the same amount of food. 

Have Containers on Standby

Make sure your containers are on standby and ready to go. You will want to dish out the food for your meals all at once and have everything ready to go into the fridge. You should also make sure the containers are ready for all the meals you are making. This will make sure that you have everything you need for breakfast, lunch, and dinner prep and you aren't halfway through before you realize you have forgotten something. You will also want to mark each container with the food type, any special instructions, and the time for the food such as breakfast or dinner. 

By keeping these how to tips and methods in mind, you can make the entire meal planning and prepping process easier. You can also ensure you have everything you need, beyond the food, to get you on the right meal prep and planning track. 
