Meal Prep Cookbook For Dummies - Wendy Jo Peterson

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Instead of … Try … Spaghetti Beef, mushroom, and kidney bean spaghetti Sloppy joes Southwestern turkey sloppy joes Hamburgers Greek lamb burgers Cream of turkey over biscuits Cream of turkey with peas over whole-grain biscuits Shake-and-bake chicken Shake-and-bake Mexican chicken Stuffed peppers Quinoa-stuffed peppers Tacos Fish tacos Chicken noodle soup Chicken and sweet potato soup Macaroni and cheese Butternut squash macaroni and cheese Pizza Whole-grain pizza Grilled chicken Grilled chicken with chimichurri sauce Fried chicken Fried chicken salad

      Another popular style of meal prep is where you prep meals in advance. Generally, people make one set meal and then place it in a container for the week, to be reheated or enjoyed cold.

      How to do it

      Make a stew, roast, or sheet-pan meal on one day. Then take that meal and preportion it into containers to eat for the week. You can also do this with breakfasts, salads, or bowls (see Part 3).

      Who it’s for

      If you’re okay with eating the same thing all week, if you prefer cooking only one day and reheating for a meal, or if you’re really tight on time for the week, this approach is for you.

      

Be sure to get some variety. Eating the same thing for every dinner doesn’t provide a variety of nutrients, so consider mixing up the proteins and vegetables each week to ensure you’re getting enough nutrients.

      

One potential downside to this approach is boredom. By day 3, the drive-thru may be more tempting than microwaving the same meal again or eating the same salad.

      Batch cooking is a budget-friendly way to cook large portions of meat or vegetables and then create different meals with them for the week. Chapters 9–13 highlight ways to make popular large cuts of meat and ways the meats can be used in different meals to keep it fun and new.

      How to do it

      Batch cooking requires buying meat in bulk and spending a good amount of time to roast or pressure-cook the meat in advance. While the meat is cooking, you can utilize the time to prep meals you want to make with the meat for the week.

      Who it’s for

      If you prefer to buy meat in bulk, if you have the time to slow-roast or cook the meat on one day, and if you don’t mind eating the same meat all week, this method is for you. (You could also freeze the cooked meat and use it another week, if you don’t want to eat the same meat all week.)

      If you love your Instant Pot or slow cooker this may be the style of meal prep for you! You just need the freezer space to store the meals.

      How to do it

      Plan freezer-friendly, slow-cooker, or multicooker meals. Prep and place the meals in freezer bags, label the bags, and freeze them for another day within the next month.

      Who it’s for

      If you don’t have much time to meal-prep every week and you prefer to knock meals out for the month; if you have ample freezer space (like a deep freezer); or if you absolutely love stews, soups, and pot roasts, this method is for you. During cold months, this approach may be especially appealing; perhaps less so in the summer. Check out Chapters 7 and 15 if this method appeals to you. I like having these meals on hand; I work them in throughout the week to mix things up!

      Sheet-pan meals have become incredibly popular and are super simple. The concept is that you have your protein, vegetables, and starch all on one sheet pan that roasts for the same time and yields a complete meal when it’s done cooking. The trick is having each element cook at the same temperature and time, but the bonus is less cleanup!

      How to do it

      Plan a starch, protein, and vegetable that can cook at the same time and temperature (or head to Chapter 14 where I’ve done the work for you!). Prep each element in advance and store them together. (For example, marinate your vegetables, create a spice mix for your protein, and cut up potatoes and store them in water prior to cooking.) Then, when it’s time to execute, place each element on a parchment-lined sheet pan, roast, and serve.

      Who it’s for

      If you have the oven space, you’re cooking for fewer than four people, if you have the time and refrigerator space to prep and store, and if you don’t mind heating up your home with the oven, this method is for you.

      

If you have a larger family, you can use more sheet pans and oven racks.

      No, this method isn’t about breaking out a scale and doing math equations! Instead, the formula is more about planning a protein, a starch, and a vegetable, and keeping it simple. Honestly, this is about 50 percent of how I do meal prep. Every week, I harvest vegetables or pick up something from my local farmer’s market that inspires a meal. I keep meat stocked in my freezer that I pull out for the week. Then I find a yummy starch (rice, couscous, pasta, or potatoes) to pair with the meal. This is where sauces come in handy. Head to Chapter 20 where I highlight sauces just for these occasions.

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