Let’s be real here for a minute. When I hear the words “meal prep”, I literally tense up. Like in a moany, groany, stick-my-head-in-a-hole, please-don’t-make-me-go-to-the-grocery-store kind of way. It’s procrastination at it’s finest. I just really hate meal prep. I know that’s a strong word. I also know I should be doing it (there are umpteen reasons, including saving money, eating more healthfully, and saving time during the week), but I have never felt good at doing it, so I often choose to avoid it altogether, until the bare pantry makes Tom and the kids start to think they live with Old Mother Hubbard. Spending a good chunk of Sunday roasting chicken, washing fruit and chopping veggies is just not my idea of a fun weekend.
What I do know, though, is that having a fridge full of prepped foods at the ready is really great. It makes our crazy weeknights of chauffeuring between play rehearsals, batting cages and basketball practice a little less frenzied. I always feel better if we’ve eaten real food with legit nutritional value, instead of toaster waffles with peanut butter. Don’t get me wrong. There is definitely a time for toaster waffles with peanut butter for dinner! But this fallback meal is best used in a pinch, rather than as part of the normal weekly rotation.
In an attempt to simplify and make it a bit more enjoyable, I’ve put my own spin on this obligatory weekly task with these meal prep tips and tricks:
1. Take the Kiddos Grocery Shopping With You
Now, don’t freak out and think I’m crazy. My kids are a bit older now and are (sometimes) better able to handle the produce section with me. There are a few reasons having them tag along is super beneficial. It shows them that healthful eating requires some thought and planning. If they choose it, they are more likely to eat it. And it introduces real life skills that they’ll need and (hopefully) use when they launch from the nest.
2. Prep Ingredients, Not Meals
Realizing this was perhaps my greatest moment of clarity in learning how to feed my family, and provides relief on evenings when I don’t feel like cooking. Rotisserie chicken already pulled from the bone (from Costco) just needs a quick chop and it’s ready for salads, sandwiches, pasta, or solo with rice and veggies. Browned ground beef with onions makes simple tacos or pasta sauce easy to throw together another night. A healthy grain or legume (rice, quinoa, lentils) cooked in advance can be reheated quickly and topped with protein and steamed veggies – simple and yummy. Bags of salad greens already washed and ready to eat are a must, as are loads of snacking veggies and fruit. Yes, you have to wash and cut them, but this is where many hands make for light work (see also tip 5).
3. Buy Prepped Meals from the Butcher
You’ll spend a bit more on the fresh chicken parmesan, meatloaf, or pork fajita mix that is already cut and seasoned, but think of all the time (and tears) you’ll save chopping onions and peppers. Grab some fresh tortillas (and cervezas) and you’ve got sort-of homemade deliciousness that makes everyone happy. This is not the phase of life where you need to be a master chef every evening. Sometimes, it’s a miracle to get food on the table and time it so that everyone gets to eat while it’s hot.
4. Meals from the Frozen Section are Your Friends
Admittedly, it’s a challenge to find all-in-one-bag frozen meals that are not loaded with fat or sodium or other unwanted ingredients. Trader Joe’s has a lot of great options, though, in both entrées and side dishes, and you can find the healthy picks if you spend a few minutes reading the labels. I let the kids choose something that looks good to them. This helps build their taste repertoire so we have more to work with going forward.
5. Recreate Chopped Junior at Home
More and more often lately, I have my kids help me in the kitchen once we’re home from the grocery store. They take turns between produce and stove-top prep, and make suggestions on what might taste good together. This means knife and cooking skills for them, and quality kid time for me. It’s also nice that they’re happier to eat the foods they’ve had a hand in preparing themselves.
Meal prep should make your life easier, not harder. For realz. Eating well should not be a stressor. If you don’t have time to shop and prep this week, order groceries online. Take-out isn’t terrible (unless you do it every night). Whenever you can, share the jobs of planning and prepping. And when all else fails, there’s toaster waffles and peanut butter.
