Pots and pans are hitting each other; it’s hot and steamy, and there’s screaming coming from everywhere, and maybe even some crying too.
Doesn’t this scene sound familiar to you, parents? But wait, what’s happening?
Hmm, it’s just that dreaded time when you’re making dinner again.
You’re tired from work, and you just want to eat whatever’s quick and easy to prepare, like instant noodles with luncheon meat and eggs.
However, if you do that, you’ll have to give up taste and nutrition, and if it was up to you, that’s no problem!
But then you remember that your children need vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from the right food to grow up healthy.
Well, what if I told you that there’s a way you could make all of this go away?
Yes! You can make this daily stress and inconvenience go away without spending extra money.
Furthermore, you won’t have to compromise on taste, quality, or nutrition!
And no, this isn’t a magic trick that I came up with (unfortunately). It’s just…
Meal Prepping!
So if you’d like to make life easier for yourself, continue reading to find out how you can make stressful times in the kitchen a thing of the past!
What’s Meal Prepping?
(Credits: Centr)
‘Meal Prepping’ or ‘Meal Prep’ is a process where you prepare all of your meals at once for the upcoming week.
Woah! Mindblowing, isn’t it? Is your head still attached to your body, or did it get blown off by the sheer ingenuity of the concept?
I’m just kidding.
But it’s such a mind-blowingly simple yet effective concept, isn’t it?
You prepare all of your meals, keep them in the fridge, and just take them out when you’re ready to eat!
And why would you not do it as a parent? Besides being time-efficient, you’re using a little bit of time and effort in your day, and the results will stretch out for 5-7 days!
And think about your health goals and all the money you’ll save by not eating out.
See, no more bending over a hot stove for 1 to 2 hours every day in the kitchen when you’re already tired after work!
Also, your children will learn how to prepare healthy meals when they cook with you.
They’ll then be invested in what they eat, which fosters their awareness of healthy eating and independence when they prepare their own meals while Mum’s OT-ing at the office.
So you might even be able to sit back and have your children prepare dinner for you!
Everybody at home wins!
Now, how do you meal-prep?
How Do You Meal Prep?
Let me share the tricks I’ve picked up from meal-prepping my meals for the past year!
Over the last year of doing it, I’ve realised that there are a few ways you can go about doing it.
Generally, most meal prep is done on Sunday because you want to have a meal prepared for Monday already, right? And Saturday gives your prepared food one extra day to go bad.
You can go the classic route. Prepare a starch (rice, noodles, potatoes, etc.), a protein, a vegetable dish, or whatever you usually eat.
Portion them into 5 individual containers (times however many people are in your family.) Bento Tupperware are the most popular for meal prepping.
You’ve just prepared one of your 3 meals for the week. Now, do it two more times for breakfast and dinner.
It can be quite overwhelming to prepare such huge batches of food all at once for some people. And if you’re like me, you can’t eat the same thing every day.
So I do it differently.
How I Personally Meal Prep
I split it up into two sessions—one on Sunday and one on Wednesday.
This way, I eat different things from Monday to Wednesday and Thursday to Friday. So I won’t get bored of what I’m eating and get a pizza for lunch instead.
With this approach, I won’t have to prepare such a daunting amount of food all in one shot on Sunday too.
On Wednesdays, I tend to make things that are easier and quicker to prepare, so I don’t spend too much time during my precious evening after work.
Dishes like tomato eggs, fried rice, stir-fried vegetable dishes, or air-fried frozen food are my go-to!
You can see how flexible meal prepping can be. So fret not; you’ll definitely be able to find a system that works the best for you and your family!
But below are some general tips from me to you that I’ve picked up along the way that will help, no matter which direction you go with meal prepping
Be Realistic
Firstly, ask yourself a few questions:
- Can your family eat the same food every day?
- How much does your family eat, realistically, portion-wise?
- What does your family like and hate?
- Don’t forget to pack snacks and desserts
You don’t want to spend time preparing the okra you like, but the rest of your family hates.
And be smart. Prepare dishes that are quick and easy, like fried eggs, steamed vegetables, or baked fish.
Also, it’s generally better to prepare too much than too little, or someone will have to be hungry. If you’ve prepared extra, you can always freeze it for next week anyway!
Go In With A Goal and Plan In Mind
(Credits: Geek for Geek)
Firstly, decide on what you’re going to be cooking. That’s your goal.
Then plan how you’re going to cook it. Plan with efficiency and tactics in mind.
What takes the longest? Start on that first. If two or more of your dishes are cooked in the oven, bake them all together on separate trays, not one by one.
And a classic trick for stress-free cooking in the kitchen is to prepare your ‘mise en place’ before you cook.
So you prepare and organise everything that’ll be used first, so you won’t be scrambling to find and chop your chicken while the garlic is burning.
Don’t Be Afraid To Take Short Cuts
(Credits: The Wadlock Way)
Our goal here is to maximise the results, using as little effort as possible!
So don’t be afraid to include air-fried nuggets in your child’s lunch, or use pre-chopped vegetables or already marinated meats!
Utilise The Platoon!
Get the children into the kitchen to help you! Don’t let the extra free labour sit around while you slave away in the kitchen!
And try to use as many appliances as possible.
Don’t just steam everything or bake everything. Use a variety of cooking methods to switch it up. Not only will you not get bored of your food, but you’ll be using your kitchen effectively.
Steam your rice above the pot of chicken you’re braising while your vegetables are roasting in the oven and your mushrooms are cooking in the air fryer.
See, efficiency!
Turn Your Trash Into Treasure
Let’s say it’s Wednesday now, but you can’t even stomach the idea of taking a bite of the big batch of shrimp that you cooked on Sunday.
I’ve been there many times.
So put your creative hat on and turn it into something else that you’ll want to eat! Instead of putting it in the salad you had planned, turn it into sweet and sour shrimp, shrimp tacos, or shrimp burger patties.
The options are endless!
On a side note, remember to label and date everything you make so you know which is the braised chicken with reduced salt for you and how much longer that sweet and sour fish has before it’s bad.
Be Flexible
Choosing to eat Hainanese chicken rice outside while your meal-prepped Spanish chicken and rice are waiting at home for you is a common joke among the meal-prepping community.
So don’t feel bad if you miss one, two, or even three meals!
Conclusion
Meal prep is an incredibly genius idea that can help any parent, and I’m surprised that not more parents I know are doing it!
The concept is extremely flexible and can suit any lifestyle and goal. You don’t even have to prepare all 3 meals! You can just meal-prep breakfast and dinner if everyone eats lunch outside.
So don’t deny yourself the pleasure of a healthy, meaningfully prepared, and stress-free meal with meal-prepping today.
With one less stress, your child can focus on more tuition classes now! So visit SmileTutor to find the best tutor for your child!
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