Stay prepped, serve healthy

Pre-prepared meals help reduce portion sizes and aid to reach nutrition goals.

KOCHI:   Meal prepping is the concept of preparing whole meals or dishes ahead of schedule. It is an extremely effective method to save time and have nutrition-packed meals for individuals with busy schedules.

Why meal prep?
Pre-prepared meals help reduce portion sizes and aid to reach nutrition goals. They help manage the appetite better and prevent one from eating outside or reaching out to unhealthy options. Meal preparation helps against the incidence of overweight or obesity. A healthy diet with sufficient amounts of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, protein-rich foods, fat-free/low-fat dairy products and other nutrients might get too tedious to prepare on daily, so following certain preparation methods can help out in the long run. It also helps to minimise food waste.

Meal preparation is an activity that can be done together as a family, and typically indicates some direct hands-on activity  by the youth. It also helps educate children about the importance of all food groups and the division of chores. Food preferences and self-efficacy for healthy eating and cooking skills can be considered and established.

Amid hectic weekday schedules, meal prep or meal planning is a great tool to help keep us on a healthy eating track. Though any type of meal prep requires planning, there is no one correct method, as it can differ based on food preferences, cooking ability, schedules, and personal goals.

Make-ahead breakfasts might work best if you’re looking to streamline your morning routine. 

On the other hand, keeping batch-cooked meals in your freezer is particularly handy for those who have limited time in the evenings.

How to meal prep?

• Discuss with the family to obtain food preferences.
• Collect recipes which you would like to try out through the week and incorporate – the usual family favourites, while also branching out and trying new dishes.
• Start small. Aim to create parts of big meals first. (Prepping boiled vegetables, marinating protein-rich foods)
• Choose a specific day of the week to plan and prepare the meals together.
• On your meal prep day, focus on foods that take the longest to cook: proteins like whole grams, chicken and fish; whole grains like brown rice, and quinoa; dried beans and legumes.
• Certain familiar recipes become consistent and sustainable and a clear shopping list can be established by purchasing healthier ingredients.
• Certain foods are better for health and taste better when freshly prepared, others can be prepped and kept ready.
• If you prefer to not pre-cook certain foods, consider marinating or chopping them on the preparation day as they can just be freshly cooked, baked or stir-fried later on.
• When cooking recipes, make extra to serve for 2-3 meals. Be sure to date and label them so that you are aware of what is available on hand and also ensure that the prepped food is used on time.
• Meal prep can save time and money if you are preparing just enough for what is needed the following week. Refrigeration and freezing are important steps to successful meal planning.
• Rotate stored items so that the oldest foods/meals are kept up front.
• When it comes to freezing, some foods work better than others. Cooked meals tend to freeze well in airtight containers. Foods with high moisture content, such as salad greens, tomatoes, or watermelon, are not recommended as they tend to become mushy when frozen and thawed. 

Save time, money and energy while eating healthy!