Meal prep for the win

Set yourself up for success - it’ll save your waistline and your budget!

When you’ve got the chance, squeeze in some meal prep to save yourself later in the week - when we’re tired and busy we’re more likely to resort to take out and buying whatever is at our fingertips. These convenience foods are often expensive and high in unhealthy fats, salt, sugar and preservatives.

Top tips:

• Schedule in time for meal prep so it consistently becomes part of your week.

• Make a meal plan for the week and go to the supermarket with a list.

• Stock up on storage containers and buy a slow cooker.

• Fill up on the basics: wholegrains (brown rice, quinoa, oats), canned goods (beans, corn, tomatoes, tuna), frozen veges, dried lentils, eggs, nuts, olive oil, stock, soy sauce, vinegar, minced garlic and ginger, and a variety of herbs and spices.

• Prep easy on the go breakfasts eg. egg and vege muffins or overnight oats.

• Freeze smoothie bags (cut up fruit and portion in snaplock bags ready to be whizzed up with some liquid in the morning).

• Do some healthy baking and freeze eg. banana bran muffins, bran, date carrot and banana loaf.

• Make up a batch of trail mix (nuts, seeds, dried fruit) that you can portion into little snaplock containers for snacks (much healthier than most store brought muesli bars).

• Chop up a bunch or carrots and celery and take some each day with some portioned hummus or cheese.

• Prep multiple ‘Lunch in a jar’ (or snaplock container) at once: place nuts, grains, protein (beans, tuna, leftover meat) and dressing at the bottom and top with salad or vege ingredients.

• Roast a tray of veges and add to omelettes, stir-fries, salads and soups during the week.

• Have some boiled eggs in the fridge or cooked meat / protein portioned up in the freezer that you can quickly defrost and add to veges or salads (or use tinned tuna from the cupboard).

• Batch cook soups, curries and stews and individually portion in the freezer. Put in the fridge the night before to defrost, and take for lunch the next day.

• Cook once, eat twice: make more than you need for dinner and portion up leftovers for lunch.

• Record the recipes that work out well for you and that you enjoy so you’ve got them to refer back to.