Dinnertime—it's an opportunity to slow down, unwind and catch up with one another over a delicious and healthy meal. Unfortunately, for too many of us, dinnertime is stressful. Work, kids, chores, social commitments, and endless to-do lists can cause even the strongest among us to slip into bad habits like ordering unhealthy and expensive takeout or cooking the same boring pasta dish every night.
There is actually a better way. Dinnerly makes healthy meal prep fast and simple. It's a sure way to de-stress your weeknight dinners!
What Is Meal Prep?
First, let’s cover the basics. Meal prep simply means pre-preparing meals. There are lots of different ways to do this. Three common techniques are below.
1) Batch Cooking
You cook multiple dishes to be portioned and stored. Usually, batch cookers freeze their meals so that they last longer.
2) Portioned Meals
Alternatively, people cook only one dish, but they make enough to last them several dinners. This is the most time-efficient way to meal prep; it’s great for single people who don't mind repeating dinners.
3) Ingredient Prep
You don't need to make an entire meal in one go. If you like cooking and serving food at the same time, you can prep just part of the recipe. Some people pre-chop veggies, marinate meat or mix spices. Be creative! There is no set way to meal prep.
Why Should You Meal Prep?
Here are 3 ways that meal prepping in advance will change your life (for the better).
1) Save Time
Meal prepping will save you so much time. Imagine coming home after a long day and not having to think about meal planning, supermarket shopping, and cooking. You cook at a time that suits you so that your dinners are ready to go on busier days.
2) Save Money
Bulk buying your food is far more cost-effective than doing small grocery shops throughout the week. You're also far less likely to buy pricey takout if you have pre-prepared food in the fridge or a packed lunch for the office.
3) Eat Healthier
Meal prepping and healthy eating go hand in hand. Saying no to fast food temptations is much easier when you have a fridge full of healthy meal prep waiting for you at home. Meal prepping gives you full control over what you eat. Make sure to prep balanced meals and control portion sizes.
How To Meal Prep
Now tht meal prep's been defined, it's time to get started! Here are 3 pro meal prep tips fro our Dinnerly chefs.
1) Think about storage and reheating
Before you embark on your meal prep adventure, consider your kitchen's capabilities. Do you have enough containers? (We recommend using quality containers that will last and won't leak.) How much room is there in your fridge/ freezer? Think about how you'll reheat food: Will you have access to a microwave or will you use a stovetop or oven? Once you've answered all these questions, you can decide which style of meal prepping suits you best.
2) Simple menu planning
Keep meal planning simple. It's dinner, after all, not rocket science. Don't waste time with fancy recipes, and prep healthy, balanced meals that won't take too long to cook. Most importantly, cook something you and your family will love. If it's not tasty, you're not going to continue meal prepping.
3) Manage your time
You don't have to prep 20 meals at once. Set aside enough time for cooking a couple of meals, and don't spend too long on a single dish. One-pot recipes are perfect for fast cleanup. Check out Dinnerly's no-oven recipes for some quick and easy dinner inspiration.
How To Ace Meal Prepping With Meal Prep Delivery
Ordering from a food delivery service like Dinnerly makes meal prep mastery even easier. A food delivery service (aka meal kit) will send you recipes and fresh ingredients so you don't have to meal plan or grocery shop. The only thing you do is prep the meals for the week.
How Much Is Meal Prep Delivery?
Portions start at $4.69 - far cheaper than most takeout menus. (Among meal kits, it's the most affordable by far.) As for grocery shopping, you spend less with Dinnerly because you get pre-portioned ingredients, which means no food that you thought you'd eat but didn't in the trash bin. (Because it adds up.)
What’s The Best Meal Prep Delivery Service?
If you're looking for an unfussy and affordable meal prep plan, Dinnerly is one. Its recipes are created by busy moms who prefer homemade meals but need them to be easy and quick. The recipes are designed with simplicity in mind so that you can whip up a wholesome, tasty dinner in under half an hour.
If you're serious about meal prep, let us do the hard work. Find out more about us (and about meal prep deliveries, in general), and check out the Dinnerly menu now.
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