Meal prep – practical batch cooking for a healthy, balanced diet
If you are regularly out and about all day, varied and balanced meals often fall by the wayside. Eating at the kiosk or in the canteen is rarely healthy and often not tasty either. Even if you have special dietary needs or don't want to spend money on food while out, a healthy diet usually falls short. Cooking ahead is the solution.
What is meal prep?
Meal prep means cooking ahead. You cook, for example on one or several days of the week, all your dishes in advance. On the other days you can then enjoy the prepared dishes. Preparing food ahead of time has various advantages and also allows you to eat tasty, healthy food when time is short.
What do you need for cooking ahead?
In principle, you need no more and no less than for conventional cooking for the same day. But there is one thing: you need storage containers and preserving jars – and lots of them. Because you can then fill these with the prepared food. Glass storage containers are especially recommended, as they help to avoid microplastics. However, make sure they are made of thick glass so that they can also be used safely in the freezer. A disadvantage of glass containers, though, is that they can break, especially with improper handling.
It is also advantageous if the storage containers are microwave-safe. Then you can heat the food directly without transferring it. Microwave-suitable containers are especially practical, yet you should bear in mind that cooking in the microwave is not the healthiest option.
In preserving jars, salads in particular look tasty and appealing. Because, as we all know, you eat with your eyes too – even when cooking ahead.
Larger pans and several cooking utensils allow you to prepare different dishes in parallel and thus save time. A larger freezer is also especially practical, as it makes it possible to store several meals clearly and prepare them for different days.
Which foods are particularly suitable for cooking ahead?
However, not all foods are suitable for cooking ahead. Because there is quite a bit to consider when composing the meals. On the one hand, a healthy diet involves a balanced composition of foods: vegetables, healthy fats, proteins and carbohydrates should be optimally dosed. On the other hand, it is important that the foods are suitable for meal prep. Because some foods quickly become mushy.
With vegetables, you are spoilt for choice. Colourful, healthy and tasty. Everything you like is in principle suitable for cooking ahead. You can, however, pay attention to which vegetables are in season. This not only has a positive effect on the price, but is also ecologically advantageous.
As a source of carbohydrates, but also of plant-based proteins, various lentil and bean varieties are suitable. Whether red lentils, black beluga lentils, kidney beans, black or white beans – your taste decides! In addition, side dishes such as potatoes, couscous, rice, bulgur or quinoa are especially suitable for cooking ahead. Wholegrain and normal pasta are rather unsuitable. These have the disadvantage of quickly becoming mushy or too hard. This has a negative effect not only on the taste, but also on the appearance.
With protein sources too, there are many possibilities in meal prep. Chicken breast or free-range chicken breast are possible variants. Mozzarella or other types of cheese are also extremely suitable. For vegans, tofu, seitan, falafel balls and other legumes or nuts and seeds are suitable. So with cooking ahead, no matter what dietary needs or preferences you have, you will definitely get your money's worth.
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How does meal prep work?
Preparation is everything. First, you need the utensils described above such as storage containers or preserving jars. Afterwards it makes sense to plan the entire week in advance. You should think carefully about what you want to eat on the individual days of the week. Food blogs, cookbooks and much more are suitable for inspiration. After that, you have created the weekly plan for meal prep and it's time to get down to business. Because now you go shopping. With your shopping list you can get the corresponding ingredients at the organic shop, supermarket or weekly market.
A careful selection of the ingredients for cooking ahead saves costs, is environmentally friendly and healthy on top of that. Afterwards you can start cooking ahead. If you cook dishes whose ingredients overlap, you save time and your effort is considerably lower. When stacking the meal prep dishes in the fridge or freezer compartment afterwards too, you should plan ahead. Good organisation of your meals in the freezer helps you always keep an overview: what have I prepared and when will I eat it? Label the containers with waterproof labels before you freeze them (date and dish). That way you always know exactly what is in which container.
What advantages does cooking ahead offer?
Meal prep offers you various advantages. For one thing, you save costs, because cooking ahead is considerably cheaper than the daily trip to a snack bar, cafeteria, restaurant or canteen.
The workload is considerably lower than if you cook every day. Because many ingredients only need to be prepared once, as they appear in various meals. In addition, after cooking ahead you only have to do the washing-up once.
You can prepare the meals considerably more healthily when cooking ahead than when you eat out. Losing weight is therefore just as possible with meal prep as a healthier, more conscious diet.
Who is meal prep particularly suitable for?
Meal prep is particularly suitable for you if you value a healthy and sporty diet. Because then food from canteens or kiosks is not for you. Rather, you have the option of preparing the food in advance according to your nutrition plan. Cooking ahead is the chance for a health-conscious diet.
Cooking ahead is also suitable for you if you prefer special ways of eating. A vegan diet, but also other forms of nutrition, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, ketogenic etc., are for example not possible everywhere without problems. At home you can easily cook your favourite dishes ahead and no longer have to resort to any makeshift solutions such as fries etc.
Which tips should you take into account in addition?
If you want to try cooking ahead in the future, you should also take a few tips into account. Then you will no longer want to be without cooking ahead.
- Use spices and herbs for more variety in taste.
- Prepare large portions and freeze some for weeks in which you have no time to cook ahead.
- Use a variety of foods with which you can prepare various meal prep recipes.
- Do not freeze the prepared dishes as one whole meal, but portion them by meals. That way you don't always have to defrost the entire quantity.
Conclusion – meal prep: your chance for a balanced and healthy diet.
Cooking ahead is a trend that is finding more and more appeal. If you value a healthy and balanced diet but have little time for daily cooking, meal prep is the ideal solution. Because you benefit from cooking ahead in many ways.
