This is part of a series from our CEO, Sarah! Be sure to read Part 1 and Part 2 if you missed them. Please note there are hyperlinks in this post.
Let’s talk meal planning and meal prep!
You will need a notebook and pen for this. To take it up a notch by including a dry erase calendar and marker! On a weekend I normally take stock of what’s in the freezer and what vegetables I have to work with. I also make sure to look in the cupboards and pantry. While everyone is doing their own thing, I sit down and start planning out some dinners for the week that will work for my family and our schedules.
MORNINGS
I noticed that I would forget to eat breakfast on a lot of mornings. So by 10 am I was already digging into the lunch I had made, which left me hungry way before dinner! One of the ways to help with this was to have some breakfast meals for myself (and the family) already prepped for those busy mornings. Here are a few breakfast ideas that may come in handy.
Overnight oats are a PERFECT on-the-go breakfast. Prep a few the night before and you have an awesome and healthy breakfast ready the following morning. Egg burritos! These are another great on-the-go breakfast that the whole family can enjoy. Try making a double or triple batch of pancakes and/or French toast. Package them in Ziploc bags and throw them in the freezer for an easy family meal.
AFTERNOONS
Packaging soups, pasta, or salads in glass jars is not only convenient, but you can take off the lid and heat up your lunch in the microwave within minutes. You have a great nutritious lunch and you save money because you didn’t hit that drive thru!
Snacks! When you have a few minutes, cut up fresh fruits and vegetables, and place them in glass jars with cold water. Now you have fresh nutritious snacks prepped for the next few days. Having pre-packaged items like apple sauce, fruit cups, or granola bars on hand to satisfy that grab-and -go craving isn’t a bad idea either!
DINNERS
This is where real meal planning and prepping come to shine! Crock Pot / slow cooker meals are a must in my house! Here's an example of a typical week. On Monday morning, I prepare a whole chicken and vegetables to slow cook during the day. By the evening, we have a delicious dinner that took very little effort to make. On Tuesday, I use leftover chicken to make tacos, nachos, enchiladas, or quesadillas, etc. Wednesday morning I will take the carcass and slowly cook that to make some bone broth and chicken soup. Nothing goes to waste! Meals for the rest of the week are as follows. On Wednesdays we will do pasta with a salad and garlic bread. Thursdays are poutine and salad. Fridays are always fun as we will usually make a large appetizer spread or do pizza! On Saturdays, I tend to pull out a meal I've made on a large meal prep day such as taco gnocchi, lasagna, or mac-and-cheese. On Sundays, I often make up large family meals and lunches for the freezer. This could be a big batch of chili, spaghetti sauce or a tray of cabbage rolls.
Here are a few recipes I've tried that my picky family love!
Next month we will tackle games and books!