Making Prep Simple
It is the phrase taking over every kitchen: meal prep! Meal prepping has become predominant in the past few years because it can make your cooking life much easier and help you eat much healthier. That’s a big win-win, especially for most people who are always on the go. The best meal prep starts with a spacious kitchen, like the ones at Muirwood Village, apartments in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Each apartment home has not only plenty of counter space but also a breakfast bar to give you even more room to work with. If you’re ready to make meal prep work for you, check out these quick tricks!
#1: Plan, Plan, Plan
The best meal prep starts with a clear plan. You could handle this a few different ways. One option is to plan by the calendar. Sit down with your schedule and truly map out what you’re doing each day so you can account for events that may replace a meal or take up prep time. Another option is to give yourself themed days/nights for each week, so chicken parm Mondays, taco Tuesdays, etc. It will take out the guesswork and give you consistency. A final option is to create several freezer meals that you can grab out whenever you want, no strict schedule necessary. Pick a plan that fits your life, then stick with it.
#2: Intentional Lists
Once you have your plan, the next key ingredient is the actual ingredients! The best way to make sure you have everything you need is to make a very clear and detailed list. Take your chosen recipes, list out all the ingredients, then figure out where there’s any overlap so you don’t list the same ingredient twice. If you really want to streamline your shopping experience, you can then take your list and organize it by section/aisle so you’re not constantly backtracking when you get into the grocery store.
#3: Multipurpose Ingredients
If you’re looking at all of these tips and thinking, “This still seems like a LOT of work,” then this tip is for you. Instead of picking a bunch of drastically different recipes with drastically different ingredients, look for recipes with a natural overlap. For example, tomatoes can go into a salad, onto a sandwich, or into a sauce. That’s three purposes for only one ingredient you have to prep. The same is true for carrots. They can go onto a sheet pan for roasted veggies, raw cut for a salad or slaw, or roasted then thrown in a food processor with some broth to make the base for a soup. One of the easiest multipurpose ingredients is protein, especially chicken or ground beef.
#4: Take Shortcuts
There is no shame in taking a shortcut for your meal prep. There are plenty of options at the grocery store that will save you heaps of time. If you’re worried about the time it takes to cook your meat, then grab a rotisserie chicken. It’s easy to shred for a sandwich, salad, or pasta recipe. Another great staple to have around is frozen vegetables and fruits. Frozen vegetables can often be steamed right in the bag and added to all kinds of dishes. Frozen fruits make it easy to start that morning smoothie and get in a delicious and nutritious breakfast.
#5: Clever Containers
There are all kinds of food containers on the market, but the ones that will make your prep (and cleanup) pain-free are glass containers with airtight lids. They will help you in multiple ways. First, they are much more eco-friendly than any plastic container. Second, the airtight seal will help keep your food fresh longer. Third, they clean up like new because food can’t stick to or stain the glass. Finally, they are stackable and see-through, so it will be a cinch to find what you need when it’s time to cook.
Are you searching for the perfect new apartment in Reynoldsburg, Ohio that makes meal prep a piece of cake? Then come take a tour of Muirwood Village. Our spacious floor plans include a breakfast bar, and our prime location makes it easy to go shopping for your prep ingredients or even take a night off and enjoy a local restaurant. Call to learn more: (614) 868-8300.