Meal Prepping for Families

Planning and prepping any meal is hard enough for two, let alone a whole family. How do you keep it healthy but not hectic?

How do you ensure everyone – particularly the kids – keeps up with their nutritional needs without getting permanently camped in the kitchen?

Well, creating consistently healthy meals without an unhealthy amount of cooking time is all about routine. And while that might sound boring, it’s the randomness of unplanned meals that force tired people to slave over hot stoves every night. Just as importantly, it leads to those “Let’s just get takeaways” declarations that put big dents in your bank balance.

So here are some tips and tricks to create great family-friendly meals the easy way. It’s called meal prepping; creating a clear meal plan each week, and this is how it works.

Pre-plan your week’s meals

Clever meal prep makes feeding your family much simpler; it can also save you a bundle at the supermarket. A clear meal plan for the whole week means you don’t wander the aisles in impulse mode buying things that end up in the bin a week later.

So grab a coffee and a notepad and list all your recipes for the coming week and that means breakfast, lunch and dinner; all your meals planned in advance. List the ingredients needed to create those dishes.

Then and only then, head to the supermarket.

Plan the kid’s lunch boxes

That’s assuming you have kids of course. If you do, the last thing you want is to send them off to school with a bag of chips because the fridge is a barren wasteland. Again, it comes down to preparation and planning ahead.

Oh, and if you’re looking for an easy superfood to add to kids’ lunches, boil a dozen eggs and keep them in the fridge.

Buy semi-prepped meats

Looking for some easy protein sources with no messing around? Then buy some shredded turkey or chicken: great for quick and easy meals and school sandwiches.

Pre-cut your veggies

Buy your veggies for the week in bulk and then set aside an hour to slice and dice based on the week’s requirements. From there, all you need is a bit of Tupperware or similar for your chopped veggies and meal preparation times will be cut in half. 

Avoid pre-cut vegetables and fruit from supermarkets; they’re way over-priced and can be a health hazard.

Is a slow cooker a good idea?

Absolutely, when it comes to cooking tasty, nutritious meals with little fuss, a crockpot can be your best friend. Sure, it takes a while to cook, but your prep time is minimal with simple recipes. Best of all, you can throw all your ingredients in a crockpot before you head off to work and it’s ready to eat when you get home.

If you really want to take your food nutrition skills to the next level, find out more about our nationally accredited nutrition and fitness courses.