Prep-Ahead Meals from Scratch : Quick and Easy Batch Cooking Techniques and Recipes That Save You Time and Money by Alea Milham (2016, Trade Paperback) for sale online | eBay (2024)

FAQs

What are the downsides of meal prep? ›

Possibly Time-consuming: Meal prepping may involve a time commitment, especially if prepped meals need refrigeration or freezing. Potentially Expensive: Buying the necessary ingredients in bulk can make meal prepping expensive.

While both methods require planning and purchasing ingredients in bulk, batch cooking is more suited for those who want to have a variety of complete meals ready to go, while meal prepping is better for those who want more control over the final outcome of their meals.

However, it's important to meal prep safely and store the food in a proper way. When it comes to batch food storage, you have a few options. You can store meal prep food in the fridge for up to four days. Or, you can store prepped food in the freezer for a longer period of time.

Some benefits of meal prep:

Can help with weight control, as you decide the ingredients and portions served. Can contribute to an overall more nutritionally balanced diet. Can reduce stress as you avoid last minute decisions about what to eat, or rushed preparation.

Soups, stews, and chili are the ideal meal prep because they last a little longer than most meals (up to five or six days) AND they're extremely freezer-friendly. If you're new to meal prep and are nervous about how foods taste after a few days, I recommend starting with a soup, stew, or chili.

While grocery shopping turned out to be a hair cheaper than even the cheapest meal kits, it's nearly even. If you consider the time and energy you save by forgoing long trips to the supermarket, meal kits might present the better value.

On average, people spend about $13 per meal when they go out to eat. The average meal at home, however, only costs about $4. Ultimately, planning your meals ahead of time is the best meal prep idea to save you money.

Pro: You have at least four dinners and four lunches ready for the week. Soups, meats and bold flavors actually tend to get better with time, so the dishes develop more flavor each day. Con: You set yourself up for leftovers for several days in a row.

Make a meal plan of about four days of safe storage in the fridge and about four months of safe storage in the freezer. Watch for changes (smell, color, texture, and mold) to your meal prep food as a sign that it's gone bad. If you're unsure if food has spoiled: when in doubt, throw it out.

Is it better to meal prep or cook everyday? ›

Meal Prepping Tends to Save Money

Research shows that less than one hour per day spent on food preparation at home is linked with significantly more money spent on takeout. Plus, meal prepping can help you save money on groceries because it forces you to be more intentional with your choices and your hard-earned cash.