April 26, 2021
Simple Shortcuts : Meal Prep
I’m so excited to share a new series with you – Clean Mama’s Simple Shortcuts. Every Monday for the next six weeks, I’ll be sharing my favorite simple shortcuts and gathering yours on Instagram. I’ll share them on Instagram as you are sharing them but I’ll also gather them up over the next six weeks and share them as a free printable at the end of the series. I’ve been feeling like I really need simple and easy right now – you too? I can’t wait for us to all gather tips that help us over the next six weeks. It’s going to be really fun and helpful with a community feel. Make sure you’re following along on Instagram too!
Today, we’re going to be talking about our favorite Simple Shortcuts for Meal Prep! I’m going to list some of mine below, add yours to the comments here or head over to Instagram to add yours in the Stories question box.
My favorite Simple Shortcuts for Meal Prep? These are the things that I do that save time in the kitchen, help me get motivated to cook, and make meal time a little easier. Take some ideas and try them out, add yours to the list and we’ll be crushing our meal prep in no time. Ready?
- Use a Tray in the Refrigerator for Meat Storage – this keeps the refrigerator clean and keeps the meat we’re going to use in the next day or two ready.
- Cook Once, Eat Twice – any meal I make I think through whether or not the recipe can be doubled for leftovers or the freezer.
- Wash and Pre-Cut Produce – doing this before putting the produce in the refrigerator is super helpful and it makes it easier to grab the fruits and veggies.
- Rotisserie Chicken – grab two from the store and use one in dinner and cut up the second one for the freezer or for another night of dinner.
- Mirepoix – if you have a recipe that calls for onion, celery, carrots (Mirepoix), double your veggies and cutting and put half in the freezer for the next time you need the trinity.
- Pre-Cook Protein – cook up any kind of protein and freeze it for another meal – hard boiled eggs, ground beef, chicken, pork – think ahead just a little bit and you’ll be loading up that fridge and freezer in no time.
- Shredded Chicken in the Instant Pot – I grab a jumbo pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs from Costco and put the whole thing straight in the Instant Pot – here’s the method I use – when I get home – cook, shred (or chop), use some for dinner, and freeze the rest in 2-3 packages for another night. We use shredded chicken in salads, enchiladas, tacos, casseroles, sandwiches, and wraps.
Your turn! What are your best Simple Shortcuts for Meal Prep? Share in the question box on Instagram Monday and Tuesday of this week or in the comments here on the blog.
My latest book, Clean Mama’s Guide to a Peaceful Home, goes into detail about setting up systems and rituals in your home and would be a great addition to your homekeeping journey.
Rochelle Picetti Says
Dear Becky,
Those were great tips in today’s post.
Thank you so much.
Take good care,
Rochelle
Clean Mama Says
Post authorThanks Rochelle!
Jamila Says
Wow I never knew about the mirepoix! Great tip 🙂
Linda Says
Thanks very much! What’s your recipe for the bulk chicken in the Instant Pot?
Clean Mama Says
Post authorHere’s the method I use:
https://thesaltymarshmallow.com/instant-pot-shredded-chicken/
Cathy Says
As part of the catch all Fridays, I’ll go through the fridge (clean/inventory) and also take whatever leftovers I have and repurpose them into a meal. Leftover batched grain + protein + veg gets repackaged into a glass meal prep container and will become a quick lunch. This helps clear the fridge for the next week’s worth of groceries, cuts down on food waste, and gets another meal or two quickly on the table.
Iris Says
Thanks Becky! These are great tips. Two that help me:
1) Roast veggies and roots for the week. Roast up a big batch of potatoes, beets, carrots, and other veggies, and use them as sides, sandwich fillings, and remix/stir-fry type ingredients for meals throughout the week.
2) Make soup! Double any recipe that can become soup later —think rice and beans, pasta and chicken, broccoli and potatoes! Or grab those roasted veggies ⬆️ and simmer them into a pot of soup later in the week. Yum.
Denise Says
I am always hesitant to put leftovers in the freezer. Do you think your food comes out just as tasty as it does fresh? What type of containers do you use for all of the various foods you freeze for the best results?
Clean Mama Says
Post authorI never was a big leftover fan until I started being intentional about it and after seeing how much easier it makes things, it’s totally worth it. I think food tastes better when I didn’t have to spend a lot of time making it 😉
Pingback: Must Haves for Meal Prep – Clean Mama
Lynnette Says
I buy the value packs of meat, halve the thick chops and chicken breast. We bag them in perfect portion sizes and freeze. Easy to get out before work and have thawed by dinner. Any leftovers are the next days lunch.
Leslie Says
I love your mirepoix idea. Sometimes I cook a mirepoix to a deep golden brown (like sofritto) and add it to soups and stews for richer flavor.
I put the rotisserie chicken carcasses plus any bones or skin back in the bag they came in and toss it in the freezer. When I’m ready to make bone broth, it’s a great start!
Kristal Says
Where did you get the tray you use for meat?
Nathalie Says
Plan the work. Work the plan.
I accidentally found the mother of all menu planner/grocery list pre-printed notepad on Amazon. The price was right so I gave into the impulse purchase. Brilliantly designed product. Nice strong magnets keep it stuck to the fridge. Perforation between the list and the menu part makes leaving the house with the list in my purse a dream. Squares for the meals are the right size.
I love that I can flip 2 pages ahead and input my cook-once-eat-twice meals into the future. No more frozen lasagna forgotten in the depths of the freezer. Yay!
Karina Howell Says
My simplest shortcuts for meal prep are to prep once on the weekend (Sunday) and once during the week (Wednesday). I prepare half
of our lunches on Sunday and half lunches on Wednesday. Then on Sundays I prep all the breakfasts for Monday through Friday. We make dinner every night or order pickup. On Sunday I also prep all our snacks for the week. There are weeks when we get lazy and we buy frozen meals or premise meals or eat out. Keeping life simple and easy.