Meal prepping is so underrated. Why are you sleeping on this? It can save you money, time and inches, not to mention it’s smart for your diet and health. Not having to worry about cooking EVERY SINGLE MEAL is a blessing. So I hope by the end, I will have convinced you and given enough information to get you into meal prepping!

How to Shop Properly!

DO NOT GO SHOPPING WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY! Compulsive craving buying is common and dangerous when trying to save money, especially, when you are a student living off a minimum wage part-time job. At certain stores like the Superstore, a coupon board is located at the entrance. Use as many as you need. Buy spices, tea and small ingredients for baking at a local bulk food store if convenient. Make smart purchases by looking for specials, buying what's in season (fruit in the summer and vegetables in the fall,) and freeze what you can. 

How to Extend the Shelf Life of Your Food

Is your bread always molding before you finish the loaf? Meat going green in the fridge?

Never be afraid to freeze your meat or bread! Use what you need and freeze the rest.

When buying a two-for-one special on meat, cook one and freeze the second. Slices of meat can freeze up to FIVE months while whole chickens or turkeys can be frozen up to a year. Keep the meat in its original packaging or place it in a freezer-safe plastic bag. 

Live a plastic-free household? Then use an airtight metal tin. For vegans/vegetarians, you can freeze tofu for about FIVE months and vegetables and fruits can be frozen for up to TEN months. 

Always tired? Still hungry after you just ate?

Be aware of your macronutrients intake. Macros such as carbs, fatty lipids and proteins are very important in a balanced diet. Protein should make up the majority of your meals. You can get protein in meat, tofu, chickpeas, spinach, black and red beans, etc. The next major portion of your meals should be healthy carbs such as green vegetables, whole grains (quinoa, couscous, rice) and rye or whole wheat bread. Lastly, fatty lipids… now, don’t get confused with the word fatty. Fatty lipids are healthy fats that humans need. FL’s are very important in brain development so here are a few examples of fatty lipid dense foods: avocado, fish, nuts and olive oil. Keeping in mind what should be in each meal can help your digestion system, mood and overall life.

The starting points in meal prepping

I personally like to take the least amount of time to cook, so knowing how long each item will take to cook ahead of time is key. Start boiling the water first for pasta, or start boiling potatoes/rice before you start cutting up other ingredients. Secondly, move on to your greens. Boil, bake, grill all that is green. Greens are your friends. Lastly, move on to your protein and season to your liking! Make life easy. Don’t procrastinate, JUST DO IT.

Storing food properly and with ease!

One of the most efficient ways of storing food is in bento boxes, specifically their food containers with dividers. As I’m a hoe for green alternatives, reusing mason jars are great for single portions of food and fruit on the go.

Now that you’re equipped with the knowledge of meal prepping, happy cooking and bon appetit!

KC

KC’s a very small carrot, who is a Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. KC is a bright student, whose passions have led her to want to work in the film industry as a horror and thriller scriptwriter. She loves watching horror movies, writing, painting, and baking in her spear time. KC has traveled to Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Caribean, and Cyprus. She wants to travel more when given the opportunity.