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Meal plan/meal prep


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I’d like to become a bit more organised for nightly meals everything seems to happen at dinner time, a baby who wants to feed/go to sleep/be held, a 5 year old who wants you to play & DH going to work for the night.


So I’m looking to plan & spend a day a week preparing meals. Does anyone do this? I’ve seen the Kmart meal prep containers and they look brilliant but how does everyone do it?

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Sancti-claws

When mine were smaller, I used to make large amounts whenever I cooked and froze off (in takeaway containers generally) extra in portions.


Once baby was big enough, I would cook and mash many different vegetables and freeze in ice-cube trays so a few cubes would be thawed (and maybe stirred through what we were having).


For my own work meals now I have leftovers of what was not popular with the family in my "grab'n'go" stack in the freezer for whenever I don't have anything ready and am not on a fast day.


There are some very impressive organising people out there - I am not one of them but you do find what works for you. Good luck.

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I am not organised at all, as is probably evident.


What I do think you can do is try to cook once, eat twice or more.

So, if you roast a chook, have it as a roast the first night, then use the leftovers in either something saucey, or sandwiches or a pie the next night. Even roast veg added to a salad is quite nice.

Make a double amount of bolognese or other saucey things and freeze the leftovers, then it’s just heat and add a starch.


Try to look at tray bakes, can chop veg throughout the day, add your meat if you want and then bung in the oven at witching hour.


There is a huge meal prep sub on reddit, but they seem to be all about making enough for 5 days of eating the same thing and I just couldn’t do that.

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Thanks everyone the 1 meal for 5 days is not at all appealing how boring.


I’m an organised person by nature we live out of town so having to large shop is the regular I just need to figure out how to organise everything once it’s here

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The cookbook Save with Jamie is all about using stuff up. So he has a recipe for brisket and gravy and then ideas for using it up. But also other quick, easy ideas.

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ClaudiaCosette

What I do think you can do is try to cook once, eat twice or more.

So, if you roast a chook, have it as a roast the first night, then use the leftovers in either something saucey, or sandwiches or a pie the next night. Even roast veg added to a salad is quite nice.

Make a double amount of bolognese or other saucey things and freeze the leftovers, then it’s just heat and add a starch.

 

 

This is my suggestion too, and what I do a lot (assuming there's enough leftovers - sometimes there isn't!)


In summer I do a lot of salads. It's so much easier not to have to cook, so whatever veggies can be eaten raw, will go in a salad and that's our veggies for dinner. You can get your 5-year-old to help - my kids like to help chop up soft things (mushrooms, tomato, avocado ...) which is actually a big help.


Couscous is one of my favourite grains, because it's so easy to prepare. It literally takes two minutes, and I get the wholemeal kind which is nice and filling. I also have a magic potato microwave bag, which cooks potato, pumpkin etc in 4-5 minutes - so easy.


In winter I like to use my slow cooker and cook up a big batch of something which I can then freeze for later.


I also do a lot of baking of healthy muffins, which freeze well and are handy for a quick snack.

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I make most of our weeks meals in one day. I make a plan, write a list, shop early in the morning & cook as soon as I get home. If I let it sit there, my motivation lacks or time gets away from me. Often I will make a double batch so there are 2 lots of the same meal the freezer. Over a couple of weeks the variety of meals will build up.

Generally I freeze things in ziplock bags flattened out & labeled with name & date so the older things get used first.

I find marinated meats really quick & easy to prepare, freeze, defrost & cook on the BBQ. Just add sides of your choice & dinner is done.

I’m definitely not perfect and can lose my way some weeks. But most of the time it works well.

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A blogger I read shutterbean. Does what I think you are looking for, big shop Sunday and speaks the afternoon prepping meals for the week ahead.


she is American though. But she is very organised and you would likely get some tips from her.


https://www.shutterbean.com/category/recipes/meal-prep/



Also America food show host Rachel Ray used to have a series on this. Week in a day. It used to. Be show on the SBS cooking change


https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/rachael-rays-week-in-a-day

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