Simple Meal Prep Tips For The Whole Family

I don’t know about you guys, but the idea of meal planning for my entire family can be intimidating sometimes.

Meal Prepping doesn’t have to be what you see on Social Media or Pinterest! There are several ways that you can make prepping work for you so that ultimately you are saving money and eating healthier.

I wanted to give you a couple of simple tips that you can implement this coming week.

1. Be okay with experimenting. Some people like to prep 2 days at a time, while others like to have their whole week planned out. Some like to shop on a list with recipes and ideas logged in their mind, while others like to shop what’s in season and try new things. Some people like to prep ingredients and others like to prep meals. There is no right or wrong way, but experiment until you find what works best for you and your family.
2. Clean & prep fruits and vegetables to make it easier to snack and add to your meals. Jack loves snacking on berries and it saves me minutes in the morning when I add them to my oatmeal. If I’m making a stir fry or soup – having prepped carrots and celery helps save me additional minutes. When it comes to annoying vegetables like cauliflower or brussel sprouts – I can have them ready to go in ziplock bags which saves me time AND mess during the week when I can’t be bothered!
3. The morning sets the tone, so having breakfast that you can grab and go can really make a difference in your timelines, mood, productivity and cravings. Whether you pack smoothie freezer bags, hard boil eggs, muffins, pre-make oatmeal or purchase some clean greek yogurts – try to have something on hand to grab in those AM hours!
4. Make things that everyone in your family eats. I’m a first time mom to a toddler, but I don’t plan on accommodating him more than I need to. He enjoys a lot of the foods we eat, but it’s also because I haven’t given him many other choices. Lentil Soup, Stews, Meatballs and Meat Sauces are not only yummy, but they reheat really well too!
5. Mix and match things so that nothing feels redundant. This is one of the reasons that I personally don’t like making meals in advance. I hardly know what planet I’m on half the time so how could I know what I want for lunch next Thursday now? If I prep chicken thighs separately, I can have them with various sides, within pasta or in tacos. If I wash and prep various fruit – I can spice up my oatmeal a little differently each morning. Prepping this ways allows you to be creative and keep things fresh!