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Meal prep Save time and eat healthy

Homepage Articles Meal prep Save time and eat healthy

Meal prep Save time and eat healthy

In such situations, more and more people are choosing dietary catering, which can be helped by the so-called meal replacement, which is preparing meals for a few days and then heating them up. Daily household chores, work, school, or schooling take up a lot of time, which often leads to a lack of time to prepare full-fledged meals. Unfortunately, this is quite an investment and not everyone can afford it.

Table of Contents

1. Where do I start my meal prep adventure?

The best choice will be seamless glass or plastic packaging, free of BPA, i.e. bisphenol A, a substance that negatively affects the functioning of the hormonal or nervous system, as it increases the risk of metabolic diseases and disrupts fertility (A. Chakraborty 2020). Their number depends on the number of household members and individual needs. It is worth considering which meals and in what quantity you want to prepare. If in most cases it is also a good idea to choose a meal in advance, then it is enough to prepare the food in advance of the next morning to make sure that the food preparation process is complete.

2. A few tips on how to get off the ground

Next up are cereal products (rice, cashews, pasta or baking) store them well in one place. If the preparation of the meal is planned for another day, all the products are enough to be buried. Of course, before that happens, you need to properly prepare the place of work, i.e. wash your hands, blades and dishes for baking. Small and delicate fruits (e.g. strawberries) are best cleaned separately to avoid their consistency. When it comes to cutting, it is best to group the ingredients into two categories: to be baked and to be prepared raw. Romeo 2019).

3. Practical tips to make a meal replacement strategy easier

In the meantime, store them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Freeze the food in the fridge instead of on the slab. Do not heat a single meal several times this will avoid the risk of poisoning. Remember to describe the packaging with the name and date of preparation, even if you are going to freeze it. Products that should not be frozen are yogurt, acidic cream, mayonnaise, eggs in shells, milk, soft cheeses (corn, goat, cheese and other butter), potatoes, soups and cream-based sauces, at the end of the packaged term, salads, pickled peppers, raw sugar beans.

4. Proper storage is the key to a successful meal prep

The products that should be at room temperature are oils (except the flaxseed oil mentioned above), exotic fruits, honey, potatoes, sugar, carrots, cucumbers, onions, garlic or bananas (U.S. It is also worth considering the preferred method of packaging prepared meals. The option is to serve the meals in the oven. This is often done in place of foods made of strawberries (e.g. fresh fruit and vegetables).

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Source

Abraham A., Chakraborty P., A review on sources and health impacts of bisphenol A, „Reviews on Environmental Health” 2020, 35(2), 201–210.
Ducrot P. et al., Meal planning is associated with food variety, diet quality and body weight status in a large sample of French adults, „International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity” 2017, 4(1), 12.
Du Y et al., Association Between Frequency of Eating Away-From-Home Meals and Risk of All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality, „Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics” 2021, 121(9), 1741–1749.
Kowalczyk D., Zmagania kulinarne Polaków. ile czasu poświęcamy na pasję gotowania?, mientablog.com/zmagania-kulinarne-polakow-czasu-poswiecamy-pasje-gotowania/ (23.06.2023).
Mendez S. et al., Advance Quantity Meal Preparation Pilot Program Improves Home-Cooked Meal Consumption, Cooking Attitudes, and Self-Efficacy, „Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior” 2021, 53(7), 608–613.
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Osdoba K. et al., Using food to reduce stress: Effects of choosing meal components and preparing a meal, „Food Quality and Preference” 2015, 39, 241–250.
Romeo E., The Visual Guide to Easy Meal Prep: Save Time and Eat Healthy with over 75 Recipes, Londyn 2019, 17–43.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Refrigeration & Food Safety, fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/refrigeration (23.06.2023).