We all get busy with both obligations and fun stuff in our weeks. Much of the important stuff in our weeks and days gets scheduled and some of the less important stuff (hands up for housecleaning! I know I can’t be the only one….) gets shuffled around casually or even not done. 

But if we can agree that health is one of the most important things in our lives, and that nutrition is a huge part of good health, we also need to schedule in time to shop, prep and cook  or it’s just way too easy to eat badly. When we aren’t prepared, it can be way too easy to reach for the unhealthy foods, stop for fast food, or even skip meals and just grab a snack that might not even be healthy. 

While we may not be able to control work and other obligations schedules, meal preparation is something we can schedule and by doing that actually reap the benefit of gaining MORE time for other things as we  can actually end up spending less total time in the kitchen while still eating in a healthy way. 

Here are nine tips for reducing your time in the kitchen and eat healthy meals:

Plan your meals and snacks for the week: Avoid wandering around grocery stores more than once a week looking for inspiration or, worse, shopping when you’re short of time and hungry.  Start with planning a day and time when you will go grocery shopping. Plan your meals and snacks for the week. Planning ahead for meals automatically results in the creation of more than half the grocery list. The rest can be stocking up on some frequently used staples that you want to have in the house all the time. Each week you can add to the list and buy a few staples so you always have what you need. Going grocery shopping with a plan and a list make shopping easy and quick. A side benefit is that you will save money as you won’t waste food by buying stuff that you don’t use during the week. If there are things on sale for a really good deal that you can buy and freeze that aren’t on your list for the week, that’s okay too (like berries, for one example). 

Stock up on storage containers for freezing portions and meals and storing things in  your pantry: Investing in reusable containers is critical to meal-prep success. It may take you a while  to do this over time, but do it! Purchase a variety of sizes to accommodate different meals and side dishes. Choose easily packed containers (such as an all-in-one option) that allows you to pack lunches and snacks for work and/or school. It’s also helpful to have freezable containers for soups and leftovers.

Schedule a day for “food processing” and meal prep:  Know ahead of time what day and time you will be going to the grocery store. It may be the same day you do your meal prep chores or some day in advance of meal prep day. Block off time to do your meal prep or it might not happen! It’s worth doing this and then you actually will spend LESS time in the kitchen making meals the other days of the week.

Pre-cook grains: Once you have outlined your weekly menu, you will know which grains you will need to balance the meals you have selected. Instead of waiting until that dinner is scheduled, precook the grains earlier in the week. It’s simple to make quinoa, brown rice and whole-grain pasta in advance and store in the fridge for easy access. Grains such as quinoa and rice also are great cold and can be served as part of a salad. Always have a variety of grains cooked for your week. You can get this started in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker or just simmering on the stove while you work on prepping the vegetables for the week. 

Produce processing and prep: Select one day a week that is devoted to produce prep. Grocery day is ideal because the produce is fresh and your focus is on meal prep. Much of meal preparation is spent chopping or peeling veggies. Do this work ahead of time and store in individual containers or plastic baggies. 

Cook  double batches or enough for leftovers: Leveraging leftovers is a super simple way to reduce time in the kitchen. If you make tacos one night, transform the leftovers into taco salads the next night. Dinner leftovers make for a nice, healthy lunch the following day. Consider making extra servings of two weekly dinners and you will have dinner for two extra nights (depending on the number of people in your home). Make a large salad that will last for a few days. 

Freeze meals and portions of grains: The freezer is your best friend. Just as you can leverage leftovers, you can make large pots of homemade chili, soups and stews that freeze beautifully and allow you to stockpile meals for busier weeks and colder winter days. It’s always great to  make a pot of something or other once a week even on a random, non-meal prep day. It just adds to your collection of ready-made, healthy meals you can always grab from the freezer on an exceptionally busy day or if you’re tired or sick. 

Make one-pot meals: Instant pots, crock pots and other slow cookers are your other best friends.  There are tons of amazing, healthy recipes for one-pot meals.  The clean-up is minimal and the leftovers are fantastic. These can be your go-to meals for days or you can freeze portions. 

Learn and get inspired!:  Listen to your favorite podcasts while cooking and doing meal prep. It can be a great way to expand your horizons, learn things and become inspired! It’s a way to feel engaged in something a little more interesting and it makes the chore of chopping and prepping something to actually look forward to!

Nutrition Spark!: Mealtime should not be made unenjoyable or stressful by endless meal preparation steps and hours in the kitchen each day. Doing meal planning and meal prep will actually reduce time overall in the kitchen while having the great benefit of letting you always eat healthy meals. 

For much more information on meal prep, nutritional principles, healthy meals and weight management through nutrition, check out my courses here!

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