Planning and preparing our food ahead of time saves time, money and hassle. It can also save you on calories too, because you never find yourself having to order takeout at the last minute where there’s nothing in the house! But along with menu planning and shopping to a list, another thing you can do is cook, prep and store food in your fridge ready for the days ahead. This means you can easily grab them for snacks or put together really quick and easy meals, even after a long and stressful day at work. No sugar and salt packed processed meal or fast food order in sight!
Chicken Drumsticks
A chicken drumstick makes a great snack between meals, they’re full of protein and don’t contain sugar or a ton of salt so are better than reaching for chips, candy, or other typical snack foods. Buy a spice rub or mix together your own using your herbs and spices, marinate overnight, and then cook. Keep them covered or in a box in the fridge and you have a fantastic tasty snack or a last minute dinner with a bit of microwave rice and salad.
Hardboiled Eggs
Again, hardboiled eggs can be snacked on but can also be used for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Slice hardboiled egg on a slice of toast, or mash it with some mayo for a tasty lunchtime sandwich. Crumble it over salad at dinnertime for a delicious added protein boost, they’re very versatile.
Pasta
Pasta is an easy lunch or dinner, even easier when it’s already cooked. Boil up a few portions and keep it in tupperware. Mix with a can of tuna, some mayo, and corn for an easy lunch, or with some canned stewed tomatoes, herbs, and chorizo with melted cheese as a quick dinner.
Salad and Veggies
Having your salad prepped–all washed and chopped–means you’re more likely to actually use it. It can be a daunting task to drag out lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, and other salad-y bits just to make a quick salad at lunchtime but if it’s all there ready to go, it’s much easier. Throw in some ham or chicken slices and chunks of cheese for a fresh and healthy lunch, or have it as a side with just about any meal. Whether it’s to add some freshness to a steak and fries or to bulk out a chicken shawarma recipe, it’s good to have healthy salad on hand. Vegetables are another thing you can prep ahead, steaming things like carrots and broccoli ahead of time and then storing them in the fridge. When you’re ready to use them, all you need is a quick blast in the microwave to warm them up. No chopping, peeling, boiling, or straining needed.
Mashed potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a great starchy staple for many meals, and complements just about any piece of meat with vegetables. But it can be a bit of a pain to make, especially if you’re making it a few times a week. Prepare some mash ready for the week in one go, and use it as you need it. Any leftovers can be mixed with fish then coated in breadcrumbs to make fish cakes, or it can be eaten as a side dish or mixed with cheese and fried onions to make a cheesy potato pie. It can top shepherds pie and much more!
