Does anyone meal prep?

[cybychoice]

Buy a vegetable steamer, my meal prep changed dramatically when I got one. Hyvee's flavored chicken breast grillers are pretty good too.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Hey, if you can't appreciate a nice Swanson or Banquet Salisbury steak you can GTFO.

 

[DurangoCy]

Oh, I feel you. I lived in KC for 3 years and never wanted to eat smoked meat ever again. 7 years later I'm a cautious meat smoker.

TWSS

 

[CloniesForLife]

When it is nice out like this I will load up the grill and then you can grill a variety of meats and veggies and have meals for a few days.

 

[WhatchaGonnaDo]

there's a pretty big meal prep subreddit that probably has good info.

You live alone? It's just two of us so we tend to just make larger dinners and take leftovers that I supplement with salad/fresh fruits or veggies. DH is one of those weird types that can pretty much eat the same lunch every day forever. So if you're that type, find a sammich + fruit combo you can live with and do that. I can't. I need variety. This week we made carnitas over the weekend so I'm taking one of those plus some strawberries all this week. Last week was spaghetti and salad.

Stuff like soups, chili, pastas work great for this.

It works for me because I can decide to change it day by day. The idea of making and prepping five lunches on Sunday doesn't appeal to me.

We also just do this.

Double the recipe for dinner once or twice a week, have leftovers for lunch.

Casseroles are great for volume. Freezer crock pot meals as well. If you grill throw on some extras for leftovers.

 

[1100011CS]

Is 'meal prep' the millennial term for packing a lunch?

 

[runbikeswim]

We make lunch and breakfasts on Sunday for the whole week typically. We do a huge batch of mini quiches that we freeze, and we typically do greek salads in a mason jar. We also often pre-portion nuts or trail mix. We usually also do a batch of some "flavor" of chicken breast to freeze for ready meals instead of carry out.

We usually spend 2-3 hours making everything, my wife and I, but during the week it is so worth it.

 

[huntt26]

We use mostly www.budgetbytes.com recipes and most of the recipes freeze or reheat very well. I highly recommend the slow cooker meals and black bean quesadillas for simple and filling meals.

 

[cowgirl836]

We also just do this.

Double the recipe for dinner once or twice a week, have leftovers for lunch.

Casseroles are great for volume. Freezer crock pot meals as well. If you grill throw on some extras for leftovers.

what kind of casseroles do you make? I should make those and use the crockpot more but I never find recipes I like.

 

[SC Cy]

If I did meal prep I'd be sure to post it on every social media account I have. There is no better accomplishment than showing people I can put food neatly into plastic containers for an entire week. Freshness be damned.

 

[isufbcurt]

We buy the HyVee 5 for $20 packs every Sunday and grill it for supper during the week. you can mix and match but our packs usually consist of: 1 pack of 4 hamburgers, 1 pack of 4 brats, 1 pack of 3 twice baked potatoes and then 2 packs of something from the following:
1 pack of 2 cowgirl burgers
1 pack of 2 bacon wrapped pork chops
1 pack of 2 small steak things
1 pack of 4 brat burgers

We only really need food for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday because my restaurant client usually sends a pizza home with me on Thursday, on Friday and Saturday I am racing so we eat there and Sunday is usually the night we go out to eat or get pizza.

As for the whole crock pot thing where people make a bunch of crock pot crap and then freeze it I think that is stupid.

 

[carvers4math]

When it is nice out like this I will load up the grill and then you can grill a variety of meats and veggies and have meals for a few days.

We tried this with grilling a whole bunch and then eating it the next day. It worked one or two times when the teenagers were working and I took them dinner at the pool (lifeguards), but when they are home, they just keep eating the extra we were going to save for next day. Teenage boys are bottomless pits. Hard to hide food that needs refrigeration.

 

[CloniesForLife]

We tried this with grilling a whole bunch and then eating it the next day. It worked one or two times when the teenagers were working and I took them dinner at the pool (lifeguards), but when they are home, they just keep eating the extra we were going to save for next day. Teenage boys are bottomless pits. Hard to hide food that needs refrigeration.

I was the same way as a teenager I still have a fairly big appetite but nothing like what it used to be.

 

[WhatchaGonnaDo]

what kind of casseroles do you make? I should make those and use the crockpot more but I never find recipes I like.

We have a Sheperd's pie recipe from wife's grandma. Idk if that counts as a casserole but it's in a 9x13 so that's what I call it.

Also a tator tot casserole that we know by memory.

I sometimes make an breakfast casserole with hashbrowns. Pretty much just throw anything you'd put in an omelette and bake it until the eggs are set. I like eating breakfast food at all times during the day so it makes for good lunches too.

 

[VeloClone]

I was just wondering if anyone on here meal preps at all. If so what are some tips/resources that you'd have. Mostly just kind of realizing where I work is surrounded by gas stations and no healthy/cheap options... looking to stay trim and save money.

Here is our resource:

 

[CtownCyclone]

what kind of casseroles do you make? I should make those and use the crockpot more but I never find recipes I like.

Since my wife now has a job that requires her to be at the office (previous job was working from home), we've turned into crockpot people. Makes it really easy, since I pick the kiddo up from daycare and have to keep some sort of eyeball on him before dinner time.

Case in point, the other night I fried some pork chops and turned around to find that he had taken bites out of three separate peaches and spread peach juice over much of the house.

 

[carvers4math]

We have a Sheperd's pie recipe from wife's grandma. Idk if that counts as a casserole but it's in a 9x13 so that's what I call it.

Also a tator tot casserole that we know by memory.

I sometimes make an breakfast casserole with hashbrowns. Pretty much just throw anything you'd put in an omelette and bake it until the eggs are set. I like eating breakfast food at all times during the day so it makes for good lunches too.

We make all of those. We already have an abundance of jalapenos in our garden, I bet I could make those work in a breakfast casserole.

 

[DanCyn]

Every Sunday. Start with frying up a pound and a half of thick cut bacon. Sandwich toppers, bacon bits for salad, stand alone (esp breakfast). During the summer I grill up about 3 dozen wings each week, and then will smoke/grill other choices.

In the winter crock pot soups, pasta dishes, etc...

Usually freeze half of everything (except bacon/wings) so I don't feel like I'm eating the same thing every day.

 

[jbindm]

We only really need food for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday because my restaurant client usually sends a pizza home with me on Thursday, on Friday and Saturday I am racing so we eat there and Sunday is usually the night we go out to eat or get pizza.

As for the whole crock pot thing where people make a bunch of crock pot crap and then freeze it I think that is stupid.

Maybe they think you're stupid. It's probably better and healthier than what you're eating on your race nights or pizza nights.

 

[Cycsk]

My wife said something recently about a Hyvee meal prep sharing program that was affordable and would give us a nice variety. I don't understand how it works, but she was excited about it.