Low-cost meal prep concepts – The Fitnessista

Sharing a roundup of meal prep concepts you can also make on a budget.

Hello associates! How are you? I hope you’re having a fantastic day thus far! I’ve a morning packed stuffed with appointments and am trying ahead to household dinner tonight.

As we speak, I wished to talk a bit about meal prep, as a result of it’s been savin’ my bacon recently.

Meal prepping is one among my favourite methods to remain on monitor with wholesome consuming objectives but in addition lower your expenses on the similar time. When life will get hectic (which it all the time does), having price range pleasant meals able to go is a complete gamechanger. I really feel like whether or not you’re feeding a household, making an attempt to eat more healthy, or simply need to spend much less on the grocery retailer, meal prep can significantly simplify your routine.

As we speak, I wished to share a roundup of low-cost meal prep concepts which are scrumptious, tremendous simple and fast to make, and gained’t break the financial institution. I like that meal prepping helps get rid of the “what’s for dinner?” stress and retains us away from expensive takeout. Most of those meals use pantry staples or reasonably priced components, they usually make sufficient for leftovers.

Low-cost Meal Prep Concepts

These recipes are excellent for weekly planning, batch cooking, and ensuring you all the time have a pleasant meal able to go.

Whether or not you’re new to meal planning or a seasoned professional, I hope this put up offers you recent inspiration (and saves you a couple of bucks! Let’s be actual, groceries are 1,000,000 {dollars} proper now.)

What Is Meal Prepping

Meal prepping is the apply of making ready meals or components prematurely to avoid wasting money and time all through the week. It might imply chopping veggies, cooking proteins, or assembling full meals in containers. The concept is to have meals able to eat or prepare dinner shortly, so that you’re much less tempted to seize one thing unhealthy or costly.

Meal prepping can assist cut back meals waste, streamline your grocery procuring, and make your week smoother general. Plus, it usually results in more healthy selections because you’re planning meals prematurely.

Is Meal Prepping Cheaper?

Completely! If you plan forward and prep your meals, you possibly can profit from grocery gross sales, purchase components in bulk, and keep away from impulse purchases or last-minute takeout. By cooking in batches, you additionally use your components extra effectively and waste much less meals.

Some folks suppose wholesome consuming is dear, however meal prepping exhibits you could eat properly with out spending a fortune.

How To Meal Prep On A Funds

Store Your Pantry First

Earlier than you propose your meals, take stock of what you have already got. It’s simple to miss canned items, grains, or frozen gadgets that may make nice foundations for a meal.

Select Funds Pleasant Proteins

Assume beans, lentils, eggs, canned tuna, natural sprouted tofu, natural floor beef, and hen thighs. These are nutritious and sometimes cheaper than different protein sources.

Purchase Seasonal Produce

Vegetables and fruit which are in season are often cheaper and style higher. Bonus factors if you could find them at native farmers markets! Additionally, don’t be afraid to go for frozen fruit and veggies. They’re usually cheaper and frozen on the peak of freshness.

Cook dinner in Batches

Make massive batches of soups, stews, casseroles, or roasted veggies. These meals stretch far and are simple to portion into containers for the week. I like to freeze everything in these Souper Cubes after which come out to retailer within the freezer.

Preserve the Recipes Easy

Don’t really feel like that you must prepare dinner elaborate meals. A protein, a veggie, and a carb can go a great distance by way of diet and satisfaction.

Store properly

It is a little inconvenient however I do store round somewhat. I attempt to get as a lot as I can at Dealer Joe’s as a result of the costs are higher, get something I can from Thrive Market (<— this hyperlink will get you 40% off your first buy!), and the remaining from Entire Meals.

Low-cost And Wholesome Meal Prep Concepts

Southwest Hen Bowls

Shredded hen, black beans, rice, sauteed veggies, + cheese and/or salsa.

These bowls are tremendous customizable and nice for lunch or dinner. Make a giant batch and portion them into containers. It’s also possible to use leftover hen or rotisserie hen to make it even simpler.

Value per serving: ~$2.50

Vegetarian Chili

This hearty, one-pot meal is full of fiber and plant-based protein.

Value per serving: ~$2.00

Components:

1 can black beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can diced tomatoes

2 diced, cooked candy potatoes

1 onion, diced

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 can of inexperienced chilies

1 tbsp chili powder

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Salt and pepper to style

Directions:

Step 1: Sauté onions, inexperienced onions, and peppers in olive oil.

Step 2: Add remaining components and simmer for half-hour.

Step 3: Let cool and portion into containers. Squeeze some lime on high earlier than serving.

Greek Pasta Salad with Chickpeas

A chilly salad full of protein and fiber. Good for meal prep lunch!

Value per serving: ~$2.25

Components:

1 field of standard or gf pasta

1 can chickpeas

1 cucumber, chopped

1/2 crimson onion, thinly sliced

Cherry tomatoes

Feta

Recent mint

Olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and somewhat honey

Directions:

Step 1: Cook dinner pasta and let cool.

Step 2: Toss with chopped veggies, mint, chickpeas, feta, and dressing.

Step 3: Portion and refrigerate.

*Typically I’ll add in sun-dried tomatoes, feta, basil, olives, no matter I’ve readily available.

Extra of my favorites:

– Grilled hen thighs (simply slice and hold within the fridge)

– Seasoned floor beef. Simply season the heck out of it as you prepare dinner and retailer within the fridge

– Mediterranean egg bites

– Air fryer tofu (simply season with Tamari, garlic, salt, pepper, and somewhat sriracha and air fry)

– Healthy meal prep for a week

You may additionally like these high protein meal prep recipes or these meal prep salad recipes for extra concepts.

Let me know within the feedback: do you meal prep every week? What are a few of your favourite issues to make?

xo