Plan before you shop. Decide what you will eat before you write your list, so nothing is wasted. A simple framework: two proteins, one whole grain, one starchy vegetable, three or four vegetables, one dressing, one breakfast and one or two snacks.
Cook components, then assemble combinations. Roast, boil and pan-fry the foundations first, then build different meals from them. This keeps the week varied and lets you swap things around if your plans change.
Choose good containers. Glass containers with airtight lids for bowls, wide-mouthed jars for lunches, one large jar for chia pudding and zip-lock bags for freezer packs. Shallow containers are best, because food cools faster in them.
Cool quickly and refrigerate promptly. Let hot food steam off for a few minutes, before transferring it to your glass containers and refrigerating it.
Keep the dressing separate. Store it in a small jar and pour it over just before eating, so the salad leaves stay crisp. Dry your leaves well after washing, since water on them is what makes soggy quickly.
Know how long things stay fresh. The general guidance for cooked food is three to four days in the fridge, or three to four months in the freezer. In my own experience the dinner bowls stayed fresh from Sunday to Friday in a cold fridge, but your fridge, your ingredients and your preferences may differ. A few sensible habits:- Eat seafood dishes first in the week, as they are the most delicate.- If you would rather be careful, freeze some of the cooked protein (the chicken or shrimp) without the salad, thaw it in the fridge the night before, and assemble that bowl in a couple of minutes. - Salad leaves and fresh vegetables do not freeze well.- Hard-boiled eggs keep for about a week in the fridge, best stored in their shells.- Trust your senses: if something smells, looks or tastes off, leave it.
But don't worry too much, in my experience everything has always stayed well throughout the weekdays, just adjust it to your preference ;)!
Avocado, your way. Sliced avocado browns over the week. Personally I don't mind at all, but if you prefer it fresh and green, squeeze a little lemon juice over the slices, or keep the avocado whole and slice it into your bowl just before eating.
Put the earliest meals at the front. Arrange your fridge in the order you will eat, this keeps everything well organised and easy to grab in the morning.

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My Weekly Healthy Meal Prep: Week 1

How to start meal prepping, how to build a balanced plate, and a full week of healthy meals in just one hour! Welcome to a new series ;)!

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