Low-cost meal prep concepts – The Fitnessista

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

Hello pals! How are you? I hope you’re having an awesome day to this point! I’ve a morning packed filled with appointments and am trying ahead to household dinner tonight.

At present, I wished to speak a bit about meal prep, as a result of it’s been savin’ my bacon these days.

Meal prepping is certainly one of my favourite methods to remain on monitor with wholesome consuming objectives but in addition get monetary savings on the similar time. When life will get hectic (which it at all times does), having finances pleasant meals able to go is a complete gamechanger. I really feel like whether or not you’re feeding a household, attempting to eat more healthy, or simply wish to spend much less on the grocery retailer, meal prep can significantly simplify your routine.

At present, I wished to share a roundup of low-cost meal prep concepts which can be scrumptious, tremendous straightforward and fast to make, and gained’t break the financial institution. I really like that meal prepping helps eradicate the “what’s for dinner?” stress and retains us away from dear takeout. Most of those meals use pantry staples or inexpensive components, and so they make sufficient for leftovers.

Low-cost Meal Prep Concepts

These recipes are excellent for weekly planning, batch cooking, and ensuring you at all times 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 provides you recent inspiration (and saves you a couple of dollars! Let’s be actual, groceries are one million {dollars} proper now.)

What Is Meal Prepping

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

Meal prepping may also help scale back meals waste, streamline your grocery purchasing, and make your week smoother general. Plus, it usually results in more healthy selections because you’re planning meals upfront.

Is Meal Prepping Cheaper?

Completely! If you plan forward and prep your meals, you possibly can benefit 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 individuals assume wholesome consuming is dear, however meal prepping reveals that you may eat properly with out spending a fortune.

How To Meal Prep On A Finances

Store Your Pantry First

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

Select Finances Pleasant Proteins

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

Purchase Seasonal Produce

Vegetables and fruit which can be in season are normally cheaper and style higher. Bonus factors if you’ll 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.

Prepare dinner in Batches

Make massive batches of soups, stews, casseroles, or roasted veggies. These meals stretch far and are straightforward 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.

Maintain the Recipes Easy

Don’t really feel like it’s good to cook 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 a bit of. 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 rooster, 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. You too can use leftover rooster or rotisserie rooster to make it even simpler.

Price per serving: ~$2.50

Vegetarian Chili

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

Price per serving: ~$2.00

Elements:

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 prime earlier than serving.

Greek Pasta Salad with Chickpeas

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

Price per serving: ~$2.25

Elements:

1 field of normal or gf pasta

1 can chickpeas

1 cucumber, chopped

1/2 purple onion, thinly sliced

Cherry tomatoes

Feta

Recent mint

Olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and a bit of honey

Directions:

Step 1: Prepare 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 rooster thighs (simply slice and hold within the fridge)

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

– Mediterranean egg bites

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

– Healthy meal prep for a week

You may also 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