JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Having your meals prepared ahead of time eliminates more expensive convenience foods like microwave dinners and snacks and can save you up to 50% compared to dining out and ordering deliveries.
If you have been thinking about meal prepping, some foods are better for the job than others.
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Starchy vegetables are a good base. These are your potatoes or sweet potatoes. They are filling and tend to last longer in your fridge than other more delicate cooked veggies.
Crunchy, more sturdy vegetables like celery, carrots and bell peppers are also good picks.
You’ll also want to reach for heartier greens like kale or Brussel sprouts. They’ll last longer than softer lettuces.
Foods that usually don’t prep well include softer fruits and vegetables like lettuce, berries and cut fruit.
Crunchy items like fried food, crackers and chips also don’t hold up well.
The biggest complaints with meal prepping are the time commitment and lack of variety. There are a few hacks to help with that.
Buying fruits and vegetables in season will always be the cheapest, but frozen fruits and vegetables might be more convenient.
These are pre-chopped, along with being easy to reheat and relatively cheap. They are also shelf-stable and have a similar nutritional value to fresh ones.
This also applies to canned veggies.
And when it comes to monotony, dressings and condiments will be your best friend. You can give the same protein and vegetables a different profile with ranch, yogurt or hummus.