This Spring, we’re looking forward to brighter days brimming with heightened levels of energy. One way we can ensure we get this energetic buzz, is via meal prep! Meal prepping is an amazing way to plan ahead and organise your nutritional intake without too much fuss right before you eat.
You should never leave your meals to chance as a result of inadequate preparation. By doing meal prep yourself, you know you’re prepared, and the fridge is fully stocked with healthy, nourishing meals. Meal prepping is a highly efficient way to structure your meal plans, making sure you’re taking enough nutrients in. It also saves you time and money in the long run. Enjoy more of the Spring weather with the convenience that comes with doing your own meal prep.
Mother nature’s also providing us with an extra treat for our meal prep ideas this Spring. The seasonal produce being harvested and seen in shops around this time of year is, coincidentally, especially enriched with energy-boosting vitamins and nutrients. There’s a reason for this. The seasonal produce we find around Springtime is naturally abundant with all the nutrients we may be lacking after the Winter months. Here’s our seasonal spring ingredients index for you to reference when coming up with meal prep recipes.
We discussed how it’s healthier to use seasonal ingredients in our February article about Winter vegetables for soups. When you’re coming up with recipe ideas for meal prep this Spring, incorporate seasonal goodness into your dishes. Planning your recipes around seasonal produce is good for both you and the environment.
Recently, the Independent released an article on how Seasonal diets could be the answer to food sustainability. This article is locked behind a paywall, so we've included more accessible information here. One study looked into the following question.
The study eventually concluded that eating seasonable produce was only one small factor with regards to environmental sustainability. Thinking about health and sustainability, the study suggested we should also consider alternative elements of a sustainable diet that can be more damaging overall. These considerations include meat consumption and overconsumption. The study states these are two major problems that contribute to our declining health, which in turn, has an impact on the environment.
The seasonal fruit and vegetables in Spring let us embrace the new changes in the seasons, as we move on from the cold and unwelcoming weather, to brighter days that make us all a little more upbeat. The food we eat in Spring serves that same purpose. Full of nourishing vitamins and minerals, we can easily cleanse the body with flavourful servings of these delicious Spring ingredients.
Now you’ve got your seasonal Spring ingredients list, you might be wondering how to plan your own meal prep dishes to use them in. Here's our instructional guide on how to meal prep at home.
You’ll need to invest in a few quality containers before you start to meal prep. Mix it up with a few containers of different sizes, to hold extras like sauces, or dry foods you want to separate from the main dish. Think sustainable, and make sure they can go in the freezer, the dishwasher… Consider how long they’ll keep your food fresh for. Plastic is the norm for 'leftovers,' but your meal prep dishes deserve more than that. Having been painstaikingly put together, it's worth investing in a glass or Pyrex meal prep container than will last for generations.
There are a couple of ways to meal prep, depending on your preferences. You can cook up a sizeable batch of something like a soup, that you can pop in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week. Or, you can work out each individual meal and its components.
The most popular meal prep method is to set out your containers with individually prepped meals. Since this requires a lot of time in individually prepping everything, you might need to sacrifice a boring Sunday for this one. Ideally, your 'prep' day should be scheduled for right after you’ve stocked up on enough fresh ingredients for your meal prep plans.
Considering the most suitable types of ingredients for meal prepping is key. This helps with creating dishes that stay texturally appealing. You don’t want to end up with a soggy mixture of unappetising mush. See the Remedy guide to the best ingredients for meal prepping below.
The shelf life of your own meal prep foods depends on a few factors. As soon as you've finished prepping your food, you should be sealing it straight into airtight containers. This prevents any external airborne bacteria from spoiling the food before you even get a chance to try it yourself. Sealing with airtight containers and zip-loc bags also keeps the flavour in, while preventing the food from drying out.
If you plan on storing your meal prep dishes in the fridge, they might last between 2 or 3 - 4 days. It depends on the ingredients you used in the recipes, and the end date on those initial foods.
If you're buying totally fresh, Spring produce and mainly eating plant based foods, your meal prep dishes may last a little longer. Either way, make sure all your meal prep dishes don't sit for too long at room temperature. Storing food properly can can prevent the invitation of harmful bacteria that cause otherwise entirely anvoidable illnesses.
If you end up freezing your meal prep foods, they may last between 2-4 months in the freezer.
Struggling for meal prep ideas and recipes? We’ll indulge you by sharing a few of our favourite meal prep recipes here, all made by us in The Remedy Kitchen, Manchester...
If you're meal prepping for breakfast, overnight oats are the one. Try a delicious mix of Cacao Overnight Oats Mixed with Pistachio. Cacao powder alone is full of nutritional benefits, as it's brimming with flavonoids. These flavonoids support blood pressure regulation and keep a healthy heart and mind, providing you with tons of magnesium ready for the day. Raw, organic cacao is the best way to go; with 40 times the amount of antioxidants found in blueberries. It provides us with serotonin, boosting our mood and setting us up for a great day.
Meal prepping is ideal for lunch breaks - just take your meal prep container to work, pop it in the fridge, and wait to enjoy it on your lunch break. Easy!
Wondering what to make for lunch? Remedy's Soy Ginger & Lime Chickpeas Served with Brown, Red and Wild Rice is a dish that will revitalise you from the inside out. Lunchtimes provide that special, quiet moment of downtime. Use it wisely by choosing the right lunch. This one will awaken you after those inevitable afternoon crashes, perking you up with energy gains from the nutritious combination of ingredients used.
For dinner meal prep, let's have Thai Green Curry, Brown & Wild rice, Sesame Seeds & Spring Onion. Incorporating seasonal sesame seeds, spring onion and wholegrain wheat rices into a filling recipe, we're fully adhering to our seasonal produce pact with this meal prep dish. The deliciously nutritious dinner is loaded with calcium and vitamin C, while a sprinkling of sesame seeds supplies us with healthy fats, fibers and cleansing antioxidants. This meal prep recipe is a favourite at Remedy Kitchen, as the slightly spicy Thai green curry offers a deliciously warming end to your day.
If you don't have time to do all the meal prep yourself, take a look at our Remedy Kitchen meal prep plans. It's understandable, with our busy lives and other commitments; finding the time to do your own meal prep properly is difficult. Save time for other things you enjoy, and treat yourself to our delicious meal prep dishes, all readily made for you to indulge in.
Our Tailored To You selection is the ideal place to find your new favourite meal prep recipe. With a finely selected selection of Remedy customers' favourite dishes, there's something for everyone to pick from. Package up your own bespoke meal prep plans, tailored to your own tastes. All without you having to do your own meal prep!
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