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The Easy Guide to Meal Prepping

The Easy Guide to Meal Prepping

Meal prepping is a great way to make mid-weeks a breeze. As one of the best meal prep companies in Ireland, this guide will help you learn how to meal prep and will give you tasty meal prep ideas.
Meal prepping is a great way to make mid-weeks a breeze. As one of the best meal prep companies in Ireland, this guide will help you learn how to meal prep and will give you tasty meal prep ideas.

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What is Meal Prepping?

Meal prep involves planning and preparing your meals in advance, easing lunch and dinner times for the week ahead. This can be anything that simplifies your meals, whether that’s batch cooking so you just need to heat up your food, or pre-cutting and portioning ingredients so they’re all ready to throw in the pan. It’s up to you how far in advance you prep too; some people may choose to freeze their meals for the month while others may prefer to plan the next few days.

How to Meal Prep

Step 1: Plan

The first, and arguably the most important step of meal prep, is to plan the meals you’re going to make and when you’re going to eat them. Think about your week ahead and write a list of the meals you’d like.



Step 2: Choose your ingredients

It's a good idea to choose meals that involve the same ingredients, as you want to try and avoid wasting any food or money. You should also consider harder vegetables like carrots, peppers and broccoli as these keep fresher for longer in the fridge.

This can sometimes be one of the downsides to meal prep, as meals can feel repetitive. However, meal prep services such as HelloFresh can combat this as you’ll receive both pre-portioned ingredients and a good variety of recipes.



Step 3: Prepare

Next, it’s time to prepare your ingredients. Chop all of your hard veggies and store them in the fridge in an airtight container. If you’re making the whole meal ahead of time, cook your veg and proteins and portion them in tupperware. You can also batch cook one-pot recipes such as pasta, rice and curry dishes.

Meal Prep Ideas for Batch Cooking and Freezing

There are countless recipes and cuisines you can cook in one go. Here are some of the best easy and healthy meal prep ideas:

Meal Prep Ideas for Ingredients

Pre-portioning, cutting and storing your veggies can help you speed up meal times significantly. Here are some meal prep ideas for when you just want to throw things in the oven or pan:

Save money and time meal prepping with HelloFresh

If you’re interested in using a meal plan and prep service in Ireland, why not choose HelloFresh? When you order a food box from us, you’ll get all the pre-portioned ingredients you need delivered to your door, alongside easy-to-follow recipes. You choose the recipes you’d like each week, as well as the number of meals and servings you need. Serving Dublin, Cork and the rest of Ireland with family-friendly, low calorie and veggie options, HelloFresh can make meal prep a breeze.

Add variety to meal prep with a new selection of tasty recipes every week

When meal prepping, it can be difficult to come up with new recipes each week. What’s more, meals can often feel receptive as you need to use many of the same ingredients. To avoid meal fatigue and eat a range of different foods every week, try a meal kit delivery service such as HelloFresh. Here, you’ll be able to take your pick from a variety of cuisines from around the world, as well as tasty meals suitable for many dietary requirements. You can choose hearty classics like pasta, curries and stir fries, as well as unique dishes created by our HelloFresh chefs, like our widely-loved naanizza or our range of loaded wedges.

Follow your diet requirements with ease with meal prepping

Whether you’re following a vegetarian or low calorie diet - or you’re just trying to eat more of your five a day - meal prepping with HelloFresh can make doing so a breeze. Choosing meal plans such as calorie-smart, vegetarian or classic can help you stick to your dietary goals, all the while enjoying a variety of delicious, fulfilling meals. All HelloFresh dishes are designed by culinary experts to ensure recipes are healthy and balanced, plus they’re pre-portioned so you get the perfect amount. Just pick your meals, get them delivered to your door, and whip them up in a flash.

Meal prepping for one with HelloFresh

Meal prepping for one? No problem. Opt for a two-person HelloFresh box and pack up half your meal for lunch the next day. It’s a great way to ensure you’re eating nutritious, balanced meals throughout the day, plus it’ll take the hassle out of cooking. It’s up to you which recipes you choose, so you’ll get to pick the ones that suit you best for both lunch and dinner. We recommend dishes like pasta, risotto, stew, soup and those with healthy grains, as these store beautifully and are so easy to heat.

Meal prep techniques for families

Meal prepping for families can be tough because there’s so much to prepare, plus you want to keep everyone happy. If you’re meal prepping for three or more, get everyone in your house to sit down and plan your weekly meals together. Getting the little ones involved in the prep will not only make it easier for you to choose dishes they’ll like, it’ll also get them excited about dinnertime. You can even get them to help in the prep and cooking process too!

Choosing a family-friendly meal delivery service like HelloFresh is a great way to do this too - the whole family can choose meals each week, while the simple recipes make it easy for kids to follow along too (with the help of a grown up, of course).

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What are the benefits of choosing a meal prep service like HelloFresh?

Pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes

HelloFresh takes all the hassle out of mealtimes, providing with the freshest ingredients so that you can easily whip up tasty dishes every week.

A wide range of delicious recipes

You’ll never get bored with HelloFresh, as you can choose from a huge variety of recipes with veggie, low-calorie and family-friendly options.

Healthy, nutritious meals

All HelloFresh recipes are carefully designed by our culinary experts to provide you with mouth-watering meals that are packed with fresh veggies.

Pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes

HelloFresh takes all the hassle out of mealtimes, providing with the freshest ingredients so that you can easily whip up tasty dishes every week.

A wide range of delicious recipes

You’ll never get bored with HelloFresh, as you can choose from a huge variety of recipes with veggie, low-calorie and family-friendly options.

Healthy, nutritious meals

All HelloFresh recipes are carefully designed by our culinary experts to provide you with mouth-watering meals that are packed with fresh veggies.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I meal prep with HelloFresh?

With HelloFresh, you can plan and pick your meals ahead of time. All the pre-portioned ingredients you need will then be delivered straight to your door, so you can cook them as quickly as possible with easy step-by-step instructions.

Are HelloFresh meals freezable?

Many HelloFresh meals are freezable, particularly our one-pot dishes like stews, curries and potato-topped pies. You can choose your recipes each week, giving you the option to choose dishes that are freezer-friendly.

What does a HelloFresh food box come with?

Your HelloFresh food box will come with the ingredients and recipe cards you need to make the meals you’ve chosen. All of the ingredients will be pre-portioned and assigned to each recipe card, so all you need to do is prepare and cook.

Can HelloFresh meals be reheated?

Many HelloFresh meals can be reheated, making them perfect for pre-cooking. If you’re choosing meals with the intention of re-heating, however, it’s best to avoid recipes with non-microwave-friendly ingredients such as eggs, fish and chicken.