If you’ve found feeding the whole family every day for the past few months a struggle then don’t worry because you are not alone. Prepping and cooking three meals a day plus the constant demand for snacks has been overwhelming to say the least. But I’ve got some food prep tips and tricks that will help to make feeding your hungry brood a lot easier.
First up is batch cooking meals. We all know that doubling up on family meals and freezing half for another day is a great way to save a bit of time. But have you ever tried Freezer Stash Bags? These bags will make you feel like a food prep master! Simply fill a large bag will ingredients for a meal and freeze. On busy days defrost and then pop into the oven or slow cooker for a simple no hassle family meal.
Bulk buying ingredients like meat can be a great way to save some money and cut down trips to the shop. But don’t put packets of mince or chicken straight into the freezer. Transfer them into freezer bags and freeze them flat. This not only takes up less space but the meat will defrost much quicker and there’s also less chance of freezer burn as you are removing any air from the packet.
My third tip is all about snacks. If you find yourself spending loads of money on shop bought snacks for the kids then why not try make some yourself at home. Muffins, cookies, energy bites and brownies are all cheap and easy to make and perfect for freezing. You can take them out of the freezer individually and they’ll defrost in a couple of hours. You can even pop them into lunchboxes in the morning and they’ll be defrosted in time for their snack or lunch at school.
Making all these foods for the freezer is fantastic but I think we’re all guilty of chucking containers of food in there never to be seen again! Make sure all your containers and bags are labelled with the food that it contains and the date its being frozen. Another trick I use is a Freezer List. You can buy these magnetic whiteboards online for just a few pounds. I keep a list of cooked meals, freezer stash bags, snacks and breakfast items on it so I know exactly what’s in my freezer. When meal planning for the week I can simply check over my list and see what I have available.
My final tip is Fruit & Veg Fridge Pots. For me having easy access to fresh fruit and veg is the key to getting my kids to eat healthy snacks throughout the day. I have ready-prepped pots of veggies like carrots, cucumber and pepper and fruit like berries, mango and grapes all washed, cut and ready to eat straight from the fridge.
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