Simple Shortcuts : Meal Prep

I’m so excited to share a new series with you – Clean Mama’s Simple Shortcuts. Every Monday for the next six weeks, I’ll be sharing my favorite simple shortcuts and gathering yours on Instagram. I’ll share them on Instagram as you are sharing them but I’ll also gather them up over the next six weeks and share them as a free printable at the end of the series. I’ve been feeling like I really need simple and easy right now – you too? I can’t wait for us to all gather tips that help us over the next six weeks. It’s going to be really fun and helpful with a community feel. Make sure you’re following along on Instagram too!

Today, we’re going to be talking about our favorite Simple Shortcuts for Meal Prep!  I’m going to list some of mine below, add yours to the comments here or head over to Instagram to add yours in the Stories question box.

My favorite Simple Shortcuts for Meal Prep? These are the things that I do that save time in the kitchen, help me get motivated to cook, and make meal time a little easier. Take some ideas and try them out, add yours to the list and we’ll be crushing our meal prep in no time. Ready?

• Use a Tray in the Refrigerator for Meat Storage – this keeps the refrigerator clean and keeps the meat we’re going to use in the next day or two ready.
• Cook Once, Eat Twice – any meal I make I think through whether or not the recipe can be doubled for leftovers or the freezer.
• Wash and Pre-Cut Produce – doing this before putting the produce in the refrigerator is super helpful and it makes it easier to grab the fruits and veggies.
• Rotisserie Chicken – grab two from the store and use one in dinner and cut up the second one for the freezer or for another night of dinner.
• Mirepoix – if you have a recipe that calls for onion, celery, carrots (Mirepoix), double your veggies and cutting and put half in the freezer for the next time you need the trinity.
• Pre-Cook Protein – cook up any kind of protein and freeze it for another meal – hard boiled eggs, ground beef, chicken, pork – think ahead just a little bit and you’ll be loading up that fridge and freezer in no time.
• Shredded Chicken in the Instant Pot – I grab a jumbo pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs from Costco and put the whole thing straight in the Instant Pot – here’s the method I use – when I get home – cook, shred (or chop), use some for dinner, and freeze the rest in 2-3 packages for another night. We use shredded chicken in salads, enchiladas, tacos, casseroles, sandwiches, and wraps.

Your turn!  What are your best Simple Shortcuts for Meal Prep? Share in the question box on Instagram Monday and Tuesday of this week or in the comments here on the blog.