I’m completely happy that meal prep has turn out to be so fashionable, as a result of it’s an effective way to save lots of time on feeding your self. However one factor that grinds my gears about the way in which meal prep is showcased on social media—rows and rows of tupperware containers, all filled with an an identical association of rooster, rice, and broccoli, or one thing comparable—is that it feels so, so regimented. These photographs and the accompanying rhetoric make it appear that when you’re not following this formulation (a starch plus a protein plus a vegetable, all cooked individually), you’re not doing it proper.
However Instagram completely doesn’t equal actuality, and the reality is that meal prep doesn’t must look any specific manner. Something that you could make forward of time, and both reheat or eat chilly, is a good candidate for lunch meal prep. Certain, generally which means rooster and broccoli and rice (and there’s a recipe for that beneath that features a enjoyable sauce), however it could possibly additionally imply a giant pot of noodles, a sluggish cooker pork shoulder, a giant batch of chili, or perhaps a sturdy salad. The extra big-batch recipes you have got in your arsenal, the much less seemingly you’re to get bored along with your weekly meal preps, which implies you’re extra more likely to really preserve doing it.
The recipes beneath work for all types of preferences and conditions. Two of the recipes are vegan, and three have meat. Two could be made within the sluggish cooker, whereas three name for some mixture of oven and stovetop cooking. All 5 are gluten-free, so long as you’re utilizing the gluten-free variations of components like grits and soy sauce (or tamari).
If you happen to’re in a rut with meal prep and also you’re able to attempt one thing new—otherwise you want just a little little bit of motivation to attempt massive batch prepping for the primary time—give certainly one of these a spin and remind your self that making ready a number of meals directly can look many various methods.
Chelsea Kyle. Prop styling by Amy Elise Wilson for Laird and Good Firm. Meals styling by Pearl Jones for Ashley Klinger & Co.
Peanut-Coconut Pork Noodles With Kale
Coconut-based sauces have lengthy been a key function of many South and Southeast Asian cuisines, and now they’re well-liked around the globe. This noodle recipe makes eight servings however calls for only one can of coconut milk, which implies there’s simply sufficient sauce to coat the noodles, however not a lot that you just want a spoon to sop the whole lot up. I feel the dish tastes greatest with floor pork, however you could possibly use one other form of floor meat and nonetheless get tasty outcomes. Get the recipe here.
