The Power of Meal Prep in 2023
There’s nothing more stressful than getting home to an empty fridge after a long day at work.
Figuring out what to eat, what’s nutritious, shopping, and then cooking can add hours onto your daily routine. And then there’s breakfast and lunch too!
The solution to all your stress is meal preparation. If you aren’t familiar with meal prep, it’s the process of planning and preparing meals ahead. There are so many benefits of meal prepping, far beyond just stress relief!
Top 5 Benefits of Meal Prep
Meal prep saves you time in so many ways. You’ll make less trips to the grocery store, spend less time washing pots and pans, and you’ll spend less time brainstorming what to eat. Time spent shopping and cooking more than once or twice a week is not only unnecessary, but could be time spent relaxing, enjoying your meals, or designating time to other items on your to-do list!
Fun fact: NatureSweet’s Cherub tomatoes come in a convenient package with a built-in colander to give your tomatoes a cool rinse before enjoying. No extra time spent washing dishes! Cherubs To Go tomatoes are pre-washed for easy open and enjoy.
Think of the number of times you’ve rushed home from work, running into the grocery store only to pick up more than you actually need. Or think of the times you were running late, stopping for takeout, only to see a bill that was more than expected. In a flurry, you probably spend more money on takeout meals than you would with planning ahead.
Fun fact: NatureSweet Cherubs and Cherubs to Go can be purchased at most every major grocery retailer. No more running from store-to-store for all of your tomato needs.
Meal prep has so many healthy eating benefits. First, meal prep allows you to see the full week’s meals, so you can meet the nutritional variety and diversity that you strive for! Secondly, meal prep equals portion control. When you have all your meals for the day (and week!) planned out, you have a better understanding of what’s going into your body and when. If you want to eat less, for instance, you’ll have a lens into what’s on your plate before it’s eaten! Too much snacking? You can make healthier choices in the upfront, like with Cherubs to Go and hummus.
Fun Fact: Naturesweet Cherubs and Cherubs To Go grape tomatoes are a great source of fiber, vitamin C, and the antioxidant lycopene.
Do you find yourself eating too many snacks, or eating dinner too late at night? Are you skipping meals and then binging later? Meal prep can help! Meal prep helps you portion out the meals of the day…even snacks! If you wish to eat dinner at 6pm instead of 8pm, meal prep might be the answer for you.
Fun fact: From breakfast with Vegetarian Tomato & Basil Frittata, to lunch with a Couscous Salad, to Spanish Style Chicken and Peppers for dinner, Cherubs are a part of your whole meal prep routine.
Without a meal prep plan, think about all the moldy produce, expired meat, and overabundance of snack foods that linger in your fridge and pantry by the end of the week. Planning every meal of the day plus snacks, can reduce food waste and unnecessary food purchases.
Fun fact: Most NatureSweet tomatoes, especially Cherubs and Cherubs to Go last at least a week at room temperature! No more spoiled tomatoes that go to waste.
How to Meal Prep
Here are five simple steps to successfully meal prep:
Choose a day or two every week to be your meal prep day. If Sunday, for instance, is your errands day, that might be a good day to plan, shop and prep meals! Make a list of recipes you’d like to make for each meal every day, record the ingredients, shop, prepare and package meals in to-go or heat-safe containers depending on which meals you’ll enjoy on-the-go vs. at-home.
Especially if you’re meal prepping for you and your family, it’s great to find one pot wonders or meals that can be made in large quantities to enjoy more than once that week or for more than one person. Choose healthy snacks like sweet Cherubs to Go that everyone in the family will love, with their favorite dip or even alone!
The key to meal prep is to choose meals that last a few days pre-prepared, or with no more than 15-20 minutes of prep the day-of. Check recipe notes for information on how many days different meals can be made ahead, and how to easily reheat them if needed.
One of the best parts about meal prepping is being able to plan your whole plate before enjoying it. Adding NatureSweet produce into your meals is a great way to create a balanced plate full of nutrients and reliable freshness. NatureSweet’s peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes are available in grocery stores throughout the US.
Get inspired by visiting NatureSweet’s website to find healthy, easy recipes using Cherub tomatoes and other fresh produce. The opportunities are endless!
Ideas for Meal Prep Using NatureSweet’s Cherub Tomatoes
Breakfast Ideas
Lunch Ideas
Snack Ideas
Dinner Ideas
Happy New Year from NatureSweet’s family to you and yours!
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