When you cook a recipe, make extra portions for another day or two of meals, or to freeze for a different week.

Multi-task! While foods are baking or bubbling on the stovetop, chop vegetables and fresh fruit, or wash and dry salad greens for later in the week.

If you prefer not to pre-cook proteins, consider marinating poultry, fish, or even tofu on your prep day so that you can quickly pop them into the oven or stir-fry later in the week.

Also consider preparing staple foods that everyone in the family enjoys and which you can easily add to a weekday meal or grab for a snack: washed greens for a salad, hardboiled eggs, a bowl of chopped fruit, cooked beans.On your meal prep day, focus first on foods that take the longest to cook: proteins like chicken and fish whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and farro dried beans and legumes and, roasted vegetables.As you find favorite ‘prep-able’ meals, or your menus become more familiar and consistent, watch for sales and coupons to stock up on frequently used shelf-stable ingredients like pasta, rice, and other whole grains, lentils, beans (canned or dried), jarred sauces, healthy oils, and spices.Some of these days may overlap if you choose, but breaking up these tasks may help keep meal planning manageable. Choose a specific day of the week to: 1) plan the menu, whether week by week or for the whole month, and write out your grocery list 2) food shop, 3) do meal prep, or most of your cooking.Start small: Aim to create enough dinners for 2-3 days of the week.Examples are Meatless Mondays, Whole Grain Wednesdays, Stir-Fry Fridays, etc. Remember Wednesday as Prince Spaghetti Day? Some families enjoy the consistency of knowing what to expect, and it can help to ease your meal planning. Consider specific meals or foods for different days of the week.Clip recipes from print magazines and newspapers and save in a binder, or copy links of recipes onto an online spreadsheet.

Start a monthly calendar or spreadsheet to record your meal ideas, favorite recipe sites, and food shopping lists.Discuss with your family what types of foods and favorite meals they like to eat.From the supermarket to the kitchen, here are some other strategies to get the biggest nutrition bang for your buck. Planning your meals ahead of the trip to the grocery store is a key strategy for eating well on a budget. Can reduce stress as you avoid last minute decisions about what to eat, or rushed preparation.Can contribute to an overall more nutritionally balanced diet.Can help with weight control, as you decide the ingredients and portions served.If you already cook some weekday meals for your family, you might decide to create a schedule so that you are not deciding last minute what to make and to ensure you have the needed ingredients on hand.If you already food shop once a week and have basic cooking skills, your goal may be to choose one day a week to do most of the cooking, or try a new recipe.If you now eat fast food or takeout several nights of the week, your goal may be to choose a specific day of the week to create a food shopping list and hit the grocery store.Although any type of meal prep requires planning, there is no one correct method, as it can differ based on food preferences, cooking ability, schedules, and personal goals. Amidst hectic weekday schedules, meal prep or meal planning is a great tool to help keep us on a healthy eating track. Now, imagine a different scenario where within a few minutes of walking through the door you have a delicious home-cooked dinner, and perhaps even lunch packed-up for the next day. Who hasn’t left work late with a growling stomach but little energy to shop and cook? A busy schedule is one of the top reasons why people choose quick takeout meals, which are often calorie-laden and a contributor to expanding waistlines.

Meal planning recipes