Achieving low-carb and keto success often comes down to meal prepping - and planning. In this recipe collection, we'll show you how to master the art of meal prep, also sometimes called batch cooking and how to freeze foods for future meals.
Top 4 benefits of meal prepping
Adopting a batch cooking approach can be a lifesaver, especially when it comes to saving time. This is because you only cook once, but then have several healthy meals to eat for days following.
Here, we've listed the four main benefits of meal prepping:
Batch meal prepping means additional servings to enjoy for meals to come. Oftentimes, these "extra" meals are frozen, but if consumed within a shorter time span, they can also be kept in an airtight container in the fridge to enjoy later that same week.
Which low-carb recipes work best for batch cooking?
Many of us have experienced what it's like to freeze a food item ... only to later realize it wasn't exactly freezer-friendly.
Whether the dairy separates or the veggies become mushy, it's disappointing to face a freezer flop when you were looking forward to a quick, healthy meal.
So what are the best types of meals and foods to freeze? We're glad you asked! Here are some of our best tips for freezing breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert options.
Our top meal prep breakfast ideas
There aren't many of us who have time for a leisurely breakfast, especially on weekdays. Breakfasts that can be prepared in advance and freeze well can be the ultimate solution to getting a balanced keto or low-carb breakfast on the go.
When preparing these breakfast options for the freezer, consider how you are most likely to eat and transport them on chaotic mornings. For example:
- If you'll likely want to take your breakfast out of the fridge or freezer to eat at work, you may want to consider individual packaging or wrapping from when you store them to speed up the process. In the instance of an egg muffin, it would be useful to use a paper liner in the tin.
- If you plan on eating your breakfast at home, portions can just as easily be individually wrapped or stored in portion-sized containers.
Top meal prep ideas for lunch and dinner
Lunch and dinner are often the most common meals that people feel they are short on time to prepare.
No worries! These suggestions freeze and reheat well:
- Casseroles and stews
- Soups (and bread)
- Pizzas and pizza crusts
- Quiches and frittatas
- Prepared meat bases such as chili, pulled pork, Tex Mex or curry
- Meat-pies and lasagnas
- Meatballs and chicken nuggets
- Asian cabbage stir fry
Notice that each of these dishes tend to have less cheese and cream. Many are tomato-based, include cooked veggies rather than raw, and have cooked ground meats rather than large cuts of meat that are cooked and frozen whole. Keep that in mind when selecting your recipes to freeze.
