You’ve decided to take the plunge and start preparing meals for the week. Congrats! Now, what are you going to do?
Making meals can be a hassle. You have to think about what to prepare, and trying to work out what works best for you and your family can feel like a chore. That’s why we’ve gone ahead and created this list of simple and easy meals that will help you get started. Don’t worry, we’ve still kept it healthy too. We know how difficult it can be to find time for a healthy meal during the week, so we’ve made sure that these recipes are quick and easy to prepare. You can get them ready in a jiffy and make sure that your family has healthy meals ready when they come back from school, work or play. Plus, these recipes are family-friendly, so everyone can get involved.
Meal Prep Ideas for the Week to Lose Weight
While we would like to believe that losing weight is as easy as going on a diet and exercising regularly, it’s not. It actually takes a lot of planning and cooking healthy meals from scratch. That’s why we’ve gone ahead and created this list of simple recipes that will help you get started. We know how much time you’ve got on your hands these days, so we’ve made sure that these recipes are quick and easy to prepare. After all, everyone needs a break from time to time, and we understand that. However, you should still keep in mind that you are trying to lose weight, so be careful about how much you indulge in.
Baked Salmon
Baked salmon is one of the simplest entrees to prepare. It’s extremely versatile, and you can add whatever you want to it. You could throw in some dill, maybe some chives. Maybe some lemon? We don’t judge, but you get the picture. Anything goes with baked salmon, and that’s what makes it so great. It’s easy to prepare and packed with nutrients. Not to mention that everyone in your family will love it. Especially the kids. It’s a win-win situation.
Chicken Tikka Massaman Curry
Tikka massaman curry is a recipe that you must try. It takes a while to prepare, but it’s totally worth it. The smell of curry as it cooks is incredible, and you will definitely want to prepare extra just for yourself. You can prepare the curry two ways: slow-cooker or stovetop. We would recommend the slow cooker version, as it’s extremely easy to prepare and it helps retain the flavors of the spices. There’s also a recipe for green chicken curry that you may want to try out as well. Both recipes are highly recommended. In addition to curry, you may want to prepare some raita or samosa for yourself. Both are also very easy to make and take very little time. You may also want to prepare some fresh juices to complement the meal, such as ginger peach or cherry plum juice.
Black Bean Burrito Bowl
We’re starting to see more and more restaurants offering vegan cuisine, and it’s so easy and delicious. One of the most popular restaurants in Denver, CO is Revolution. You may have heard of them, as they have somewhat of a cult following. Well, they definitely know what they’re doing when it comes to vegan food. This particular meal is actually a restaurant-exclusive recipe, designed by the chef James Beard as a burrito bowl. It’s got black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, and salsa. There’s also a version that uses masa instead of tortillas, which you may want to try out as well.
Tropical Coconut Shrimp
It’s hard to find tropical flavours without feeling like you’re sacrificing something. This recipe uses a lot of ingredients that you may not have in your kitchen already, but it’s worth it. Especially if you like shrimp and coconut, this will be a delight to your taste buds. You may want to prepare some brown rice to complement the shrimp. You may also prepare some guacamole and tomato to add some more vegetables.
Healthy Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon rolls are delicious, and they’re even more delicious when they’re healthy. You may have seen or heard of baked cinnamon rolls being offered at dessert stations in restaurants. However, you may want to try out savory varieties as well. We adore cinnamon rolls, and we can’t eat them every day, so we prepare them when we have company over for dinner. They’re usually a quick and easy way to make sure that we have dessert ready when our guests arrive.
Fresh Mango Salsa
Mango salsa is one of our favorite ways to wrap a pork tenderloin. It’s incredibly versatile too. You may want to prepare some guacamole and tomato as well, for extra garnish. This salsa takes a little bit of work, but it’s totally worth it. We usually prepare it in large batches and store it in the fridge so that we can pull it out whenever we need it. It’s great for sandwiches, burgers, or even fish. It’s a completely different story if you want to prepare some chicken pieces, as the mangoes will turn a little bit liquid.
Curried Coconut Soup
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. That’s right, the soup’s on the stove, and it’s filled with all of the wonderful spices that make it so delicious. This may be the best chicken soup that you’ve ever tasted. Prepare it with fresh herbs, like basil and cilantro, as well as some lemon and it won’t even seem like you’ve cheated on your diet. You may try out this recipe and prepare it in batches so that you can eat it whenever you want. It’s the ultimate cure for the winter blues.
Now, we need to address one more important point before we wrap up. Many of these recipes call for either fresh or frozen ingredients. However, if you’re anything like us, you don’t always have both of these in your kitchen. That’s why we’ve prepared a list of ingredients that you may or may not have in your fridge.
What Are the Ingredients for These Recipes?
There are a few key ingredients that you may not have in your kitchen already, but we’ve specified which ones to use in the recipes. If you do have them, all you need to do is follow the recipe and adjust it according to what you have available.
Can I Prepare These Meals Ready to Serve?
Yes, you may prepare these recipes as soon as you get them. However, we would recommend preparing them in advance, so that you can either heat and serve or store in the refrigerator. Freezing is also an option, and many of the recipes take advantage of this. You may prepare these meals in large batches and store them in the freezer, so that you can pull them out quickly when you need them. This will save you both time and effort when you’re cooking dinner, as well as reduce the likelihood of you getting hungry during the meal.
How Do I Store These Meals?
Most of the meals on this list will keep well in the refrigerator for a couple of days. However, some of them, like the fish and the chicken, will only keep for a couple of hours. So, if you’re planning to prepare these recipes the day before, leave them out for a while to come to room temperature before serving. This will increase the likelihood of you getting the full benefit from the meal. If you do end up preparing them the day of, make sure to store them in the refrigerator until shortly before you serve. Then, let them come to room temperature, so that they’re fresh and hot when eaten.
Which One Should I Make First?
That is a great question, and one that we’ve been wondering about as well. If you have the time, you may want to prepare the fish first, as it will take the longest to cook. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you could prepare the chicken curry. It’s up to you. Just make sure that you don’t overcook the fish, as it will become slightly mushy, and the same goes for the chicken. If you prepare them in advance, you may also want to make the salad or brown rice, so that they’re ready to go when you are. Whatever you do, make sure to not overcook any of the food, as this will result in a lessened flavor and, in some cases, even make you gain weight. So, be careful and remember: undercook, and you’ll lose out on a lot of flavor; overdo it, and you’ll end up feeling bloated.