# Meal prepping



## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Made 6 of these for lunches for the week. Anyone else meal prep to save time or try and stay on track weight loss wise?


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## FreeRange (Oct 9, 2005)

Oregon1986 said:


> Made 6 of these for lunches for the week. Anyone else meal prep to save time or try and stay on track weight loss wise?
> View attachment 68392


Yum!


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## 4tu (Jul 24, 2018)

good, I used to do that cook one day a week and split it up. 
Now I eat out more and I buy those cheap frozen meals they taste good and done in the MW in 3 to 6 minutes.

But in the day I would make a large Lasagna or a smoked bar-b-q brisket chicken soup without dumplings or rice and add it as I wanted it to become.

Most stuff I like does not freeze well or some of the ingredients need to be fresh like pita bread and Greek sauce or gravy gets curdled .

Some of the best is fried rice bar-b-q-ed chicken steak or pot roast or stews. and I have cooked ground beef up 5 pounds at a time and separated them into zip lock bags for tacos 7 layer dip SOS on toast or a jam sandwich ( put it between 2 pieces of bread and jam it together so it wont fall apart.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

4tu said:


> good, I used to do that cook one day a week and split it up.
> Now I eat out more and I buy those cheap frozen meals they taste good and done in the MW in 3 to 6 minutes.
> 
> But in the day I would make a large Lasagna or a smoked bar-b-q brisket chicken soup without dumplings or rice and add it as I wanted it to become.
> ...


Ground beef is a good idea


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## 4tu (Jul 24, 2018)

Oregon1986 said:


> Ground beef is a good idea


I did it also to remove the fat started with ground chuck.
I did find most food other than meat & soup or stews just don't carry over too long in the fridge or freezer or the texture changes. It's all a matter of personal tastes.


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## hiddensprings (Aug 6, 2009)

I do when hubby is out of town. Since it’s just me at home during those times, I find that if I don’t plan and prepare ahead of time, I ended up not eating as healthy. That looks yummy by the way


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

My meal prep is a salad big enough for 8 or 10 people - a very large salad bowl full. Half for lunch and half for dinner. It consists of spinach, kale, peppers, onions, nuts, sauer kraut/kimche, mushrooms, cabbage, curry, pepper, olive oil, cider vinegar. Sometimes I will make 2 days worth but will not put the olive oil and vinegar on the salad for the next day yet. Also add brown rice and quinoa and either avocado, fish, or beans. It is part of the special diet I am on, but it sure can take a while to make (and eat). Also make carrot/ginger/beet/apple juice with a juicer for 3 days at a time. (1500 ml). Breakfast is a large bowl of oatmeal & chia with berries (frozen and microwaved) with almond milk. It's a lot of food, but not that many calories, and a lot of nutrition. And if you go on this diet, any problems with being "regular" will become a distant memory! I also supplement with B12, Vitamin C (lots), Vitamin D, ginger root,and tumeric.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

I have always been a batch cook - never make a recipe for just one meal but always enough to fridge or freeze for another meal or snacks. My trick is to put everything in canning jars. Pints are enough for snacks and a meal for smaller appetites while quarts are perfect for bigger appetites or even a meal for two. And they go from fridge or freezer to the microwave or pan and easy clean up. The only thing to remember is to leave head space of at least a couple of inches if you are freezing especially something that has a lot of liquid like soup or stew. I used to take a pint of something every day to work for lunch along with a salad or cut veggies and fruit and this definitely helped me to stay on track.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

hiddensprings said:


> I do when hubby is out of town. Since it’s just me at home during those times, I find that if I don’t plan and prepare ahead of time, I ended up not eating as healthy. That looks yummy by the way


Thank you


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

MichaelZ said:


> My meal prep is a salad big enough for 8 or 10 people - a very large salad bowl full. Half for lunch and half for dinner. It consists of spinach, kale, peppers, onions, nuts, sauer kraut/kimche, mushrooms, cabbage, curry, pepper, olive oil, cider vinegar. Sometimes I will make 2 days worth but will not put the olive oil and vinegar on the salad for the next day yet. Also add brown rice and quinoa and either avocado, fish, or beans. It is part of the special diet I am on, but it sure can take a while to make (and eat). Also make carrot/ginger/beet/apple juice with a juicer for 3 days at a time. (1500 ml). Breakfast is a large bowl of oatmeal & chia with berries (frozen and microwaved) with almond milk. It's a lot of food, but not that many calories, and a lot of nutrition. And if you go on this diet, any problems with being "regular" will become a distant memory! I also supplement with B12, Vitamin C (lots), Vitamin D, ginger root,and tumeric.


I'm drooling


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## vickinell (Oct 10, 2003)

Emgeengee,
You can freeze mason jars? I have frozen broths and soups before and they broke. I left room for expanding. I used recycled jars not mason jars. That is good to know.


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## vickinell (Oct 10, 2003)

I do not like using plastic.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

I have been freezing canning jars for about 30 years and have only had a very few crack or break. I leave lots of head space. My sister never leaves enough so had many blow outs. I generally defrost in the fridge. I think they work because the glass is extra strong. I do use empty glass jars to store dry goods or in the fridge but not in the freezer. Not because I was worried but I just never had enough and always have lots of canning jars.


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## alida (Feb 8, 2015)

When I make a casserole type meal I aim for 3-4 servings, one for today,one to eat within the next couple days and one for the freezer. 
While I don't prep many meals I do prep many vegetables when I buy them, to use in morning omelets or to make a salad for work. I keep those prepped veggies in a Tupperware type serving container, divided into sections, one veggie per section.
Lettuces get washed, dried and stored in a crisper , ready to make into salads for lunch. 
There are always hard boiled eggs in the fridge, and tins of tuna/salmon on the shelves. 
When I bake a bone in ham I dice some of the leftovers for the freezer, handy to add to to eggs,soup or well, anywhere ham is good. Ditto bacon. 
So, I don't prep many lunches or meals ahead of time, but I do try to have some ingredients ready to add to whatever I'm cooking.


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## 5_Star (Oct 24, 2015)

That does look tasty. I saw your progress in one of your posts in GC. I'm not able to post in there, but wanted to say congratz on your success!


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

alida said:


> When I make a casserole type meal I aim for 3-4 servings, one for today,one to eat within the next couple days and one for the freezer.
> While I don't prep many meals I do prep many vegetables when I buy them, to use in morning omelets or to make a salad for work. I keep those prepped veggies in a Tupperware type serving container, divided into sections, one veggie per section.
> Lettuces get washed, dried and stored in a crisper , ready to make into salads for lunch.
> There are always hard boiled eggs in the fridge, and tins of tuna/salmon on the shelves.
> ...


Great idea


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

5_Star said:


> That does look tasty. I saw your progress in one of your posts in GC. I'm not able to post in there, but wanted to say congratz on your success!


Thank you. How come you can't post in there?


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## 5_Star (Oct 24, 2015)

I only have junior woodchuck clearance.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

vickinell said:


> Emgeengee,
> You can freeze mason jars? I have frozen broths and soups before and they broke. I left room for expanding. I used recycled jars not mason jars. That is good to know.


Wide mouth pints can easily be frozen, wide mouth quarts are better than regular. The best way is to fill them only 2/3 full and lay the jar so it is slightly tilted.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Danaus29 said:


> Wide mouth pints can easily be frozen, wide mouth quarts are better than regular. The best way is to fill them only 2/3 full and lay the jar so it is slightly tilted.


I leave the lid off until the contents are frozen solid. As long as the food does not reach the part where the jar narrows it works well for me


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