Preparing Meals Ahead of Time
Thursday, January 24th, 2008 by The Cooking Guy Subscribe To Our Feed
For a lot of people, making a quick but healthy meal takes a lot of time. I have some time saving tips that will help you throw together a quick and easy meal using ingredients you prepared ahead of time. Whether you are a beginner cook or a seasoned expert, these tips are sure to save you time.
You can either plan your weekly menu before hand, or you can prepare ingredients that you use often. Either way, you don’t necessarily have to have a plan set in stone. That is the great thing about preparing ahead for the time you do want to throw together a great meal.
You don’t want to prepare things that can not be refrigerated or frozen. Many ingredients store well in the fridge or freezer. Ingredients chilled only last a few days, while ingredients that are frozen last a couple months.
How to start
Here is how to start. Take the ingredients that take the most time to prepare. For example, meats take a while to cook. L
Meats
One tip is when you buy meat; cook it up once you get home. A great way to get shredded or chopped chicken is to buy a whole chicken and slow cook or roast it. Put the meat in individual meal sized baggies or containers and freeze or refrigerate until ready to use. This can save a lot of time when you are ready to make a dish that requires cooked meat. You can also do this with hamburger, sausage or any meat that stores well when chilled or frozen.
Once you are ready to use the meat, if frozen, pop it in the microwave on defrost for a few minutes or put it in a frying pan with a little bit of oil. You will never know it was cooked and frozen. If you have put the meat in the refrigerator, take the meat and add it to the dish you are making.
Vegetables
Another great way to prepare ahead is to chop your vegetables. If you are not going to use your chopped vegetables within a few days, it is best to freeze them rather than refrigerate. Freezing vegetables is also a great way to keep your vegetables from going bad or use them up if they are starting to spoil. You won’t feel like you wasted money by having your fresh produce turn bad.
Vegetables like onions, bell peppers and zucchini freeze and defrost well. Other vegetables such as carrots, celery, broccoli, cucumbers, and jicama store well in the refrigerator. Vegetables like carrots and jicama store better if submerged in water for up to five days.
Recipe Suggestions
Here are some great recipe suggestions on how to use your cooked meats and vegetables. There are endless possibilities since the meats and vegetables do not taste like they have been frozen or chilled. Keep in mind that green peppers may change the flavor of frozen casseroles. The flavors of clove, garlic and pepper flavors get stronger when frozen, while onion gets milder.
- Soups and Stews
- Casseroles
- Tacos-beef and chicken
- Chicken Quesadillas
- Salads
- Pasta dishes
- Pizza
- Stir fry’s
- Or any other great dishes you love to cook
As you can see, the possibilities are endless. Preparing a few ingredients ahead of time, saves you prep time by making it possible to throw the ingredients together and cook.
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