A typical college week can usually be filled with classes, homework, club and organization meetings, socializing, and so much more. It can be hard to find time to stay home and cook, rather than going out to eat. Constantly eating out can add up to a pricey expense, as well.
Meal Prepping has become ever more appealing in today’s culture. It consists of preparing a meal or recipe, then portioning it out to create fast meals for later. It can seem daunting at times with all the variations one could choose from, but it can be broken down into some simple steps.
Food Storage Containers
Reusable, airtight food storage containers will keep your meals fresh.
Meal/Ingredients
Choose a meal (ex: breakfast, lunch, dinner), or multiple differing on how many meals you want to prepare for a given week or time. It’s best to try to include a protein, grain, and vegetable in each meal.
When to Meal Prep
Typically, Sunday or Wednesday are the more common choices. But you can meal prep whatever day works best for you!
The Best Foods for Meal Prepping
- Vegetables – Frozen or Fresh
- Starches like potatoes and other root vegetables
- Stiff, fresh veggies like carrots or cucumbers
Turkey or Beef – Burrito Bowl
Ingredients
- 4 cups rice
- 1lb ground turkey or beef
- Taco seasoning
- 4 oz shredded cheese (about 1 cup)
- 1 15oz can black beans
- 1 cup corn kernels (frozen, or canned)
- 1 1/3 cup salsa
- Two green onions
- Cilantro – optional
- Salt and pepper to season (or your fav seasonings)
- 1 lime (optional)
Instructions:
- Cook rice according to package directions. To make roughly 4 cups of cooked rice, it’s recommended to use 2 cups of uncooked rice and 4 cups of water. (I sprinkle a dash of salt and pepper with my rice while it’s cooking to enrich the flavor)
- Add the ground meat to a skillet and cook over medium heat until the meat is fully cooked. Once the meat is fully cooked go ahead and add the taco seasoning and ½ cup water. Stir, and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and set the meat aside.
- Thaw the corn or drain the juice from the can, drain the black beans, and slice the green onions and cilantro.
- When rice has finished cooking, fluff it with a fork and divide between 4 containers. Divide the remaining ingredients into containers as well (taco meat, corn, beans, cheese, salsa, green onions, and cilantro).
- When ready to serve, reheat the bowls for 1-2 minutes to thoroughly reheat the meat and rice. You can squeeze 1/8 of a lime on top for extra flavor. Enjoy!
