Introduction
Healthy Meal Prepping and Menu PlanningAre you tired of scrambling to make dinner at the last minute (and resorting to unhealthy takeout or frozen dinners)? Does the thought of planning, shopping for, and making five to seven dinners a week stress you out? Well, here’s some good news: By dedicating just a couple of hours each week to meal prepping and menu planning, you can have a variety of nutritious, homemade meals readily available without spending hours in the kitchen.
In this cookbook, I will help you transform your eating habits, save time, and reduce waste—while enjoying incredibly delicious and satisfying meals that also happen to be free from grains, gluten, and lactose. Did you know that the average American family of four throws out between $1,600 and $1,800 a year in produce alone? In the US, we waste more than $408 billion in food annually, and a lot of that waste can be attributed to poor planning and impulse buying.
If you’ve long wanted to become a better menu planner and an advance meal prepper, I’m here to guide you through the process step-by-step. I’ll provide easy-to-follow instructions, helpful tips, and foolproof recipes that have gotten the stamp of approval from gluten-free and paleo eaters, as well as from those who can eat whatever they want. I’ve served these recipes to kids and adults alike, and while everyone’s palate and preferences are different, I am confident that everyone you cook these for will love them. (And they’ll be asking you for the recipes and meal plans, too.)
My goal with this book is to eliminate the stress you feel about what to eat, and teach you how to plan meals that use a variety of ingredients to their full potential. Using the menu plans in this book and my tips on what to prepare ahead of time will allow you to spend less time in the kitchen every day, while providing yourself and those around your table with nourishing meals.
To begin, first read through the next few sections of the book to understand how and why the recipes are laid out the way they are, to discover some secrets for very quick meals (hello, newly stocked freezer and ready-to-go pantry), and to learn more about the methods that will make you a meal planning superstar.
When it comes to the fifteen meticulously crafted meal plans and recipes, you don’t have to start with Week 1, but if the recipes in that chapter speak to you, then jump right in! You can use the weekly meal plans in any order you like. Some of the plans utilize frozen, make-ahead meals or components that were prepared in previous weeks, but I’ve also explained how you can improvise if you end up skipping around the book.
Each weekly meal plan comes with an accompanying shopping list, along with a QR code to scan so you can take a digital copy with you to the grocery store. After scanning, you will find an option to access the weekly meal plan shopping lists by recipe, too, in case you only want to cook three of the meals that week or you need to double a recipe.
These meal plans and recipes are intentionally designed to reduce waste, be sustainable, and use all the ingredients in your fridge. Say goodbye to spoiled bunches of herbs and forgotten jars of condiments hidden behind bottles on your fridge door, and hello to a pantry, freezer, and fridge stocked with tasty meals. By following these meal plans, you’ll not only minimize waste but also take the guesswork out of menu planning. Shopping will be a breeze, as you confidently pick up the items you need, knowing they’ll be used in delicious, healthy meals throughout the week.
I’ve designed these recipes to be family-friendly and cater to different flavor preferences and dietary needs. Whether you have picky eaters to feed or have your own special dietary requirements, you’ll find recipes to satisfy everyone at your table. And I’ll walk you through prepping ahead or even making whole components or dishes in advance. That means you can spend less time in the kitchen during the week and more time enjoying meals with your loved ones.
Get ready to experience the convenience, health benefits, and, honestly, the joy and satisfaction of meal prepping and menu planning. With this book as your guide, you’ll be an expert in make-ahead and quick-to-thetable dinners in no time, giving you the kitchen confidence you’ve been seeking, the nourishment your body craves, and a repertoire of go-to meals your family returns to again and again.
Copyright © 2024 by Danielle Walker. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
