Meal prep hacks to make your life easier

Meal prep hacks to make your life easier

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These days, when we're expected to work a full-time job, maybe also a side-hustle, take care of our families, clean, and cook, we aren't afforded the luxury of "taking our time." And often, when we've gotten home from work and we're trying to scare up dinner, it can be tough to find inspiration to make meals that are both healthy and tasty.

But there are some tried-and-true things you can do to master mealtime. I spoke to some experts about what they do to get awesome dinners on the table, and I'm sharing some of my favorite tips as well. These meal prep hacks are guaranteed to make your life easier.

Cook your eggs ahead of time
Eggs are a versatile, protein-packed must-have for your kitchen. Lisa Cohn, registered dietitian at miVIP Surgery Centers, told me, "Hard-boiled eggs are easy and inexpensive, as are fresh eggs poached over toast. I often make family-style omelettes and frittatas with added vegetables, and pair them with low-fat cheese and fruit." And they're not just for breakfast, either. Cohn continued, "Eggs are truly an anytime meal. Serve with a homemade frozen fruit smoothie for optimal nutrition."

If you need to make a bunch in advance, using your oven instead of the stove-top can be a great kitchen hack. Hope Pedraza, certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, and founder of inBalance, told me, "You can usually only fit up to five eggs in a pot. Make a dozen in one go by baking your eggs in muffin tins for just 30 minutes. You'll get a perfectly hard-boiled batch and can refrigerate for the week and eat as you need to!" That way, you'll always have healthy snacks and meal proteins handy.

Re-purpose your leftovers
Re-purposing leftovers is, for many home cooks, a tried and true practice. But there are ways to do it that aren't boring — you can only reuse an item, or have the same thing twice in a row so many times before you become uninspired.

Hope Pedraza told me that you can "re-purpose main course items (like protein) into something new. For example, plain chili one night can be turned into tacos the next, or it can top spaghetti, rice or another grain. You can also make a pesto, spicy tomato sauce, dressings, or various vinaigrettes and sauces during your meal prep time to add a new flavor to leftovers to give your family something new, and keep them from getting bored."

Registered dietitian Courtney Ferreira, owner of Real Food Court LLC, told me, "At the end of the week take your uneaten veggies and whisk with eggs and milk to create a simple egg frittata or crustless egg bake. Enjoy as part of a tasty weekend brunch or use for a quick, heat-and-eat weekday breakfast. My favorite part about this hack is that it helps to cut down on food waste!" So you end up with an entirely new and special dish, if you make it part of your Sunday brunch menu.

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