Meal prep for the office

The Internet is already flooded and even in real life you can see them more and more often: Perfectly arranged and attractively furnished boxes with colorful and healthy-looking meals. On the one hand, these creations make your mouth water, on the other hand, after a pleasurable look, you do not waste any further thought on imitation? that's way too complicated, I do not have time for such frippery! We'll show you how to? Prep-Prep? without much effort and saves time and money!

What is Meal-Prep and where does the trend come from?

Anyone who has nothing to do with anglicisms simply stays with the good old one precookas grandma did in her day. In principle, Meal-Prep (meal preparation) is nothing else.

By fitness-enthusiastic Internet bloggers from the US, the dusty Vorkochen was rummaged from the basement, freshly polished, provided with attractive images and made socially acceptable again. Thus, the break bread that was smeared by Mama in elementary school was already Meal-Prep and you were already in fashion as a toddler!


Incidentally, meal prep does not necessarily have to be consumed in the officeIf you have already found the food source of your trust there, but come home late in the evening, the prepared food can already be waiting for you here in the fridge.

Benefits of Meal Prep

Cooking for the whole week sounds first of all a lot of work, Is not it more convenient to just go to the canteen or the fast food giant next door? Once you've overcome your inner bastard, you notice quickly the many advantagesthat Meal-Prep offers and can not stop!

  • You know exactly, what's in your food and thus dispenses with hidden additives, flavor enhancers and unhealthy fats.
  • Your diet will healthier and more balanced, Anyone who has the food prepared in the box will not be tempted to resort to fast food.
  • Do it yourself Cheap! Compared to the daily cafeteria food, you can save a lot of money and go out for a nice meal over the weekend.
  • In addition, you no longer have to be annoyed every day about the bad and too expensive canteen food, which is lovelessly slapped on the plate. Instead, you can enjoy a lunch every day, for sure corresponds to your taste.
  • Your body will be with you increased efficiency and thank the missing lunch low for the effort.
  • Ideally, most of the food is pre-cooked on weekends? During the week, all you have to do is access and you have more freetime and free your mind for more important things in your daily work!
  • Since the big kitchen battle is limited to one day, must also be cleaned only once.
  • Anyone who counts nutrients or calories due to a diet plan or special diets, has such a perfect overview and even with incompatibilities, you can be sure that the dish is tolerated.
  • Through targeted shopping for the selected recipes ends up less in the trash. This saves money and at the same time protects the environment.

What is particularly suitable for precooking?

Of course, if you cook yourself, then you should healthy and full his. Always combine a carbohydrate component with a protein-containing product and plenty of vegetables. So you stay full for a long time and do something good for the body.


High quality carbohydrates provide, for example, rice, quinoa or potatoes. protein You can add your food either in the form of fish or meat, vegetarian through lean dairy products or vegan with legumes or soy products. At the vegetables Do you have a huge selection in every supermarket where you can use whatever you want? There is not too much here! If you're careful to shop regionally and seasonally, you'll automatically find variety and do something for the environment.

Generally suitable Stews, casseroles and soups good for precooking, as they still taste great after heating. Also rice dishes are practical and a big portion Oven baked vegetables can serve as a garnish for different dishes. A healthy snack like Nuts or fruits is perfect for a small appetite in between.

With our Meal-Prep kit you can get inspiration and assemble new dishes to suit your mood.


carbohydrates protein vegetables
rice chicken broccoli
noodles turkey Auberine
couscous beef zucchini
potatoes fish Beetroot
bulgur seafood parsley root
quinoa Quark kohlrabi
sweet potatoes cottage cheese celery
Whole grain bread feta tomato
oatmeal mozarella cauliflower
Grünkern eggs chard
pearl barley lenses spinach
beans Brussels sprouts
peas artichoke
tofu caper
Seitan pumpkin
Nuts and seeds paprika
Chickpeas parsnip

Meal-Prep step by step

So that you do not break the Mission Meal-Prep because of acute overstrain before it even started properly, the step-by-step guide will help you keep track and guide you successfully to your goal.

To plan

First, think about which recipes are good for your purposes: Can you warm the food in the office? Will ingredients like salad be soggy? Do you have a refrigerator at work? You can go to cookbooks or TheFruitAndFlowerBasket Recipe Inspirations search. Or look in the supermarket or at the weekly market, which vegetables is on offer or season has and conjure up delicious creations.

To boil efficiently and quickly, use individual ingredients for multiple dishes, So you can cook more at once and you do not have to handle hundreds of pots and pans. It does not necessarily have to be a completely different dish for each day? The rice pan can be modified to rice salad, for example, or the chili con carne for wrap filling.

You do not have to go to the top and prepare a dish for each day of the week. For example, cook for three days, on the other two days you can either smear delicious steaks and, for example, eat vegetable sticks, or even fall back on the canteen. Of stews or soups you can boil a lot? since you do not want to eat the same food for a week, then freeze a few servings just for the following weeks.

shopping

Plan your purchase for the best Day before cookingso you can process the products as fresh as possible. Saturday is particularly good, as vegetables are often cheap. Frozen vegetables are just as healthy as fresh and save work when snipping. Especially for vegetables that are not available regionally, it makes sense to use TK Ware. An accurate shopping list is important so nothing is forgotten or bought unnecessarily. Also always check what you may still have in the fridge or storage cabinet.

precook

If you've planned smart, you can now cooking ingredients for several dishes in one go, Especially with rice, potatoes and legumes, it is worthwhile to cook larger quantities and then distribute them to the individual dishes, as well as you can cut vegetables directly in larger quantities.

Take some time at the weekend to prepare your meal prep, but there's nothing left to do during the week. You can also go through dishes with similar ingredients different spices and sauces to create a varied You can prepare your favorite dips and sauces in stock and then freeze them in portions, so you only have to add them to the respective dishes and save even more time.

packing

So that the joy of Meal-Prep is not destroyed on the first day by itself in the purse emptying liquids are tight boxes the A and O. But you do not necessarily have to invest a lot of money. Go in your kitchen looking for discarded ones Jam and preserving jars or tupperwareThese are perfect and nothing new has to be bought.

For those who like it neat, maybe a box with several compartments for different ingredients is something. It is then mixed just before eating, which also has the advantage that the individual ingredients remain fresh and crisp. If the meal is still to be heated, use it best Microwaveable Boxento save you the decanting.

The eye eats with: beautiful layers or serving is not only practical, but also makes you feel more like your self-prepared food. It should be stratified especially with brains and useful. Down come insensitive ingredients such as rice or legumes, on top of vegetables so that it is not crushed. Dips or dressings you should always carry extra, so the food is not mushy.

Store

Almost all courts hold up 3-4 days in the fridge, fish and seafood are only 1-2 days. Best of all, the finished dishes are put in the fridge immediately after cooling in their boxes. The order of consumption should be selected afterwards, which gets worse faster: First, the dishes with fresh, uncooked foods and fish, boiled or roasted can be stored for a little longer.

In the freezer There is no danger of spoilage, so dishes should be reheated so they can be frozen and then thawed out the night before. Only potatoes, eggs and dairy products should not be frozen.

The best meal-prep recipes from TheFruitAndFlowerBasket Editors

Meal preppers are also on the road in TheFruitAndFlowerBasket editing! Here are three recipes that will make you feel full, healthy and happy through the day!

Bernhard: Start the day with energy

The breakfast for the office must of course be healthy, provide energy and be easy to prepareSince I like to go to work by bike and therefore shove cabbage in the office, I have got used to eating my breakfast in the office. Of course, it has to be healthy, provide energy and be easy to prepare. I therefore prepare it i.d.R. also on the eve in a small plastic box:

ingredients

  • 200g Skyr nature (lots of protein, but little fat!)
  • about 30g oatmeal (tender or pithy, according to taste)
  • a few almonds (so I take 6 to 8)
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1/2 apple (alternatively like berries or other fruit that tastes and fits)

preparation

Skyr, oatmeal and almonds in a plastic can? Layers ?. Cut the half banana into small pieces / cogs and add. Same with the half apple. Alternatively, of course - right now - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries fit!

Preparing breakfast the night before has the advantage that the oatmeal in Skyr absorbs some moisture and softens (but only a little bit).

Then open the office, stir with a spoon and enjoy :)

Emely: Fresh couscous salad for the big hunger

The fresh, delicious couscous salad lasts for a long time and you will not fall into a midday low.At lunch, it's important to me that I'm well saturated, but still do not fall into a midday low. I therefore rely on a full, fresh and light meal. This couscous salad does not get soggy and can be well prepared the day before. Since the couscous just has to swell, he is prepared super fast. You can also cook a larger amount and use the rest as a side dish for other dishes. The ingredients are to be understood as a suggestion and can be varied of course :-)

ingredients

  • about 80g couscous (depending on hunger, these are the filling carbohydrates!)
  • ½ can chickpeas (super vegetable protein source)
  • ½ spring onion
  • fresh herbs or seeds (such as coriander, parsley, pumpkin or sunflower seeds)
  • a few dried tomatoes
  • 100g cocktail tomatoes
  • ½ pepper

For the dressing

  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • pepper
  • dried herbs at will
  • Chilli at will

preparation

  1. Prepare couscous according to the package instructions (if you prefer something spicier, you can use vegetable stock instead of water) and let cool
  2. Drain chickpeas through a sieve and wash
  3. Chop spring onion and dried tomatoes in half, halve cocktail tomatoes, dice paprika
  4. Mix the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl
  5. Add all ingredients and the dressing to the cooled couscous and mix well
  6. Who likes it especially fresh transports fresh herbs or crunchy seeds in an extra container and gives them fresh over the salad only before the consumption? Good Appetite!

Paula: Energy Balls? Healthy snacking

Whether for breakfast or as a snack in between - the Energy Balls give you power and also taste delicious.Who does not know it? Whether as a working person or as a student at university - the more advanced the day, the more tired and exhausted you feel. In this situation, Energy Balls are the perfect alternative to unhealthy chocolate or muesli bars with lots of sugar. The energy balls provide long-lasting energy and are easy to produce and vary in taste with only three basic ingredients. Whether for breakfast or as a snack in between - the Energy Balls give you power and also taste delicious. They are suitable for vegans, raw foodists or just anyone who does not see any contradiction in healthy and delicious ;-)

ingredients

Energy balls can be prepared from these three basic ingredients: dried fruit, nuts and nutmeg. Here are a few ideas for the basic ingredients that you can combine individually.

  • Dried fruits: dates, cranberries, plums, apricots, blueberries, goji berries
  • Nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts, macadamia
  • Nutmeg: almond, peanut, cashew, mixed, hazelnut, coconut, macadamia

In addition, the energy balls can still be encased after preparation with e.g. Chia seeds, coconut flakes, sesame or linseed, making them look even better. Cocoa, spices such as cinnamon and gingerbread spice, or grated orange or lemon peel can be added to the dough.

preparation

For about 10 balls you need 150 g dried fruit, 70 g nuts and 2-3 tablespoons nutmeg. Depending on the consistency of the selected ingredients, the ratio must be slightly adjusted, so that the mass is well malleable in the end.

  1. Mince the nuts in a food processor.
  2. Add the dried fruits and the nutmeg and mix until a well-blended mass is formed, which is a bit sticky.
  3. Form small balls out of the dough.
  4. If desired, cover the finished balls with flakes or seeds.

Personally, I have put together two individual recipes and tried out Energy Balls in two different flavors.

For example, energy balls can be made from dates, almonds and peanuts, and then covered with chia seedsAnother tasty version of the Energy Balls consists of cranberries, hazelnuts and coconut, coated with coconut flakes.

version 1: Dates, almonds and peanuts, coated with chia seeds.

Variant 2: Cranberries, hazelnuts and coconut wrapped in coconut flakes.

Have fun while copying, trying out and snacking!

More meal prep-suitable recipes from TheFruitAndFlowerBasket Community

Rice salad with curry

Chickpea stew with chard

Rice with stems and red lentils

Vegetable soup

Porridge with grated apple and cinnamon

Rice pot with coconut milk and vegetables

Pumpkin and carrot cream soup

Chili sin carne

Pumpkin sweet potato curry

What I Eat In a Day at Work | EASY & Healthy Meals | March 2024