Eating healthy can be cost-effective when you cook in bulk and freeze or otherwise preserve the food. Spaghetti meat sauce, jambalaya, orange chicken, protein waffles, green chili, guacamole, chutney, dumplings, pulled meat in a hoard of flavors, whatever type of food you like there are recipes where the bulk of the ingredients or meal freezes well. You can even add fresh produce the day you eat it if you choose to.
Readily available healthy meals make it easier to stick to a healthy diet, save money, and focus on your goals whether you are single or have a dozen mouths to feed. You can still cook 100% fresh meals when you feel like it or go out to eat when you choose to. Some dishes are only good fresh. However, cooking and going out to eat only when you choose to can make it more enjoyable.
The steps are simple:
- Cook in bulk (double, triple, or even quadruple your recipe).
- Put meal size portions into freezer-safe containers. I prefer both freezer-safe and oven-safe glass.
- Let them cool a bit in the fridge, then put them in the freezer.
- Take your meal out of the freezer and put it in the fridge to thaw the night before you reheat it to save on cooking time. That’s it.
What’s great is that you can make your lunch for the next day while you’re waiting for dinner to heat up. Since they are portioned into meal-size containers you don’t need to eat the same thing multiple days in a row unless you want to.
Life can be unpredictable and exhausting. Having healthy meals that are stovetop or oven-ready is a game changer. You’ll make a few mistakes, but keep it fun and stay positive. Once you get the swing of it, a spare freezer with a month or two of prepared meals boosts the variety. Remember water expands as it freezes so leave a little space at the top of the container before you put it in the freezer. Buy staple ingredients that store well in bulk when they are on sale, such as rice, flour, beans, spices, etc. Some have a bi-monthly cooking day where they cook enough food for two months in a single day and enjoy the rest of their time focusing on other things. There are tons of free YouTube videos and blogs specializing in healthy bulk cooking. Search for a healthy or healthy version of a food you like.
You can dive deep into food prep and storage with vacuum sealing, canning, gardening, freeze drying, etc. Which is great if you enjoy this lifestyle. But making freezer friendly meals in bulk is definitely beginner friendly. Be sure to look for non-toxic, freezer-safe containers. Consider oven-safe containers if you want to reheat the meal in the same container (fewer dishes to clean).
These ideas can apply to more than cooking meals.
If you are going through a very busy time and decide to hit the easy button and order dinner for a few nights. Can you buy extra and freeze the rest to lower the cost per serving?
If you are ordering dinner delivered every night, would a subscription to a meal delivery service be a healthier and more cost-effective option than your current choices?
Remember it’s about taking steps that will work for you and your situation. The small choices we make each day add up. Enjoy the process and feel good about your progress.