Are you ready to master the art of meal prepping and save yourself valuable time in the kitchen?

One key aspect of efficient meal preparation is getting your ingredients ready beforehand. That’s why in this blog post, I’ll dive into the do’s and don’ts of ingredient preparation. By incorporating these tips into your routine, you’ll become a pro at ingredient prepping and breeze through your cooking sessions. Let’s dive in!

1. DO plan your meals and make a grocery list

The first step is to plan your meals for the week. Take a few moments to decide what dishes you’ll be cooking. Once you have your meal plan, create a detailed grocery list with all the ingredients you’ll need. This step ensures that you have everything on hand before you begin prepping, saving you last-minute trips to the store.

2. DO wash and dry your produce

When it comes to ingredient preparation, one of the first steps is washing and drying your produce. Rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly to remove any dirt or pesticides. I like to add 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water and let the produce soak before rinsing. Afterward, pat them dry or use a salad spinner to eliminate excess moisture. This step is crucial for maintaining the freshness and quality of your ingredients.

3. DO chop and slice non-sensitive ingredients

Certain ingredients can be prepped in advance by chopping and slicing them. Non-sensitive vegetables like onions, bell peppers, carrots, and celery can be prepared ahead of time. Chop them according to your recipe’s requirements and store them in airtight containers or resealable bags. This way, when it’s time to cook, you’ll save valuable minutes on slicing and dicing.

4. DO ‘cheat’ and take shortcuts to save yourself time

When it comes to ingredient preparation, don’t be afraid to take a few shortcuts to make your life easier. Utilise the convenience of frozen vegetables, which are already washed, chopped, and ready to go. They maintain their nutritional value and are perfect for quick stir-fries, soups, or casseroles. Additionally, take advantage of pre-chopped or pre-prepped ingredients available at your local grocery store. These can include shredded cheese, spice mixes, or even rolled out dough. These shortcuts can significantly reduce your prep time without sacrificing flavour or quality, making your meal prep even more efficient.

5. DO pre-measure dry ingredients

Pre-measuring dry ingredients is a great tactic. Spices, herbs, flour, sugar, and other dry components can be measured and prepared in advance. This eliminates the need to measure them during the actual cooking process and saves you time and effort.

6. DON’T pre-cut delicate or moisture-sensitive Ingredients

While some vegetables can be prepped in advance, there are certain ingredients that should not be pre-cut too early. Delicate herbs, such as basil or cilantro, tend to wilt and lose their flavor quickly once chopped. Similarly, ingredients with high moisture content, like cucumbers or tomatoes, can become mushy if prepared too far in advance. To retain their freshness and texture, it’s best to chop these ingredients just before cooking, or the evening before at the most.

7. DO use a food vacuuming system

If you have one, vacuum sensitive ingredients so they can stay fresh and retain their original texture. This is an easy way to be able to prepare, say, cucumbers and tomatoes as mentioned above.

8. DON’T adopt an all-or-nothing attitude

Just because you are capable of ingredient preparation does not mean you need to meal prep for every single meal that you are cooking. You now have the tools to be able to do so when you feel it’s needed.
I like to do this when I either have limited time to cook dinner, so I’ll prep the ingredients in the morning, or else when I have some spare time on my hands and want to be kind to my future self.

By following these do’s and don’ts of ingredient preparation at home, cooking dinner will becomes a much easier process. With these tips in mind, you’ll be able to save time and enjoy a smoother cooking experience, no matter how busy your evening is!

Love,

Nakita xxx