Simplified Indian Kitchen: 6 Stress-Free Meal Prep Ideas for Busy Moms
Hey there, fellow busy moms! I get it, juggling work, family, and everyday life can leave us with little time and energy to cook.
But fear not, because I’ve got some easy meal prep ideas to make your life much easier.
These tips aren’t just about saving time; they’re about keeping your family well-fed with healthy, home-cooked meals throughout the week without breaking the bank or losing your sanity.
I. How to Plan Everyday Indian Meals:
Ever drooled over those mouthwatering Indian thali meals on Instagram?
Well, I’ve got a secret for you:
Meal Prep is the key to enjoying delicious home-cooked meals every day, just like those thali feasts.
- Start by thinking about your weekly menu.
- Make notes outlining the meal prep details for every dish.
- Create a grocery shopping list to make life easier.
- Knock out your grocery shopping over the weekend.
I know it might seem like a lot at first, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, you won’t have to stress about dinner, lunchboxes, or breakfast during the week.
II. How to Start Meal Prep:
Let’s take baby steps here. Start with one meal that feels like a real pain — maybe it’s breakfast, dinner, or packing lunches.
Then, as you get the hang of it, gradually tackle all the meals of the week.
Set some reminders during that first week of meal prep.
For example, if you’re starting with breakfast, set a reminder for Sunday night to prep for the week’s breakfasts.
Handpick recipes that are easy to follow and execute on busy weekdays.
You can level up to more complex dishes later.
III. Must-Have Meal Prep Tools:
I’ve got some favourite meal prep tools that I hope you’ll find as handy as I do.
Glass Box Set: Perfect for storing everything from boiled lentils and salads to chopped veggies and fruits.
Mason Jars: Great for keeping salads, fruits, overnight oats, or anything you need for a grab-and-go meal.
Ziplock Bags: Lifesavers when it comes to storing chopped onion, garlic, and fruits for smoothies or green veggies.
IV. Meal Prep Ideas for Indian Kitchen:
- Freezer-Friendly Indian Curry Paste:
Making a tasty Indian curry after a long day at work can be a real challenge. It often feels like hours of labour.
That’s where these DIY Indian curry pastes come to the rescue.
Whip them up over the weekend, and they stay fresh for up to a week.
They’re one of my top easy meal prep ideas for Indian cooking.
2) Cutting & Preparing Ingredients:
Indian cooking often requires a lot of chopping and prep work.
Here are some shortcuts:
- Chop a small batch of onion, ginger, and tomato and keep them in the fridge.
- Peel and chop veggies like bottle gourd, pumpkin, carrots, and cauliflower for the first few days of the week.
- Clean and store green leafy veggies like fenugreek, spinach, kale, lettuce, mint, and coriander in ziplock bags.
- Cut and freeze fresh fruits like mangoes, bananas, strawberries, and kiwi for quick smoothies.
3) Cook & Store:
Having some pre-cooked ingredients and side dishes ready can be a game-changer:
- Boil a big batch of potatoes — they’ll come in handy for breakfast, curry, sandwiches, and snacks.
- Boil and store lentils and legumes like chickpeas, red kidney beans, and brown chickpeas for salads and Indian main courses.
- Prepare side dishes like matar pulao, jeera rice, or plain rice to serve with dal and gravies.
- Make extra servings of dishes like dal fry or Rajasthani Kadhi to reheat on busy days.
- Have spinach puree on hand for poori, paratha, or spinach egg curry.
Marinate proteins like paneer, tofu, chicken, cauliflower, and prawns for quick stir-fries or tikkas. - Boil and store noodles, pasta, couscous, quinoa, or brown rice for a variety of dishes.
- Prepare whole wheat dough for chapati or paratha and keep it handy.
- Make dosa batter, dal chilla, or besan chilla batter and store it for a week in the fridge.
4) Takeaway Salad Jars:
On Sunday night, layer up all your salad ingredients in a mason jar, pack the dressing separately, and keep them in the fridge.
Grab a jar in the morning for a healthy homemade lunch, even on the busiest days.
You can do the same with smoothies, milkshakes, overnight oats, soups, or any meal in a jar.
5) Ready To Use Indian Condiments:
We use loads of herbs, spices, and chutney in Indian cooking.
Here’s how to save time:
- Keep peeled garlic, ginger, and washed green chillies in a container in the fridge.
- Clean, wash and pat dry fresh coriander leaves in a ziplock bag or an airtight container with a paper towel lining.
- Prepare condiments like green chutney, coconut chutney, tomato chutney, and pickled onions to serve with snacks and breakfast. You can also make versatile dips like hummus and salsa.
- Make a batch of ginger-garlic paste — it’ll add a ton of flavour to your dishes and save you money.
6) Recycle Leftovers:
Leftovers are gold! Don’t let them go to waste.
Get creative:
- Transform plain rice into fried rice, coconut rice, or lemon rice.
- Use roasted or grilled chicken to make sandwiches, salads, or biryani.
- The leftover idli from breakfast can become chilli idli fry or idli Manchurian.
- Turn leftover paneer tikka into a colourful tawa paneer pulao.
Use leftover veggies to make vegetable stock. - Leftover yellow dal can become Punjabi dal paratha or missa paratha.
Meal prep isn’t just about saving time; it’s about making life as a working mom a whole lot easier.
Give these ideas a try, and you’ll find yourself enjoying delicious, nutritious meals without the stress.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What is the best food for meal prepping?
The best foods for meal prepping are those that are versatile, have a longer shelf life, and can be easily portioned and reheated. Staples like rice, quinoa, and pasta serve as a great base.
Lean proteins such as chicken, tofu, or beans, along with a variety of vegetables, can be prepared in various ways and combined to create balanced and nutritious meals.
Additionally, items like nuts, seeds, and healthy sauces or dressings can add flavour and nutrition to your prepped dishes.
2. How to plan a meal prep?
To plan your meal prep effectively, start by selecting recipes that you want to prepare for the week.
Create a meal calendar outlining which meals you’ll have each day. Then, make a shopping list of all the ingredients needed for those recipes, and do your grocery shopping over the weekend to ensure you have everything on hand.
Finally, allocate a specific time for meal prepping, whether it’s on a Sunday afternoon or any other convenient day, and follow your plan to prepare and store your meals for the week ahead.
3. How do I plan the menu for the meal prep?
To plan a menu for meal prep, start by considering your dietary preferences, nutritional goals, and the number of meals you need to prepare.
Next, choose a variety of recipes that can be easily batch-cooked and portioned. Make a list of ingredients, and schedule specific days for meal prepping and cooking.
It’s also helpful to select recipes that use overlapping ingredients to minimize waste and save time.
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