Eight days ago, you were all ‘new year, new me’ but just over a week into 2020, you might be slipping back into your old habits.
It’s easy to go back to eating out, ordering takeaway and wasting money.
But one mum says that batch cooking all her meals is the key to not spending too much and still saving lots of time.
Jenn Carnaby, 33, a probation officer from Manchester, started meal prepping when she joined Slimming World, and has soon made the money-saving exercise part of her weekly routine.
Now, she spends an afternoon cooking all her meals at once, portioning them up in plastic dishes with sides and when she comes home, all she has to do is heat them up.
The mum-of-three told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: ‘I have been meal prepping now for around three months. I started as I joined Slimming World and found it difficult to stick to the plan while working full time.
‘I make all sorts! Chicken or beef curry, spaghetti bolognese, cottage pie, chilli, sweet potato curry, vegetable stew and so much more. Anything that is freezable I will turn into a meal!’
Meal planning and bulk cooking everything on her chosen day of the week saves her around £100 a month.
She added: ‘I spend one day a week, normally Sunday, and bulk cook everything. Firstly the rice, pasta, mash or whatever is going with the meal, then the main meal itself, then the vegetables.
‘Meal prepping is fantastic as when you get home from work and want a home-cooked meal but don’t have the time then you can just pick an already cooked meal from the freezer. When you work full time and have kids anything that saves time to ensure you all eat a healthy meal is always a winner in my eyes.
‘We save a great deal by meal-prepping as it removes the last-minute takeaway option. Also, there is less food wastage with things going off in the fridge as I do my shopping on the Saturday and prep on the Sunday.
‘When we don’t meal prep then we can spend up to £50 a week on nipping to the shop for bits each day, so we can save between £80 and £100 a month by prepping.
‘I normally spend about £30 to £35 depending on if I am prepping for me and my partner or all of us including the kids. If they have clubs or after school things then I tend to not prep for the kids as they eat elsewhere.
‘To fit it all in, we have a chest freezer in the shed. If we are low on space then I only prep a few days at a time or prep the main meal in bulk and then cook the sides like rice, pasta or salad the day we eat it.’
For Jenn, being organised is the key part of making it work.
She added: ‘Plan your meals, write down a shopping list and don’t put it off! It will save you so much time further down the line.
‘Buy good microwaveable and dishwasher-friendly trays – Amazon do some fantastic prepping trays for anyone that is looking to start.
‘It feels satisfying and good knowing that your meals are ready for the week, whether it be dinners for work or tea for the family.
‘As I’m the only member of the family doing Slimming World, it also makes me feel confident that I can stick to the plan if the family decide to eat out or have a takeaway.’
Do you have tips on how to save money? How do you make cooking lots of meals easier? Let us know at metrolifestyleteam@metro.co.uk.
If you want more tips and tricks on saving money, as well as chat about cash and alarms on deals and discounts, join Money Pot, our new Facebook group.
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