Let’s Talk About Ingredient Prepping
Across our social media accounts we talk a lot about “ingredient prepping”. After all, it is a very ADHD-friendly way to cook. But what does ingredient prepping really mean? And why should you start doing it immediately?
What is ingredient prepping
Ingredient prepping is similar to meal prepping however the focus is on preparing individual ingredients ahead of time rather than full meals.
For example, if you chop a bunch of vegetables on a Sunday, you can use them in multiple dishes throughout the week by just grabbing them out of the fridge rather than having to take the time to chop them up every time you cook
What is the benefit of ingredient prepping
There are 3 main benefits to ingredient prepping:
It saves you time during the week. At the end of a long day at work, it is so hard to find the energy to cook a healthy meal from scratch. However, if all of your ingredients are already prepared, you can just throw your ingredients into a pan to have a nice meal ready in under 20 minutes! It is so much quicker and easier!
It is more versatile than meal prepping. When you meal prep you’re committing to eating the meal you already made, but sometimes on Thursday you want something different than you thought you might want on Sunday. With ingredient prepping you can make a bunch of different meals with different flavor profiles using the same base ingredients.
It saves you money. You know how it goes; you buy a bunch of vegetables, they go in the drawer in your fridge, and you slowly watch them wither away because you don’t have the energy to chop them up and cook them tonight. The vegetables get thrown out, and so does your money! But if they’re already chopped, it’s so easy to just grab them and throw them into a dish, ensuring that you actually use them!
Easy ways to start ingredient prepping
Protein:
You can cook any protein with some basic seasonings (salt, pepper, etc). Then, you can easily grab a handful of this protein to throw into lunches and dinners by reheating it with some meal-specific flavorings. For example, cook a sheet pan full of chicken at the beginning of the week, this way you can add it to salads or sandwiches throughout the week!
Vegetables:
Chopping vegetables is the easiest and most rewarding ingredient prepping there is. So many meals require the same base vegetables like onions, garlic, and carrots. Chop or mince a bunch of these ahead of time so you can just get out a portion of them to cook with each night.
Try roasting a bunch of veggies on a sheet pan to throw into meals throughout the week like salads, sandwiches, or protein bowls!
Fruits:
You can ingredient prep with berries by washing and drying them before storing them in an airtight container with a paper towel. This makes them easy to just grab out and eat whenever you want, but it will also make them last longer in the fridge!
Grains:
Make a large pot of quinoa at the beginning of the week. You can then use it as the base of a protein bowl, a topper for salads, or in wraps.
The best part about ingredient prepping is that you can mix and match your prepped ingredients. If you’ve ingredient prepped quinoa, roasted veggies, and chicken, you can throw them all together with a sauce of your choice for a quick and delicious protein bowl in under 5 minutes!
Start small by just ingredient prepping your most commonly used ingredient and see if it makes a difference for you! And if you’re looking for a quick and easy recipe to try this week, try our Cauliflower Fried Rice!
