Meal Prepping? Use That Boiling Water For Some Bonus Tea Drinks
Meal prepping may seem a bit overwhelming, but once you get the hang of it, it can save a lot of time during the week, as well as money because you can buy in bulk and save the food, rather than having it go to waste. Knowing what you're going to eat in advance can also reduce the stress of trying to figure out what to eat each day.
To get started, you should plan out what you will eat for the week and buy all of the ingredients you need at once. Starting with a solid plan makes everything faster and simpler. Then, set aside some time to cook large batches of food that can be portioned out and eaten throughout the week. There are some ways to save time as you do this. For one, you can cut your veggies in advance, and you can plan to do extra things that make the process of meal prepping more effective, such as using boiling water for multiple things, like both vegetables and teas.
Making tea for your prepped meals
Doing just a few small things as you meal prep can make a huge difference for your whole week. For example, if you are already boiling water for vegetables or pasta, you can just boil some extra water for making a gallon or two of iced tea to enjoy with your prepped meals.
There are several ways you can make the iced tea, but for a large batch, the simplest way is to boil the water and let it cool for a few minutes, then add the tea bags to a heatproof pitcher. Pour the hot water over the tea and let it steep for 3 to 5 minutes before removing the bags. If you want sweet tea, add sugar or sweetener to taste and stir until dissolved. Then place the pitcher in your fridge and enjoy it during the week with all of your prepared meals. If you want to add a unique twist to your iced tea, try adding herbs, like mint or lavender, for added flavor.
Saving time in other ways as you meal prep
When it comes to meal prepping, utilizing your time wisely and taking those few extra steps can impact your whole week, and boiling extra water for tea isn't the only thing that can make things easier and faster. While you are chopping veggies, you can add in some extras or cut up some fruit to have on-hand for quick, healthy snacks. Take your meal prep plans beyond dinner and chop some lettuce for weekday salads, or cut up some strawberries to have with a breakfast yogurt.
You've no doubt seen the prices on already prepped fruits and veggies in the store, so you know that cutting up the produce yourself can save a lot of money. If you are worried about the produce going bad, you can always freeze it so that you have it for future recipes. For example, some chopped onions and bell peppers would be great to store for future use in soups, stews, or gumbos, and frozen fruit bits are great for making breakfast smoothies.