The best way to make easy and quick meals is by preparing ingredients beforehand. Meal prepping can make cooking three meals a day seem less overbearing. The key to meal prepping is to get the big tasks like marinating meat and cutting veggies out of the way.
Getting these things out of the way makes the cooking process take less time. It also ensures you and your kids have something healthy and good to eat when you aren't feeling well. You can prepare your meals beforehand for about a week to ensure the food stays fresh.
Here are 18 quick & easy meal ideas for parents to prepare and serve their kids that they'll love.
1. Prepare Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are a part of almost any meal. It's best to cut and store vegetables in airtight containers as soon as you buy them so they don’t go bad waiting to be used. This helps cut down cooking time. Vegetables like celery, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, cabbage, radish, and carrots can be prepared beforehand.
2. Fried Rice
You can mix almost anything into rice to make a delicious meal. Tuna, veggies, sauces, meat—you name it. An easy way to meal prep fried rice is to cut some scallions and veggies beforehand. You can also cook some seasoned chicken and store it in the fridge for up to a week.
Some people prefer using leftover rice because it tastes better, so you can also cook the rice beforehand as well. All you have to do is mix it all!
3. Marinate Meats
Chicken is the easiest meat to work with. You can marinate chicken pieces with spicy seasoning and cook them when you need to, or cook the chicken and leave it in the fridge until your next busy day. Lightly seasoned chicken can also be shredded to make sandwiches or creamy chicken fillings for bread. The same goes for beef and lamb as well.
Depending on the marination, the meat can be used in burgers, soups, sandwiches, with rice, or eaten in Korean BBQ style with lettuce.
4. Sandwiches
Sandwiches are a lifesaver! They are filling and easy to make. You can make various sandwich fillings and store them in the fridge for later. If you aren't a meat fan, you can make open sandwiches instead with lettuce, avocado, or eggs.
5. Salsa and Dips
Salsa and dips are easy to make, and are delicious when it comes to eating! You can store them in the fridge for up to seven days for ultimate freshness. Dips are great for veggies, and salsa can be topped with nacho chips and cheese. It can also be used in tacos, or eaten with a spoon.
Check the Irresistible Dip Recipe By Julie Banner Here!
Ingredients
2 cups sour cream
2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon parsley
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion flakes
1 teaspoon seasoning
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
8 ounces mozzarella shredded
Instructions
Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley, garlic powder, onion flakes, seasoning, parmesan cheese, and sugar.
Fold in mozzarella cheese.
Refrigerate for 2+ hours.
Serve with vegetables and or crackers.
Homemade Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
8 Tomatoes
1 Jalapeno or green chili
2 Small Onions
1 tsp Garlic paste
1 tsp Cumin
1 ½ tsp Garlic Powder
1 ½ tsp Onion Powder
2 tbsp Italian herbs
1 tsp Salt and Pepper
1 tbsp Lemon juice
Instructions
Boil the tomatoes in a pot of water until the skin peels off.
Blend them in a blender with the onions and jalapeno until desired chunkiness.
Add garlic paste into a pot with oil and cook for three minutes.
Then add the tomato mixture into the pot and add seasoning.
Cook until most of the water evaporates.
Top with green olives, and cheese, and eat with salsa chips.
6. Soup Kit
Chop the carrots, celery, mushrooms, scallions, tofu, and any other desired soup ingredients in a large airtight container. You can also add your seasoning and sauces to the container, and chuck in two chicken or vegetable stock cubes.
Use within three days. Pour the ingredients into a pan with four cups of water and cook until the vegetables are soft. Add preferred noodles and cook until they are ready. Enjoy.
7. Burrito Bowls
Burrito bowls are similar to fried rice in the sense that you can put almost anything in them. Take out that leftover rice that’s been sitting in the back of the fridge and top it with some canned beans, tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, and a creamy sauce or salsa.
8. Seasoned Tofu
Tofu can be used as a base in literally anything. Season the tofu with your preferred seasoning. Bake it, Fry it–just don’t burn it. Tofu can be used in soups, salads, curries, sandwiches, wraps, and rice.
9. Something Sweet
Have you ever craved a sweet dessert after eating, but not had enough energy to make something? You can freeze cookie batter and just pop the cookies in the oven wherever you are hungry. Make the cookie batter and roll the cookies into balls. Place the cookies in a container lined with parchment paper and freeze for up to three months.
10. Salads
Almost anything can be a salad–there’s pasta salad, potato salad, spinach salad, lettuce salad, you name it. Find whatever you have readily available in your fridge or pantry and make a delicious salad!
11. Tuna Melt Mix
Chop an onion, some celery, pickles, and parsley. Mix them in a bowl with some flaked canned tuna. Add some mayo, chilli flakes, lemon, salt, and pepper. Store in the fridge for up to a week. When it’s time to eat, spread the mixture over some bread and top it with a slice of cheese. Grill and enjoy.
12. Frozen Dumplings, Perogies, and Rolls
Find your favourite dumpling, pierogi or spring roll recipe. It can be just mixed veggies or a chicken mixture. Make the mixture beforehand and save it in the fridge or freezer to use later.
It may be easier to use, wrappers or dough, but preparing the filling beforehand might give you extra time to make fresh dough, which tastes better. You can almost go the extra mile and fill the dumplings and freeze them so all you have to do later on is cook them.
13. Fruit Bowl Mix
Cut apples, bananas, grapes, melon, and oranges and mix store-bought a bowl. You can also add fresh berries. You can eat it as it is, or add ¼ cup orange juice and a little spice to give it a surprisingly delicious kick.
14. Hard Boiled Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs are great for those morning melons, you feel nauseous but still, need to eat. Boiled eggs are good for an upset stomach. They can be boiled and eaten throughout the day as a nice and easy snack.
15. Potatoes Cutlets
Potato cutlets can be eaten with a spoon and sauce, or made into sandwiches. They are yummy and simple to make. You can also freeze them for a few months and use them whenever you can’t think of anything else to make.
Check the Potato Cutlets Recipe By The Interesting Pie Here!
Ingredients
3 Large or 5 Small Potatoes
1 Tbsp Coriander Powder
1 Tbsp Red Chili Powder
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tsp Ground Cumin
¼ cup Coriander
1 Small Onion Chopped
1 Small Green Chili
Instructions
Peel and boil the potatoes.
Mash them and add all the ingredients together until evenly combined.
Take some of the mixtures in your hands and flatten them into small disks, about ½ inch thick.
Dip in a beaten egg and fry on both sides until they are slightly brown.
Enjoy with a sauce or in a sandwich.
16. Hummus
Hummus can be used in wraps, as a dip, for eggs, and falafel, and Hard-boiled when in salads. Mixture paste, P.S., homemade hummus tastes way better and can be stored for up to four days. It’s also really filling.
17. Tortillas
Homemade tortillas only require a few ingredients like flour, salt, baking powder, oil, and water. They taste a lot fresher and can also be frozen for up to two months. Just pull them out of the freezer in the morning before dinner time and you’re all set to go!
18. Shami Kebab
Like potato cutlets, Shami Kebabs are great for eating by themselves or in a sandwich. They can also be frozen for a few months as well. Here’s a great recipe by Teafortumeric Here!
Takeaway
Preparing the base for your food like vegetables and meats can make the cooking feel less of a burden. By prepping your meals beforehand, you can make these delicious recipes in no time. It also ensures you and your kids have something healthy and good to eat when you are busy. It is easier for parents who are swamped with work to try these quick and easy meal ideas. You will thank us when your kids love your cooked meal.
Really helpful. Thanks for sharing