One of our weekly meal prep suggestions in HNK Lunchbox is to Prepare 1-2 protein options (such as our weekly meat prep) at the start of each week. This not only saves you time, but MONEY too!
At HNK we encourage avoiding processed meats wherever possible. We know they are easy and convenient options for families and we believe in balance, but these are foods we can easily replace with home-prepared options (where we know ALL ingredients). And the best part: it really isn't as time consuming or complicated as you might think!
In our recent youtube video we take you through exactly how we prepare, bake and store our meat once prepared for the week (or month if frozen) ahead.
In the video you'll find instructions for the following meat meal prep:
- Shredded chicken
- Baked chicken
- Turkey (or alternative) meatballs
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/zxlAi64gBzs
Once prepared, place half in the fridge for the first half of the week and half in the freezer for the second half of the week (or upcoming family meals). Remove from the freezer the night before, defrost in the fridge and voila, your protein option is ready in the morning for the day ahead! If you prefer vegetarian sources of protein we suggest planning these at the start of the week so that you can vary the types of protein your child is receiving at other meal times. We have plenty of protein-rich vegetarian recipes in Her Nourished Kids recipe book and our guide, HNK Lunchbox!
If you choose to add meat to the lunchbox ensure it remains as cold as possible.
