- In Nigeria, meal prepping is important to cut down on cooking time, save money, reduce food waste and stress
- By planning, staying organised, and being flexible, you can master the art of prepping your meals seamlessly
- Here is a step by step guide on how to prepare your meals for a week
Meal prepping is a strategic way to save time, cut down on food waste, and ensure you're eating healthy meals throughout the week. In Nigeria, where many people have busy schedules and the prices of food keeps rising, prepping meals ahead can make your life easier while also helping you manage your food budget.
Whether you're a professional, a student, or a parent, this guide will help you plan meals that are both realistic and easy to prepare using locally available ingredients.
- Plan your menu
One important part of meal prepping is having a plan. Decide what meals you want to prepare for the week ahead. Think about breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but keep it simple so you don’t overwhelm yourself. For instance, for breakfast, you could plan for Oats with fruits, Akara and pap, egg sandwiches, boiled yam with egg sauce. For lunch or dinner, Jollof rice with chicken, vegetable soup with eba or fufu, spaghetti with tomato sauce, beans and plantain, yam pottage, stir-fry noodles with beef or chicken, moi moi with stew.
- Create a shopping list
Once you have your menu, make a list of all the ingredients you'll need for the week. Here’s an example; Rice, yam, spaghetti, noodles, beans, garri, chicken, beef, eggs, fish, beans, tomatoes, pepper, onions, spinach (ugwu), bell peppers, carrots, green beans, and other essentials like palm oil, vegetable oil, seasoning cubes, salt and spices.
When shopping, prioritise buying ingredients in bulk, like rice and garri, as these tend to be cheaper. Seasonal vegetables are also more affordable and fresher, so go for what's available in your local market.
- Set aside time for prep
Pick a day that works best for you to do all your cooking for the week. Many people prefer Sundays. Set aside about four to five hours for cooking and packaging. Ensure you have enough storage containers to store the meals properly in your fridge or freezer.
- Start with the staples
Cook your staples like rice, yam, and beans in large batches. For example, cook enough rice for three to four meals. You can vary it by making plain white rice, jollof rice, or fried rice. Prepare a large pot of beans for porridge, or make it simple and pair it with stew or sauce later in the week. You can also boil or cut yam slices and store them in containers for quick reheating or frying.
- Make your sauces and soups
Most Nigerian meals revolve around stews or sauces, so making a big pot can go a long way.
You can make a large pot of stew that can be used for rice, beans, yam, or even as a sauce for spaghetti. Also prepare soups like efo riro, Ehusi, okra soup or edikang ikong. These soups freeze well and can be reheated and eaten with with eba, fufu, or rice.
- Portion and store
After cooking, allow the food to cool slightly before portioning it into airtight containers. You can store akara batter so you can fry fresh Akara during the week. Store your soups, stews, and grains in individual portions. Use smaller containers if you’re planning to take them to work or school. Label the containers if needed, and keep track of what needs to be eaten first. Place perishable items like salads or fresh fruits in easy-to-grab containers to encourage healthy snacking.
- Reheat and eat
When it's time to eat, simply reheat your prepped meals. Here are some quick reheating tips:
You can make use of a microwave or simply reheat in a pot with your gas cooker. Add a little water to rice and soups when reheating to restore moisture to the food. For raw yam slices, you can fry them and reheat boiled yam in a microwave or cooker.
Sapa lifestyle: How to eat healthily without breaking budget
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported on how Nigerians can eat healthy balanced diets and not compromise on nutrition amid the country’s inflation.
Buying in bulk, prepping meals in advance, growing a garden and buying fresh foods are some of the ways you can eat healthy on a budget.