There are all types of meal prep and some people are looking for an easy and quick process, half meal prep is a great option. Only having to cook half of a meal can save you hours plus it’s much easier and you can incorporate a wide range of flavors. In half/microwave meal prep consider pre-cooked proteins, steamer bags, and instant rice as key components in the recipes. Many of these options are just as healthy as if you made it yourself. Frozen options can last months so you don’t have to worry about shelf life either.
Convenience and ease are the name of the game for delicious microwave meal prep. Work in these different foods into your meal planning and you’ll be able to whip up meals super quick and create well balanced, versatile dinners. A quick veggie side or cup of instant rice to put with the rest of your meal can dramatically improve the quality of the meal.
Sauces, Dressings, Seasoning Packets
Microwave meal prep is often reliant on the sauces, dressings, or seasonings you choose. Unlike cooking from scratch, you don’t have the time to pack the flavors in. That being said, most ready-to-eat meals these days taste pretty good even without tons of sodium. Using pre-made sauces, marinades, dressings, and seasoning packets can transform a meal.
- Key Sauces: Pre-made sauces like marinara, teriyaki, curry, and pesto are ideal for drizzling over grains, proteins, or veggies. Read the labels for sugar and sodium levels, even calories. Sauces can be one of the most unhealthy parts of a meal.
- Seasoning Blends: Ready-to-use spice mixes, such as Italian seasoning, taco seasoning, ranch seasoning, or Cajun blends, are great for a lot of applications and provide depth to an otherwise bland meal. You may want to start out with a little and increase overtime. Even if you love the spice blend, too much can ruin the balance of the other flavors.
- Key Dressings: Use pre-made dressings for salads or as marinades for added flavor. Tahini, balsamic vinaigrette, cilantro lime, caribbean jerk or yogurt-based dressings work well across a variety of dishes. A little marinade on top as you reheat the protein or veggies can be delicious with very few calories if you choose healthy options.
Ready-Made Bases
Tortillas, pizza crusts, pitas, and so much more can add needed nutrients to the meal and transform it. Instead of a salad, make a wrap. With little to no additional work you can dramatically change the way you eat the meal, the flavor, and the entire experience. These days it’s easy to find low calorie, high fiber, or gluten free options so you don’t have to worry about avoiding carbs or unnecessary calories.
If you use fully-cooked proteins, you can easily microwave meal prep with a little added veggies and sauce in a tortilla. A Wrap in under two minutes. This approach is incredibly versatile and if you find yourself getting tired of recipes quickly, this is a quick and easy way to pivot without throwing out an entire set of weekly meals.
You can also use cauliflower substitutes. Cauliflower pizza crust, rice, and more for a more nutritious option while pretty much tasting the same.
Fully-Cooked Proteins
These days there are a lot of options for frozen or refrigerated fully-cooked proteins. It used to be that you could only find low-grade, breaded chicken that didn’t have a great texture and it was unhealthy. Now you can find grilled chicken and lightly battered fried chicken with much less fat and sodium. Turkey meatballs and shrimp are also great options. It’s so easy to take them and pop them in the microwave or air fryer and with basically no work you have a delicious protein to go with your meal.
You can also find refrigerated proteins as well. Pulled pork, grilled chicken or turkey, and this can be sauced or sauceless depending on your diet.
Instant Rice & Steamer Bags
Instant or 90 second rice microwave meal prep rice is a perfect option for quick and convenient. It’s not going to be as tasty or affordable as making your own rice but it’ll come out consistent every time. It’s hard to beat the ease and speed. We usually keep a bag of it in the pantry just in case.
Steamer veggie bags have been popular for a while. They’re perfect to keep in the freezer just in case you need a quick side. Depending on the type you get, whether it’s sauceless, it can be a very healthy addition, that is quick and easy.
Pre-Washed and Pre-Cut Fresh Produce
Meal prep can be sped up with pre-washed and pre-cut veggies or fruit. For a little extra cost, you can make dinner much easier. It’s not necessarily recommended for every meal but if you need help preparing food then you should definitely consider this option.
Microwave meal prep or half meal prep is a fantastic way to cover the nights when you just don’t feel like cooking. It’s still cheaper than eating out and healthier than a frozen meal.
