Meal prep service: any advice?

[Madon2234]

Hi all

I am doing my Masters here in Canada and I find it very much difficult to cooking on a daily basis because of my tight schedule. I have a part time job and I am also engaged in fitness activities too. I would like to know about meal-prep service and, details like how much does it cost, How should I keep those meals safely in the fridge etc.. Hope you can help me in this..

 

Thank you

Madon

Edited July 25, 2023 by Smithy
Adjusted title for clarity (log)

[Smithy]

3 hours ago, Madon2234 said:

Hi all

I am doing my Masters here in Canada and I find it very much difficult to cooking on a daily basis because of my tight schedule. I have a part time job and I am also engaged in fitness activities too. I would like to know about meal-prep service and, details like how much does it cost, How should I keep those meals safely in the fridge etc.. Hope you can help me in this..

 

Thank you

Madon

 

Where in Canada are you? The services available to you will be very different in, say, Toronto or Vancouver than they would be in, say, Dryden or Sioux Lookout.

 

There's been a lot of discussion of meal prep kits, or food delivery services, in this topic: Imperfect, Misfits, etc. (the Food Delivery Services). 

[Tropicalsenior]

My favorite helpers for quick meals are zip top bags, a Sharpie pen, a flat plastic tray, and a microwave oven. I make up enough sauce ingredients for several meals and then freeze it in the bags on a flat tray so that they can be stacked in the freezer. Then all you have to do is pull out an envelope of sauce, defrost it and add your vegetables or protein. You can even make up quite a bit of protein, meat, chicken, whatever and freeze it then just defrost the sauce sauce and add your protein. When you have time you can cook a full dish and make enough for three or four meals and freeze the rest in plastic bags. Then you have enough to pull out of the freezer and have a full meal. Just remember to label your bags before you put anything in them.

Sometimes when you are cooking for one a full can of anything is just too much. Just put the other half in a bag and freeze it and you have it ready for another meal.

If you are really lucky you might be able to find a small plastic container that will fit in your freezer and will work almost like a small filing cabinet for your food envelopes. When you have that full you are set up for quite a few meals.

[Tropicalsenior]

I have a chest top freezer and I feel that I am set up for about anything.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Tropicalsenior (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

@Tropicalsenior   LOVE your bins.    Perfect for your baggies.

[Tropicalsenior]

2 minutes ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

@Tropicalsenior   LOVE your bins.    Perfect for your baggies.

It came with the freezer. It couldn't have been better if I had designed it myself. I'm a storage container freak and all my freezers have bins and boxes.

By having Frozen components ready, I can pull and combine ingredients any way I want to and I only have to shop once a week.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Tropicalsenior (log)

[Tropicalsenior]

@Madon2234 another word of advice that might help. Always keep A well-stocked pantry. Make a list of what you use all the time and always have it in your cupboards. When you use it up, replace it the next time that you shop. There is nothing more frustrating than having a short time to cook something and then find out that you don't have everything that you need.

[blue_dolphin]

7 hours ago, Madon2234 said:

Hi all

I am doing my Masters here in Canada and I find it very much difficult to cooking on a daily basis because of my tight schedule. I have a part time job and I am also engaged in fitness activities too. I would like to know about meal-prep service and, details like how much does it cost, How should I keep those meals safely in the fridge etc.. Hope you can help me in this..

 

Thank you

Madon

 

I'll second @Smithy's suggestion that narrowing down your area from Canada to something more specific might yield more specific recommendations.  

In addition to the topic on food delivery that she mentioned, there's another topic, Cooking from Meal Kits (Hello Fresh, Purple Carrot, Gousto, and so on that might be of interest to you.

 

Do you want to do some prep and cooking or do you want something that just needs to be warmed up? The former type will give you more options to modify the meals to your own taste but the later will save time.

You don't mention whether you are arranging meals for just yourself or not.   Many of the meal-prep services are geared for 2 or 4 servings so a singleton needs to be prepared to eat leftovers and may not be able to consume a standard delivery while everything is fresh. 

[AlaMoi]

our oldest daughter - who had / has an incredibly hectic unpredictable schedule . . . used them for quite some time.

realize:  they basically save you the shopping time, and to a much smaller degree, prep time.

seasonings/etc are pre-measured, open & dump.  that, somehow, is faster than dipping a measuring spoon into the jar . . .

 

all the "stuff" still has to be cooked.  it's not like it all arrives piping hot on a plate.

 

I worked out some 'on paper' stuff for her - planning docs/forms she can print out 'on demand'

once a week shopping, written down "meal plan" _and_ planning sheet.

shop/buy/divide/refrigerate/freeze . . .

stick with the plan, work the plan, next day/next two days thaw needs noted in the 'today' block.

she found it to be much easier and much more flexible than having a box of frozen stuff on the door step that "must be dealt with immediately"

 

i.e. you can buy a steak at the supermarket, cut it in half, freeze one - eat one.  yes - it does require some thinking / planning and 2-3 hours of "prep for all next week" - if one has no possibility to exploit a 2-3 hour "free" block of time in the week, a 'meal-on-the-hoof' delivery is useful.

but, after a while, it all tastes the same.

 

granted - some people are more adapted to planning & detailing.  basically DYI "meal kits" - being retired with time to spare for any thing needed . . . I still use a weekly plan - noting in the 'today block' stuff that needs thawing for 1-2-3 days out - and noting dishes that (for two) 'generates left overs'

[Madon2234]

On 7/25/2023 at 5:40 PM, Smithy said:

 

Where in Canada are you? The services available to you will be very different in, say, Toronto or Vancouver than they would be in, say, Dryden or Sioux Lookout.

 

There's been a lot of discussion of meal prep kits, or food delivery services, in this topic: Imperfect, Misfits, etc. (the Food Delivery Services). 

Hi I am in Vancouver area

[Madon2234]

On 7/25/2023 at 8:33 PM, Tropicalsenior said:

@Madon2234 another word of advice that might help. Always keep A well-stocked pantry. Make a list of what you use all the time and always have it in your cupboards. When you use it up, replace it the next time that you shop. There is nothing more frustrating than having a short time to cook something and then find out that you don't have everything that you need.

Thank you for the valuable advice! I appreciate your suggestion to maintain a well-stocked pantry and keep a list of essential items. I'll make sure to follow your advice and ensure that I have everything I need on hand for hassle-free cooking.

[Mike.12lu]

Hey,

 

i don't know if it's has already been say but i think you should get your meal ready like the week-end you cook everything for the week and then you just put in the freezer or in the fridge and you can cook one meal for 2 lunch/dinner. Personnally it's what i do.

[ybot123]

Same here I like to batch cook 2 or 3 recipes over the weekend, and put them in the fridge. You can even do it for soups and broths too. My favourites are usually vegan lasagne, stir-fries and casseroles.