Meal prep ideas: Mum shares how she cooked 65 meals in just two hours

A savvy mum has prepared a staggering 65 meals in just two hours to last her an entire week. 

Kaitie Purssell, from Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, who’s been dubbed the ‘queen of meal prepping’, made a selection of delicious dishes complete with snacks and fresh fruit on the side. 

In 2020 the mum-of-two lost 21kg after giving birth and has used her skills to keep the weight off. 

‘Meal prep doesn’t have to be huge or take all day to be effective!’ Kaitie told The Healthy Mummy.

The busy mum believes meal prepping for the week on Sundays doesn’t need to take an excessive amount of time to be effective 

In 2020 she lost 21kg through meal prepping soon after giving birth (pictured before and after)

Kaitie was able to cook the large quantity of meals because a lot of the dishes contained the same ingredients.  

On this occasion, she made eight serves of Spanick turkey rice tray bake, eight serves of spaghetti Bolognese, six serves of chilli con carne, four serves of satay chicken, six serves of raspberry muffins, three serves of Snickers mousse, 10 serves of caramel slice and 20 serves of apricot and coconut balls.

In addition to the meals and snacks, Kaitie also prepared boiled eggs, vegetable sticks, celery boats and washed fruit.

‘I love choosing recipes with similar ingredients, this saves on time preparing and helps keep my grocery bill down,’ she said, and opts to use The Healthy Mummy app to help decide what meals to make. 

Kaitie was able to cook the large quantity of meals because a lot of the dishes contained the same ingredients

To maintain a healthy weight, Kaitie tracks her calories, snacks throughout the day to ensure she is fuelling her body and enjoys protein shakes in addition to the meals. 

‘Having snacks at the ready like boiled eggs and veggie sticks keep things easy and mean you’re more likely to stay on track if the preparation has already been done,’ she said. 

‘Getting organised and meal prepping has helped so much in my weight loss journey; I am a busy mum of two on a tight budget and always having a freezer full of meals and snacks saves me from skipping meals or grabbing a takeaway on nights that time is limited.’ 

Meal prepping in advance is also a great way to avoid spending money on food delivery services during the week. 

On this occasion, she made eight serves of Spanick turkey rice tray bake, eight serves of spaghetti Bolognese, six serves of chilli con carne, four serves of satay chicken, six serves of raspberry muffins, three serves of Snickers mousse, 10 serves of caramel slice and 20 serves of apricot and coconut balls

Meal prepping in advance is also a great way to avoid spending money on food delivery services during the week

When planning what you’re going to cook for the week, Kaitie recommends checking the fridge and freezer first and use any excess food stored. 

She also suggested keeping the meal plan simple and repeating the same dishes or snacks to make the prep less ‘overwhelming’. 

‘When starting out it can feel overwhelming. There is nothing wrong with eating the same snack five times a week. Do what works for you!’ she said.

Kaitie said: ‘Getting organised and meal prepping has helped so much in my weight loss journey; I am a busy mum of two on a tight budget and always having a freezer full of meals and snacks saves me from skipping meals or grabbing a takeaway on nights that time is limited.’

If you want to make a start in meal prepping, she said the best thing you can do is set aside an afternoon or set evening every week so you don’t have to think about it later on when you get busy (Kaitie pictured before and after)

For those who are new to preparing meals in bulk, Kaitie suggested starting small by cooking higher quantities of food during the week. 

‘Cook double or triple serves of dinner each night and start building a freezer stash, even on days you are home throw something in the cooker just to portion up and freeze. It takes no time and it basically looks after itself,’ she said. 

With practice, planning and consistency, you’ll likely fall into the habit of meal prepping during the week or on Sundays.

Buying ingredients in bulk, such as meats and frozen vegetables, is also cheaper.  

It’s essential to meal prep food that are suitable for freezing and reheating – such as pasta, stews and curries. 

Label all the containers if planning to freeze and prior to reheating ensure the food has completely defrosted and cooled. 

‘Meal prep is all about saving time and money,’ she said, adding: ‘I often make this meal and turn one meal into three, adding extra vegetables if I want to save extra money.’

Kaitie said if she wants to save money, she bulks out meals and snacks with filling vegetables like lentils

‘I often make a triple batch of the mince part of the recipe while also adding a tin of lentils or two to make my dollar stretch a little further,’ she said. 

If you want to make a start in meal prepping, she said the best thing you can do is set aside an afternoon or set evening every week so you don’t have to think about it later on when you get busy.

‘If Sunday doesn’t work for you find a time that does!’ she said.

‘I often spend less than an hour in the kitchen preparing a whole week of food for my family. It doesn’t have to be hard or take all day!’

Kaitie has shed an impressive 21 kilograms with meal prepping and said shopping online is another one of her invaluable tips to stop you from over-shopping. 

How to make Kaitie’s Mexican lasagne

One of the recipes Kaitie makes and then freezes some is the lasagne (pictured)

INGREDIENTS

400g premium beef mince

410g can of salt reduced red kidney beans drained and rinsed well

Two medium carrots grated

Two medium onions finely diced

One red capsicum finely chopped

400g can salt reduced diced tomatoes

35g sachet salt reduced taco seasoning

Five wholegrain wraps/tortillas

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup cheddar cheese grated

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 180C.

2. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.

3. Sauté onion for a couple of minutes, then add one tbsp water (this takes away the need for any added oil) and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, and water has evaporated.

4. Increase the heat to high and add the mince.

5. Cook, stirring, until there are no lumps and mince is brown.

6. Add grated carrot, chopped capsicum, red kidney beans, diced tomatoes and taco seasoning. Stir and then simmer for 10-15 minutes until mixture has thickened.

7. Lightly spray an oven safe dish with cooking spray.

8. Layer the dish with 2 x tortillas, then half of the meat mixture, 1 x tortilla, the remaining meat mixture, 2 more tortillas, then sour cream. Sprinkle the cheese over the top.

9. Cook for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Source: Healthy Mummy