Mother of two shares her genius winter meal prepping – and how to keep meals to just $1.90 per SERVE

Every Sunday, Simone Harbinson prepares all her weekly meals to ensure she stays healthy and in shape no matter the season.

The super-organised mother-of-two, from Melbourne, spends at least two hours in the kitchen cooking all of her family’s breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks.

Her winter grocery bill for the family-of-four usually costs between $220 to $250 a week, which works out at $1.90 per serve.

She even shed an incredible 20 kilograms without exercising by eating her healthy meals on hand after she was left bedridden with a rare appendix cancer.

The office manager has shared her favourite go-to winter meals, her top cooking tricks and how she avoids the dreaded waistline over the cooler months.

Every Sunday, Simone Harbinson prepares all her weekly meals to ensure she stays healthy and in shape no matter the season

Her winter grocery bill for a family-of-four usually drops down to around $220 to $250 a week, which works out at $1.90 per serve

Her winter grocery bill for a family-of-four usually drops down to around $220 to $250 a week, which works out at $1.90 per serve

She said her favourite go-to winter meals include soups, stews, curries and roasts with loads of vegetables

She said her favourite go-to winter meals include soups, stews, curries and roasts with loads of vegetables

‘I hate winter but I love winter warming foods,’ she told FEMAIL. 

‘I love winter cooking as I find all meals freeze down and reheat really well. I always have an abundance of winter meals in the freezer through the cooler months. 

‘I find with winter meals you can definitely save on the grocery bill by buying the cheaper cuts of meat from the butcher for stews and soups which I tend to slow cook.’

She said her favourite go-to winter meals include soups, stews, curries and roasts with loads of vegetables.

‘Soups are great because you can add anything you want to the base,’ she said.

‘I often do a big fridge clean out of any sad looking veggies and grab some chicken from the freezer to throw together in my slow cooker. 

‘Red Thai curry sweet potato soup is a big family favorite. Risottos are another great winter meal which you can add anything you like too.

‘My favorite risotto would have to be pumpkin, spinach, sun-dried tomato and pine nuts topped with crumbled Persian feta.’

The super-organised mother-of-two, from Melbourne, spends at least two hours in the kitchen cooking all of her family's breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks

The super-organised mother-of-two, from Melbourne, spends at least two hours in the kitchen cooking all of her family’s breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks

Her family's fridge is always packed with healthy ready-to-go meals and fresh produce

Her family’s fridge is always packed with healthy ready-to-go meals and fresh produce

With the changing season, Ms Harbinson has a list of her favourite winter produce. 

‘My go fruits for winter are definitely oranges, kiwi fruits, mandarins and apples. Vegetables are broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, sweet potato, beetroot, turnips and carrots. Swedes are great for soup and stew bases,’ she said. 

‘For winter fats, I love avocados, nuts, nut butters, chia seeds, eggs and cheese. Proteins, I tend to cook more with in winter is definitely chicken including thighs, breast, or whole chicken, beef and lamb. My daughter is vegetarian so I cook a fair bit with tofu for her meals.

During the cooler months, Ms Harbinson said she utilises her slow cooker a lot. 

‘Just heating meals from the freezer through the day so they’re ready for dinner. But if I’m prepping a slow cooked meal I do a double batch,’ she said. 

‘One for the fridge, the other for the freezer. As I said previously winter meals freeze well so I save time and money. I always cook extra big batches and freeze down the extra batches. 

‘I usually keep the meals simple but add big flavours such as herbs and spices to create wholesome and flavorsome meals.’

The office manager has shared her favourite go-to winter meals, her top cooking tricks and how she avoids the dreaded waistline over the cooler months

The office manager has shared her favourite go-to winter meals, her top cooking tricks and how she avoids the dreaded waistline over the cooler months

She prepares all her meals on Sunday, which includes her smoothies and healthy snacks

She prepares all her meals on Sunday, which includes her smoothies and healthy snacks

She also watches her portion sizes to avoid the dreaded winter waistline.

‘I always portion control,’ she said. 

‘Otherwise it’s super easy to go back for seconds and thirds. Freezing meals down into portion sizes helps with the winter bingeing. 

‘Throughout winter, I still cook with the basic principal of carbs, fats and proteins. I still bulk out meals with loads of veggies to help you feel nice and full. 

‘I do try and avoid creating calorie dense meals & opt for more volume foods, meaning you are eating bigger portions that are lower in calories which definitely helps the winter waistline.’

For anyone who’s keen to meal prep, she said: ‘Don’t over complicate things. 

‘Sit down and work out what you want to meal prep for the week. Even just start with a couple of dinners, then build up from there,’ she said. 

She also watches her portion sizes to avoid the dreaded winter waistline by making sure she gets enough carbs, fats and proteins into her diet

She also watches her portion sizes to avoid the dreaded winter waistline by making sure she gets enough carbs, fats and proteins into her diet

She even shed an incredible 20 kilograms without exercising by eating her healthy meals on hand after she was left bedridden with a rare appendix cancer

She even shed an incredible 20 kilograms without exercising by eating her healthy meals on hand after she was left bedridden with a rare appendix cancer

‘I write out two lists to work from. One is what I will be meal prepping for the week ahead, which I tick off as I go and the other is the shopping list but also make sure you stick to it, otherwise this blows the budget. 

‘I always check what staples I have in the pantry and add on anything that needs topping up such as nuts, tin tomatoes, rice etc. 

‘I always grocery shop on a Friday or Saturday, that way I can get stuck straight into my meal prepping first thing Sunday morning. 

‘If you need three onions across three different recipes, chop all three onions in one go, same with any other double up ingredients, then you aren’t going back and forward to the fridge grabbing ingredients out that’s you’ve already used. 

‘A sink full of hot soapy water is a must to wash your dishes as you use them, that way you aren’t stuck in the kitchen for another hour at the end cleaning up after yourself. 

‘Try and multitask, so while your boiling eggs on the stove, have banana bread in the oven whilst you have chicken grilling in a pan. It saves lots of time. In short, organisation is my biggest tip.’

To follow Simone Harbinson’s vibrant meal prep, visit her Instagram.



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