Whip up 49 dinners on a budget using this ‘three pot’ meal plan tip
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Planning healthy meals while simultaneously keeping your grocery expenses to a minimum can be overwhelming. If you add the rising prices of produce to the equation, you’ll only end up even more frustrated about the whole ordeal.
Fortunately, one mum has proven that meal prepping doesn’t have to be complicated… And a pain to your wallet. Shelley Moore, from Victoria, only blocks off two hours for cooking up a storm in the kitchen thanks to the 'three pot' meal plan on the Healthy Mummy app.
The mum-of-four flaunted her impressive set of homecooked meals online, serving a total of 49 dishes for just $153.
The handy ‘three pot’ meal plan can be applied to a wide range of recipes. Simply cook up three main dishes in bulk and turn the leftovers into separate meals.
Shelley whipped up a total of 49 meals with the ‘three pot’ method. Source: Healthy Mummy
Working as an emergency nurse, Shelley said that she lives a hectic, on-the-go lifestyle. Despite that, she managed to lose 11 kilograms, crediting the achievement to the prepping sessions that include potato and peanut beef, rissoles, meatball subs, and pumpkin curry.
'I think it's great that taking a couple of hours to cook and prepare these super easy meals means that our meals are covered for the whole week (if not longer). I don't have to think about what we're going to have for dinner or what I’m going to bring to work,' she explained.
'At only $3.13 per serve, I saved so much money compared to how much I used to normally spend.'
For the first dish, the meal prep queen started with the recipe that took the longest to cook – the potato and peanut beef.
By cooking potatoes, peanuts, and beef in bulk, she was able to make six serves of slow-cooked potato and peanut beef, five serves of beef wraps, and four serves of slow-cooked beef filos.
She cooked potatoes, peanuts, and beef in bulk. Source: Healthy Mummy
She then used the same method with rissoles, which she turned into five serves of rissoles and vegetables, six serves of meatball subs, and six serves of spaghetti and meatballs.
'While I was cooking and prepping, I had the Healthy Mummy app open on two devices so I could refer to two recipes at a time. That way I was able to think about my next steps and keep the momentum going,' she said.
Her final bulk meal was spinach and pumpkin curry (five serves), with the leftovers repurposed into seven serves of spinach and pumpkin curry pies and five serves of spinach and pumpkin curry soup.
The mum turned leftover spinach and pumpkin curry into pies. Source: Healthy Mummy
'A pie maker is a fantastic way to make it a little quicker and easier, but you'll need to adjust your calories with the extra pastry,' Shelley advised.
'Now that our meals for the entire week are sorted and only need to be reheated, I have more time left to bond and connect with my kids and partner… And maybe even get a little extra sleep.’
'The next time I do a big three-pot meal prep, I think I will prepare them the night before. Doing certain steps such as peeling, dicing, and grating in advance will save me a little more time.'
When Shelley is not cooking bulk meals, she saves money by regularly checking what she already has stocked at home and then customising her meal plan according to the ingredients available.
The super mum also substitutes a few meals per week for vegetarian options.
'I am saving between $50 and $100 each weekly shop and that's not including the money I'm saving by not buying takeaway when I come home late from work, feeling too exhausted to cook,' she added.
'I am also saving money by incorporating smoothies into my day, for either breakfast or lunch. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and protein. I know I'm fuelling my body with exactly what it needs but in a quick and convenient way.'
Do you approve of Healthy Mummy’s three-pot meal plan? Have you ever given meal prepping a shot before? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Learn more healthy and budget-friendly meal prep recipes by watching the below:
Source: Great Home Ideas
Fortunately, one mum has proven that meal prepping doesn’t have to be complicated… And a pain to your wallet. Shelley Moore, from Victoria, only blocks off two hours for cooking up a storm in the kitchen thanks to the 'three pot' meal plan on the Healthy Mummy app.
The mum-of-four flaunted her impressive set of homecooked meals online, serving a total of 49 dishes for just $153.
The handy ‘three pot’ meal plan can be applied to a wide range of recipes. Simply cook up three main dishes in bulk and turn the leftovers into separate meals.
Shelley whipped up a total of 49 meals with the ‘three pot’ method. Source: Healthy Mummy
Working as an emergency nurse, Shelley said that she lives a hectic, on-the-go lifestyle. Despite that, she managed to lose 11 kilograms, crediting the achievement to the prepping sessions that include potato and peanut beef, rissoles, meatball subs, and pumpkin curry.
'I think it's great that taking a couple of hours to cook and prepare these super easy meals means that our meals are covered for the whole week (if not longer). I don't have to think about what we're going to have for dinner or what I’m going to bring to work,' she explained.
'At only $3.13 per serve, I saved so much money compared to how much I used to normally spend.'
For the first dish, the meal prep queen started with the recipe that took the longest to cook – the potato and peanut beef.
By cooking potatoes, peanuts, and beef in bulk, she was able to make six serves of slow-cooked potato and peanut beef, five serves of beef wraps, and four serves of slow-cooked beef filos.
She cooked potatoes, peanuts, and beef in bulk. Source: Healthy Mummy
She then used the same method with rissoles, which she turned into five serves of rissoles and vegetables, six serves of meatball subs, and six serves of spaghetti and meatballs.
'While I was cooking and prepping, I had the Healthy Mummy app open on two devices so I could refer to two recipes at a time. That way I was able to think about my next steps and keep the momentum going,' she said.
Her final bulk meal was spinach and pumpkin curry (five serves), with the leftovers repurposed into seven serves of spinach and pumpkin curry pies and five serves of spinach and pumpkin curry soup.
The mum turned leftover spinach and pumpkin curry into pies. Source: Healthy Mummy
'A pie maker is a fantastic way to make it a little quicker and easier, but you'll need to adjust your calories with the extra pastry,' Shelley advised.
'Now that our meals for the entire week are sorted and only need to be reheated, I have more time left to bond and connect with my kids and partner… And maybe even get a little extra sleep.’
'The next time I do a big three-pot meal prep, I think I will prepare them the night before. Doing certain steps such as peeling, dicing, and grating in advance will save me a little more time.'
When Shelley is not cooking bulk meals, she saves money by regularly checking what she already has stocked at home and then customising her meal plan according to the ingredients available.
The super mum also substitutes a few meals per week for vegetarian options.
'I am saving between $50 and $100 each weekly shop and that's not including the money I'm saving by not buying takeaway when I come home late from work, feeling too exhausted to cook,' she added.
'I am also saving money by incorporating smoothies into my day, for either breakfast or lunch. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and protein. I know I'm fuelling my body with exactly what it needs but in a quick and convenient way.'
Do you approve of Healthy Mummy’s three-pot meal plan? Have you ever given meal prepping a shot before? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Learn more healthy and budget-friendly meal prep recipes by watching the below:
Source: Great Home Ideas