McCord Catherine - Meal Prep Magic

STAGE ONE
Purge

STAGE TWO
Organize

STAGE THREE
Prep

STAGE FOUR
Execute

Every time I open my fridge is a reminder of how f*%#ed up my life is.
a good friend, who shall remain anonymous

My friend proclaimed this statement above to me one day not too long ago, and her words totally floored me. Shes so right, I thought. Money, status, possessions, work/life balancetheyre all inadequate metrics for determining how we feel about our lives. Rather, what you see each time you open the door to your fridge (or freezer or pantry) can be a surprisingly accurate, tangible barometer of self-worth, or at least Im finding that it is in the mom circles in which I travel. It dawned on me that, for so many of us, the difference between an organized kitchen (i.e., everything you need always exactly where it should be, meals prepped and sorted for the week, zero clutter) and a disorganized one (i.e., none of the aforementioned attributes) can mean the difference between having a healthy and empowered sense of self, versus being consumed by stress and self-loathing. After spending the majority of twenty-four months confined to my home, surrounded constantly by family, and trying to figure out what our new normal was going to be like, the idea for this book came to me.

Comparing the state of your life and your fridge is an obvious (and intentionally humorous) simplification; however, there is also undoubtedly a kernel of truth to the analogy. When I open my refrigerator or pantry, Im not kidding when I say that what I encounter (well stocked, neatly organized, and prepped so that I can find whatever I need when Im rushing to make breakfast, school lunches, or dinner, OR the contents arranged pell-mell, requiring me to rummage for an ingredient I need and either not find it or realize someone in my family never mentioned that they finished it) can dictate whether I feel calm and confident, or frazzled and frustrated, and I think I can speak for most of us when I say this feeling has a major impact on our ability to accomplish what needs to be done.

I know Im not alone when I say that one of my biggest overall stresses is realizing that its five P.M. and that Ive got no (expletive deleted) idea what Im doing for dinner. It doesnt matter how many people you are responsible for feeding, not having this part of your life under control is an endless loop of wasted time, money, and mental well-being. No more.

Meal prep (aka meal planning) is a lifesaver for any busy person. When you start every week knowing exactly whats on the menu each night, dinner goes from a constant looming source of anxiety and insatiable devourer of time to a surgical strike.

You save money in so many meaningful ways: by keeping to a thought-out plan, shopping smart, not overbuying, and utilizing the ingredients you already have. Creating less waste is an additional benefit when you consider the average American throws away over one-third of the food they buy. By planning, your produce stays fresh and gets used, and you only purchase what you need for the week.

You save time, because you only go to the grocery once a week, dont waste time wondering what to make (and whether you have the ingredients to do so), and spend less time cooking and cleaning. Your level of stress goes way down.

Additionally, you wind up making smarter food choicesthere is less mindless impulse eating because youve got a healthy meal at the ready.

So yes, meal prep really can help you save money and time and be happier and healthier. So, how do we make it happen?

The truth is you cant approach meal prep without first addressing organization. And Ill be the first to say itorganization can be a frigging nightmare of a task, especially when it comes to the kitchen.

Your kitchen is not just about food. Yes, recipes are cooked, and meals are eaten there, but its also the space in which the days with our families start and end, making the time spent cooking and eating part of a much larger fabric. The kitchen is a place where to-do reminders, held in place by quirky magnets or old pieces of frayed adhesive tape, punctuate the refrigerator door. Its the room where plans are made and homework is done. The kitchen table is where dreams are hatched and report cards reviewed, where bills are paid, pictures drawn, and board games played. Theres a reason why politicians refer to the topics they use to appeal to voters as kitchen table issues or why the kitchen is the setting for so many of our meaningful childhood memories.

Put simply, the kitchen is where life happens. And even in the best of times, life gets messy. In every corner of the room, stuff inevitably accumulatesrefrigerator produce, counter produce, spices, baking staples, garbage bags, gadgets, tools, pots, pans, that oversized food processor you use just twice a year that your estranged Uncle Ray said he selected himself (much to your surprise) off your wedding registry, canned goods, foil and plastic wrap, storage containers, and last, but not least, that thing thats been in your knife drawer since 2005, which has always been a mystery but you still keep in case you ever find out how to use it. Subsequently, its also the only room in our homes that requires a frequent turnover of inventory. Its disturbing to me to think how many times in a single week I used to visit the supermarket.

Our kitchens tell the story of our lives: Among other things, theyre a window into our health and wellness, our taste preferences, and our cultural backgrounds; an example of the routines in our lives (or lack thereof); and an indication of how particular we and/or our children can be about eating. Above all, if you are the one whos primarily responsible for getting meals on the table, the kitchen serves as a constant reminder of how much we need to do, how good we are at doing it, and how thankless a job cooking can be, no matter what our skill levels are. (Think about it: Is there anything worse than visiting the home of a friend whose kitchen essentially screams, I can cook, Im organized, and if you think this is impressive, you should see the rest of my life!?) None of us should feel like we require therapy just to take care of our familys basic needs, but why can it feel like that for so many of us?

When viewing the kitchen in the above light, its easy to see why organizing it in a manner that puts you in control of it (rather than the other way around) and feeling confident in the space is fundamental to meal prep. The two go hand in hand. And the discovery of that connection is why I wanted to write this book.