A little prep for the days ahead

Meal preparation can be as simple as making tomorrow’s lunch easier. Instead of planning a whole week of identical meals, choose two dishes that share an ingredient and prepare only what you expect to use.

Choose a small starting point

Look at the next couple of days. Perhaps you need one lunch to take out and a quick dinner at home. A washed vegetable, a portion of cooked grain and a tin of beans can be useful components. Keep dressings separate until serving if you prefer a crisp texture.

Write a short plan before you begin: what you will prepare, which meal it is for and where you will store it. Follow the cooking and storage directions on packaged foods.

Make safe storage part of the plan

Wash your hands and clean your utensils and work surfaces. Keep raw meat and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat food. Food Standards Australia New Zealand recommends keeping perishable food at 5°C or colder and cooling cooked food quickly, for example in shallow containers in the fridge.

Label containers with the preparation date. Use refrigerated perishable leftovers within a few days. If reheating, heat food quickly until piping hot. Follow specific storage instructions where provided.

Keep the next meal flexible

Use your prepared ingredients in a bowl one day and alongside toast the next. A squeeze of lemon, chopped herbs or a different vegetable can change the meal without starting from scratch.