When it comes to preparing high quality, nutritious and delicious meals, every little aid can help to avoid headaches later on, and for many people looking into diet meal prep, a slow cooker appears to be something of a lifesaver.
Batch cooking is a great way to meal prep as it allows you to make a huge meal when you have the time and energy to and enjoy it throughout the week or more depending on how much you make and whether you choose to freeze it.
Here are some top tips for meal prepping using a slow cooker.
Avoid Opening It Too Much
A mistake many people make when they start slow cooking is they keep opening the lid to check it is cooking effectively or needs a stir.
Close to the end of its cooking time, this is not necessarily an issue, but the more you check it the longer the meal will take to cook, with a little peak potentially adding half an hour to your cooking time.
This is because water vapour collects in the groove at the top of your crockpot and effectively creates a low-pressure seal.
Cheaper Meat Cuts Work Best
Because slow cooking is all about making food tender, connective tissue and fat will often render very well in a slow cooker, outside of large obvious pieces.
As well as this, if you use a meat cut on the bone, bear in mind that the meat will completely fall off of the bone and you will need to pick them out later.
Choose Your Tubs Wisely
Portion out your meal into a good number of useful portions in either resealable tubs or jars depending on the meal.