How to 'Meal Prep'...if you hate Meal Prepping (like I do)

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⏱ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro
2:05 Downsides of Meal Prep
5:23 Psychology Behind Cooking
7:43 Sunday Braise Framework
11:05 Banh Mi
12:44 Tinga Tostada
15:20 Garlicky Beef Pasta
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[@treaustin1]

This would be an awesome series of like 10 videos. Just different bases to do on a Sunday, and then a set of 3-4 example dishes for throughout the week. This is super useful.

[@amandavhb1630]

I agree 100%

[@Stephiscool444]

Seriously, this video was so helpful I want more!!!

[@megmcguireme]

I usually make rice on a Sunday to use as a base.

[@yamomwasthebomb7159]

I would pay for this! This would be perfect.

[@shannonstough7190]

yes, please do a series

[@seanlangton3921]

Your mustache is magnificent man

[@Peter-pq2cw]

It truly is, my money's on 3 plus years of growing that stache

[@vega7865]

Half the reason I watch this channel

[@SevenHunnid]

I do food reviews while I’m super high on my KZbin channel😈

[@jeffmcilroy7081]

@@lyricbread LOL!

[@BrianTimmonsTX]

I’ve learned a ton about cooking thanks to this Civil War general.

[@pippyrox]

Please do more videos exactly like this! As a single person who despises meal prepping and gets easily bored eating the same thing, this kind of series is perfect.

[@jetah50]

freeze leftovers and you can pull them out the following week or such when you're ready for them again!

[@Beepbopboop19]

Look up the Cook Once Eat All Week cookbook. Game changer🙌 I will say she under seasons everything, I always add more than her recipes say.

[@bokieya]

YESSS WE NEED MORE RECIPES FOR THIS SERIES THESE ALL LOOK SO GOOD

[@angelic3450]

Look into Downshiftology (Lisa Bryan) mealprep video's on YT or her book, and Fed and Fit (Casey Garcia Joy) her book 'eat once eat all week'

[@edwardcullen3251]

Doesn't running a oven for 5-7 hours cost an absolute TON in electricity?!

[@lewismassie]

As someone with ADHD, the activation energy of a task is often the thing that rules my life, and almost noone ever even thinks about it. You're the first person to even acknowledge it in cooking

[@rebpos6519]

For me, the hardest part with meal prep or food prep is that you're sort of counting on having a certain amount of activation energy each day to execute the plan. If you are lacking in energy one day or definitely for two days, you end up with waste and a failed plan. This is the hardest part for me when it comes to any level of meal preparation for myself and my family. So often we end up throwing out fresh stuff that went bad because we had to reach for convenience foods or fast food due to lack of activation energy on my part. :(

[@trekkie79startrek23]

​@@rebpos6519 On days that I know will have to be at work for longer I will make burritos on Sunday and then I will make extra to put in a oven safe pan to make Enchiladas with on Monday. That way I just need to put the sauce on top with some cheese and back it. As I am cooking a meal I will also cut up extra veggies that will least me a few days so I don't have to worry about cutting stuff up. I can just toss into a pan and cook. I even made some burritos that I put in the freezer just for those days that I do not want to cook at all. Just pop them into the oven and they are done.

[@MetricJester]

@@rebpos6519 This is why ADHD people are the kings and queens and what-have-yous of the snack. You don't have to prep that protein bar, just open it. Keep it in the same place all the time and you don't have to worry

[@paddington1670]

i make soup and put it in jars and freeze it. In my instantpot I can make about 10 medium ball jars full of a soup. Then to reheat from frozen I fill a pot with water, put the jar in the pot, and cover and put on medium heat until it defrosts. When it defrosts, i dump it into a bowl and maybe add some cold water to cool it down. add Sriracha, it's good. Easy meal, easy to make

[@Dai3eb]

Pretty sure this is addressed in literally ever meal prep video ever.

[@cabe_bedlam]

If it helps, I never deliberately meal prep. I live on my own so if I want a curry, it's only a tiny bit more effort to make 4 servings, I then portion it out into the freezer as individual meals. This lets me have a "library" of some homemade meals *and* stops me from just eating the leftovers!

[@briankleszyk4488]

+1 to this! Curry in the freezer locks you in to a flavor profile a bit more than Ethan's method here. But the weeknight effort is super low for those really tough days. Chuck a meat in the pan, throw in the frozen curry directly on the meat after the meat is browned, maybe add a fresh or frozen vegg, and it's a tasty one-pot meal.

[@MyLittleGreenHairdedMermaid]

My problem is, freezing leftovers makes it taste different

[@alvaandersson5882]

@@MyLittleGreenHairdedMermaid make sure to get all the air out so it doesn't get freezer burn

[@georgestone8099]

This is the way. For a week, just make 3 extra portions and freeze. Then no more cooking for the 3 weeks after that. Good meals for this are: Chilli, curries, bolognese, stews, lasagne. They all freeze great.

[@lyndonlives638]

Same here! I also live on my own and my dad showed me literally decades ago how I could cook up a big pot of stew and then portion it out into plastic containers to freeze. The concept seemed obvious to me and it was long before I ever heard the term 'meal prep', which just seemed to be a similar thing but adding portions of rice and vegetables as well - which I don't really like to do anyway as I prefer my vegetables freshly steamed and I don't eat rice so much these days on account of trying to avoid having too much in the way of carbs.

[@jonahduncan4357]

This video introduces my favourite concept: "food prep". Preparing ingredients and not meals. I often make something that can be used as an ingredient in multiple meals. It could be meat (or alternative), grains, bread, sauce, whatever I feel like and use that throughout the week.

[@MsChandler7]

I love doing that too, especially with fresh produce.

[@sethwheeler3531]

This is exactly what my family does and I'm not sure how other people make food without doing it this way!

[@billiejohnson7479]

@@sethwheeler3531 It can be hard getting through ingredients when you live on your own and it's especially harder depending on the country - like if you prep beef and sauces, and you're changing the carbs it goes with, your bread rolls might go bad before you finish using it because you had pasta in the middle of the week which then increases waste and cost. So with anything super perishable, I plan out what I'll have and just power through it until I use it up.

[@sethwheeler3531]

@@billiejohnson7479 Yeah, that makes a lot of sense, definitely more options when cooking for multiple people.

[@edwardcullen3251]

Doesn't running a oven for 5-7 hours cost an absolute TON in electricity?!

[@sarah_gene]

There's a book of essays and recipes titled "Supper of the Lamb" which begins, "Let me begin without ceremony." Followed by the recipe heading, "LAMB FOR EIGHT PEOPLE FOUR TIMES". and from there it goes through how to use a whole lamb for four huge meals. This method of weekly cooking reminds me of that, and the old style "Sunday Roast" way of family cooking, just in a sorta modernized, cooking for 1-3 people version.

[@toriless]

Most people do not have the patience or skill to break down a lamb. You would probably need a second fridge just to store that much meat. Lamb also need to be under 38 F not the usual 40F. I have my fridge set to 36.

[@bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb-]

Executive dysfunction is a huge problem when it comes to planning and making meals during the week, and this video is so helpful for people who's lives are run by their executive dysfunction.

[@gnocchi_]

Had to read this twice 😂

[@somebassdude]

@@gnocchi_ I also read erectile dysfunction

[@erinlikesacornishpasty4703]

Yeah, one thing I started doing because Becky from Acre Homestead does it is if I'm chopping an onion for tonight's meal, I might as well do some for the rest of the week too. That way I already have prepped veg for the next meal. It's a small thing but helps.

[@aroberts3213]

sounds like another made up ailment to make you feel better about yourself. lmao

[@ohlawdhecomin305]

@@aroberts3213 why are you so quick to imagine people being dumb instead of learning something about how other people live. it can be fun

[@Wessso_]

I’m a truck driver, so I’m over the road 90% of the time for weeks on end. I try to meal prep, but I can’t quite figure out what meals work best for me while living in a truck as well as trying to stay healthy. I enjoy cooking, and I miss it everyday at home. But this helps me with great ideas to prep when I have home time! Possibly make a video for people who are always on the road like myself? :)

[@Toneato]

Same. My job is 90% vehicle. I've been stuck with gas station food or fast food for awhile now and I'm burnt out.

[@EthanChlebowski]

That's an interesting challenge, do you have a small fridge / freezer in the truck (and also a way to heat things up)?

[@thebabno]

@@EthanChlebowski I'm a truck driver as well and yes, I have a small dorm fridge with small freezer, microwave and a small air fryer.

[@Gloggins44]

My suggestion would be to buy a good dehydrator and find hiker and backpacker youtubers who make really good home made meals and dehydrate them. Then you just need to add hot water and let it rehydrate and you have a tasty home cooked meal. Back when I was backpacking a lot I made a few really good dehydratable meals. Beef Stroganoff. Lot's of soups and stews. Pasta dishes. The best part is that they are shelf stable, just throw them in a mason jar and they are good for MONTHS.

[@Wessso_]

@@EthanChlebowski I do indeed have a small fridge in my truck! And a very small freezer. I could send you a picture so you could see for yourself!

[@FilmFactry]

TIP: I often take a Pork Butt or Beef Roast, and char it on the BBQ. Not to cook it but to give it some color and flavor. Then I use my pressure cooker with broth, bay leaves, what ever you like for 30-50 min and you get the same pulled pork or beef (or chicken) but super fast and it tastes amazing. It is the simplest carnitas you can make. or shredded beef. And being pressure cooked it remains tender and you don't spend several hours in the oven.

[@jimbojimbo6873]

Pork butt lol

[@LyndseyMacPherson]

YES! I do the same with chicken chests, chicken thighs, or even boneless pork ribs, doing up four or five pounds at a time. It's essentially a pot of flavourful meat I can add to everything from quesadillas to soups to a pasta dish.

[@uwirl4338]

Nah dude sorry to say but a pressure cooker won't get even remotely close to an actual braise. It's effectively like cooking the meat at a higher temperature which does break down the collagen and makes the meat fall apart, but it also completely removes any and all juice from it.

[@LyndseyMacPherson]

@@uwirl4338 Agreed, especially if you pressure cook it for too long or if you quick release the pressure. But for people who HATE to cook like me, I can accept the slight reduction in quality. It's still tasty, it's still juicy and versatile. I put more in there than just stock, so it's got a lot of flavour profile. But, you're right. It's not perfect.

[@MegaFregel]

@@uwirl4338 youre doing it wrong then

[@AbdulMunimKazia]

You absolutely nailed down what makes me uncomfortable about meal prep: i have to decide what exactly to eat at the start of the week and stick to it! I can barely decide what I want to eat in the very next meal at any given time.

[@toriless]

Nah. I make 2 dishes so I have a choice.

[@noorsherfawi415]

I resonate with this video on every level. Meal prepping feels like such a hectic mission to tackle. I’ve tried it many times but I usually end up extremely exhausted from all the thinking, planning, shopping, soaking, washing, cutting, cooking many things at the same time, and dividing only to finish it all with my worst nightmare, washing and cleaning up. 2 days later, I’m already bored of the meals I’ve cooked but I force myself to eat them anyway because I absolutely hate throwing food away. Also, the majority of components become tasteless or even funny smelling after 2 days or so. Food is supposed to provide nutrition yes, but it shouldn’t feel like a punishment, it should be flavorful and it should make us feel better. A pre-heated container good never provide this in my opinion.

[@timothylloyd4625]

I can't thank you enough for all the hard work and quality you put into these videos, from the incredibly interesting research to the delectable filming of the process and the final, concise edit. It's interesting you talk about braising here because your video on braising and the science behind it is what ignited my desire to start cooking more than just a box of Mac and cheese. Thank you so much Ethan and team!

[@jhzwwe123]

He thinks of everything. I appreciate him for that. The canned tomatoes and the fries and all those research videos. Love it!

[@EveaGornall]

This makes me feel so happy because I’ve already been doing this! But I’m extra lazy - I add pork shoulder or chicken thighs or something on sale at Costco to my slow cooker with minimal spices. When I get home from work, I pull it apart and portion them in little snack baggies and throw those in a ziplock freezer bag so I now have multiple different kinds of precooked, pre-proportioned, flavor-neutral meat I can just reheat and use in a multitude of ways each night 👌

[@toriless]

I use slow cookers but I would recommend using the solid plastic ones, like he uses to freeze in. Write was it is on the lid.

[@Ccswimmerback]

This is actually changing my life, I've never been able to convince myself to meal prep or cook consistently and now here I am braising an entire pork shoulder and it wasn't even hard! The proteins have always been the hard part for me (I hate the mess / cleaning up and fears of cross contamination) so this is quite literally the perfect solution to me, thank you so much!!

[@Appaddict01]

Crockpot meals are a really good option.

[@michaelfujii2765]

@@Appaddict01 crackpot would also be a good way to do the Sunday meat cook.

[@toriless]

cross contamination is not a concern with most meats unlike chicken. Just properly use of containers. Mostly you have to keep raw ingredients separate from cooked.

[@MauroTamm]

Basically, it's ingredient prepping instead of a whole meal.

[@pinoyriot15]

I noticed that no one used the freezer at work, so I started making large batches of meals that freeze well, a lot of which go well with rice (japanese curry, adobo, gumbo, thai curry, etc). Usually I'll make one or two dishes on the weekend. I keep a ton of Deli cups and take out containers, so I just separate porrtions with those and take it out of the freezer the night before. So all I have to do is bring rice to work, and reheat everything in the microwave, andI have a wide variety to choose from. This has worked well with me for over three years now. I also keep back up lazy meals just in case I don't feel like cooking that week. And If I start to get bored of a particular dish, I 'll phase it out and add a new dish to the rotation.

[@lisawallace1741]

Same here! One other person was inspired by this to do the same. Since there's only two of us there's still plenty of room in the freezer 😂

[@Jeercrul]

This is pretty genius. Thanks for the idea!

[@oryxthemad]

I could see why it might work well, and maybe why no one has stolen your food yet. I'm personally super grossed out at the idea of heating up a frozen mystery sauce in a deli container in a work freezer LMAO in other words, only the person who brought the food knows it is good food 🤔

[@MsChandler7]

I do this along with "food prep" when I'm omw to the kitchen to eat for the day. I'm already in the kitchen, so while I'm in there I might as well prep a few things to eat later on that week.

[@randomguy2809]

I'd love to see a whole series on these. Just give us top 5 ways to braise beef. Then top 5 ways to braise chicken. Nothing is better than easy cooking

[@Redicule_research._ridiculous]

Haha, I second that

[@RazorWolfy512]

i second this, make a braised chicken recipe video

[@randomguy2809]

@@RazorWolfy512 we need multiple pf each. He gave us 5 things to braise. Let's see 5 recipes.

[@rebpos6519]

@@randomguy2809 If you're going with flavor neutral there really isn't anything else to learn. You would use the same techniques for all cuts -- dry brine, sear, add liquid, and cook low and slow for several hours. I don't even think it would change with the type of meat (beef v. chicken, etc). The technique is the same. The big tip is choosing WHAT to braise. Cheaper cuts of meat that are tough and fatty are the best options for braising because that slow cook breaks down the tough muscle and makes it super tender.

[@randomguy2809]

@@rebpos6519 yeah but presumably he can give advice on how to spice this stuff or more on what to do with it after we're done. I mean I get that braising makes things tender, but I feel like he can go deeper into this.

[@jacobwillis4341]

This system seems perfect for those with ADHD. One of the major challenges is impairment for even starting a task, but the way you broke this down felt very do able. I would watch your braising session every Sunday if you made that a thing on your channel! It could be a fun community eat along thing.

[@Jeremy-se1kp]

Hard agree as a fellow adhd struggler This also works with just preparing a bunch of veggies and putting them in containers, as well as rice and stuff... then you can just slap some shit together with soy sauce, milk, premade sauces, spices, etc. or whatever and some rice/bread/noodles and you have a yummy healthy meal This and frozen pizza for absolutely horrible executive dysfunction days has been how i've managed to actually feed myself semi consistently

[@TinaColada]

I do the same and sometimes even precut the veggies aswell. I also make sure that everytime I cook something like ragù alla bolognese or any other freezable pasta sauce I make a really big batch of it so I can freeze 5-7 servings for later use. Same with veggie soup (put aside before adding any dairy products). This helps me sooo much when I'm struggeling with mental health.

[@princessmanitari4993]

Same!! Lotta sauces in my freezer! Pesto, taco sauce, tom kha kai soup & gyros!

[@toriless]

If you pre-cut do not do it too far ahead. I sear and then use a slow cooker set to 8 hours to make Bolognese. Dump in the tomatoes, sear veg, sear meat, etc. Go to bed and in the morning it mostly ready. I usually make it Friday night so I will be around once to has cooled down, put a folded towel on the counter, place containers on them to speed up cooling, conduction works faster, flip the towel over once in a while so the cooler side is underneath the containers.

[@misskaterinat]

I’d love to see some more ingredients done in this style of meal prep! Great video

[@EthanChlebowski]

100%, I can do a follow up video and switch up the protein if you guys want another!

[@Metzgar]

@@EthanChlebowski yes please!

[@paalzolder]

@@EthanChlebowski Yesssss!! Is something with chicken doable with this too? I see a lot of comments mentioning pork and beef so

[@courtneyjulebeauty]

@@EthanChlebowski would love to see tofu or beans as well!

[@fikatv262]

@@EthanChlebowski Yes please!! Would love to see a chicken version

[@CP-mb7ly]

Yesssss this is how I've been doing exactly what you're saying - reduce food waste, have a variety of ingredients... I just call it "Modular dinner" (my trademark don't steal lol) and it's so much easier than spending all day meal prepping. Just prep the ingredients to be versatile! Great video!

[@Shrifbun]

Oh sorry my dude, I’m definitely coping that phrase. Modular dinner sounds great. I also like to think of it as the "all leftovers are ingredients, not meals" mindset. Made mexican chorizo for taco night? Throw it into the other day’s pizza sauce to make a spicy bolognese. Keep a block of parmesan in the fridge at all times to add to any pasta dish made with last night's grilled chicken. some roasted sweet potatoes from the other night make a hardy topping for a chopped salad tossed in a dressing made with an garlic aioli I got in my take out from work.

[@jewliawhaley6611]

Oh my gosh. My partner and I both have ADHD and use the term activation energy ourselves when talking about barriers to cooking. I rarely comment on videos, but this one was so incredibly helpful. Thank you so much for posting it.

[@armandox7]

I really like the idea of simply getting the meat ready on Sunday for the rest of the week. One of the biggest annoyances when making a whole meal from scratch is i hate having to wash my cutting board and knife after meat prep or taking out more dishes to avoid cross contamination. Dishes pile up quickly! Having the meat already cooked and not raw will definitely save me some time as i could probably do it all in just 1 pan when it comes to making a meal! Definitely going to try this!

[@toriless]

That is why dishwashers were created.

[@MrFrankEast]

@@toriless Not everyone is allowed dishwashers or have them lol

[@semzip8558]

This is seriously one of the most useful pieces of food content on KZbin

[@josephmann6675]

This is truly one of the best meal prep tips. We learned this method from a friend of ours in a group for blind parents. Things like braised chuck or just simple ground beef with salt and pepper are bases that, with minimal effort, can be then flavored and transformed. 😜 Even a blind college student can make a dozen different wonderful dishes. We cook big proteins down a lot at a time. It can freeze or can once it’s cooked. When the time comes, tacos, spaghetti, soups, and so much more are just a few steps away. If you can open a few cans and add pre-made packs of seasoning, you have real, home cooked meals. We loved finding this method for our son, but we use it for ourselves so often too. Cook hard one day a week - the rest of your week is done in minutes. The other thing we like to do is make a lot of what we make, like chili, Bolognese, stews, soups etc, that easily can or freeze. Homemade vegetable soups can for years. Spaghetti can be frozen for months. Even things like gravy or sauces freeze beautifully for months. If you’re dirtying up the kitchen anyway, chopping 10 onions takes the same time to clean up a food processor as chopping one. We, and our kids both blind and sighted, appreciate the diversity of meals they can make. It’s nice that this method doesn’t necessarily lock in an outcome. Great tip that really works.

[@ManaPsirando]

I love the idea of meal prep, but ADHD makes it very hard. Because I end up thinking about all those tasks you mentioned and become tired Instantly. So I am excited to try this out!

[@james.randorff]

I really appreciate this because you are taking good, basic cooking concepts, explaining them, and showing us how to make several excellent dishes utilizing them. This isn’t reinventing the wheel, it is showing just how much use you can get out of the wheel, if you’ll only use it correctly. Thank you, Ethan!

[@143685753ton22y]

in my humble opinion, I feel like this is one of the highest quality, most well put together videos you have ever put out. keep the amazing content coming!

[@ThePrescriptionable]

I also hate the redundancy of meals that come from meal prepping. I can't eat more than 2 meals of the same dish. So, I appreciate this so much and hope for more, please!!!!!

[@erinlikesacornishpasty4703]

Almost all "meal prep" videos are done by fitness people, not cooks. My sister is one of those folks and she appreciates the consistency of knowing the calories in each meal and the grab and go aspect. But, boy howdy, I'm not going to eat chicken breast and brocolli for dinner every day. That would sabotage my fitness goals so fast because I get bored and just make poorer, different decisions. Variety helps me for sure!

[@skyhawk_4526]

I do a lot of meal prep meals, but I like to do ones I can freeze. (Chili con carne, Chili Verde, beef stews, shepherd's pie, meatballs with tomato sauce, Swedish meatballs, Bolognese sauce (which is good with pasta or rice), etc. As someone who lives alone, a lot of these meals when made fresh using typical recipe amounts, will provide 3-5 individual meals, but since they're very freezable, I don't have to deal with the monotony of having the same meal twice or more in the same week. They can be removed from the freezer and thawed in the fridge a day or two in advance of eating even months after being made, so there's no having to eat the same thing twice in a row or even twice in a week. They do take some time and effort to make, but the leftovers when thawed and reheated are super-fast and easy, and in the more complex cases, only require boing some rice or pasta to make them a whole dinner. In the case of chili, it's maybe some garnishes and that's all.

[@toriless]

just make 2 items, you do have both Saturday and Sunday,

[@TheBestcommentor]

I basically do some variation of this with chicken thighs. I cut it all up, save the leftover bits for stock, leave some bone-in, some with skin, and I chop up some of the others into smaller nuggets and strips. Some of each group gets frozen for later in the week. Using one of your other great suggestions, I coat all the chicken for earlier in the week with a pre-made seasoning that I make in huge batches every couple months. I'll marinate some of it in buttermilk and hotsauce and then when I'm ready to to make them, I bust out the flour, egg, and Panko for making nuggets, strips, or whole fried chicken thighs in my air fryer. Sometimes I'll do the skin-on in the cast iron and throw in some onion and garlic while it's in the oven. Or I can take the strips and make stir fry or fried rice, depending on what I have on hand.

[@aspin-the-askal]

Oh man! I am such a fan of this philosophy! I've been saying this same thing too, "I hate meal prep! I prefer to prep my meals :P" I feel like this comes from mise en place logic, when you have something already prepped halfway to completion, like your braise, it's gonna be so much easier to take it to many different, creative avenues with little effort compared to starting from scratch or warming up a completely finished meal So glad to see I'm not just insane in my thinking!

[@user-ko9tc1go3h]

I can’t believe you put this out for free. You have no idea how helpful this is.

[@beelzebuth2479]

Why can't you believe it ? 3 ads, 1 sponso, more than a million subscribers, quality content, he's going to get paid, don't worry about that. Trying to trick people into believing they should pay to see this. Smh.

[@rafaelperalta1676]

@@beelzebuth2479 You're right about that, but a lot of other creators are conservative about what they share, and if they do, it's not as elaborate and thoughtful as the likes of Ethan's and others' videos.

[@user-ko9tc1go3h]

@@beelzebuth2479 What? I’m not trying to trick anyone. I just expressed my gratitude and that’s my way of complimenting him. It was a very helpful video for me.

[@ahnafj416]

The way that I know my Desi family cooks. We have huge pots of curry and when it's time to eat we fill our plate with some white rice then we take any curry and spoon it top. If you want more rice or a different curry or anything your free to just take it. We always 24/7 have plain white rice available on the table. We might have a salad on the side, maybe lime or onion. If it's breakfast we might just eat the curry with roti, naan or tortillas. You don't need to put the curries in the fridge, just everyday you reheat the food to boiling temperature (preferably before eating) and the food would never spoil. Some curries actually taste better as they age and this reheating concentrates their flavor. It's a simple and effective way that I see every Desi household eats but it doesn't work so well when you have few people to finish the food.

[@catherinegilbert5160]

Did my first Sunday braise today! About 4.6lbs of chuck in the oven for 7 hours. It turned out so good! 🤤

[@viridianloom]

I'm experimenting with making my own dishes on the fly using this leftover shredded beef and my favorite meal thus far is to reheat the beef in a skittle then add some ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, brown sugar, and soy sauce and reduce until thick. Then serve it over some rice. Korean Beef Bowl. And yeah, it comes together so quickly, you're basically just waiting on your rice to finish cooking which takes like 20 minutes tops.

[@Lucideyes89]

Thanks, I going to use this! One thing I would also love to do is make something similar to szechuan beef noodle soup. Not sure how to go about it, but I would love to hear what you would do. My fear is that it takes too many steps to do

[@Tarrot]

I do this just with Rotisserie Chicken. I could buy one at the store, but I generally I roast a chicken and have it with potatoes/carrots/garlic for my first meal, then I have a lot of leftover chicken for sandwiches or pasta or a taco or such.

[@jujutrini8412]

I used to do this when I first got married. I used to always do a huge batch of tomato sauce to keep in the freezer too. As well as a whole chicken I would often cook minced (ground) beef in a fairly neutral way with garlic, onions, thyme, paprika so that later on in the week I could choose between making a meal of something like shepherds pie, lasagne, chille, tacos or burritos etc. just by adding a few extra ingredients. My husband was happy to have a home cooked meal every day and I was only too happy to oblige as I really love cooking (and eating my own food).

[@lynn858]

Making soup stock with the chicken carcass, and the onion ends, has become super easy for me. Either can go in the freezer until I've got a day I'm home. And it's incredibly good.

[@huggledemon32]

Love this idea- might start doing this. My version of meal prepping is mostly because I’m disabled, and honestly I don’t have the energy or mobility to cook a full meal from scratch for myself every day. So I tend to pick a day, and cook around 3 dishes that would feed me for at least 4 meals each, and proportion and freeze them- but I don’t do the dull meal just the “main” component, and I pick stuff that freezes well and or get texture contrast from other things- eg- a big batch of spaghetti bol sauce/pasta bake, a curry, and a casserole. Then on the day I just cook rice/ pasta and make a side salad/ veggies. So that way I get the best of both worlds- variety, textures, I can control how much I eat with the quicker add one each day, and also- after a month of doing this I end up with quite a variety of options in my freezer!🤷🏻‍♀️👍🏼

[@JanisOnTheFarmette]

I do something like this that works with my mostly-vegetarian preferences. On Sunday, I cook a batch of meal components for the week: a whole grain, a pot of beans, a sheet pan of roasted vegetables, and whatever else I have time to make such as baked oatmeal for breakfasts with fruit and yogurt. We mix and match the prepared components, add or swap in different proteins and vegetables, and add variety with different sauces and spices. It’s very convenient and very satisfying. Thank you for this video - would love to see you tackle component prep featuring proteins other than red meat.

[@riyadmoe8718]

As a new father and the cook of the household. You’ve really helped up my cooking game. Amazing content that anyone can apply in their life. Cheers from North! 🇨🇦

[@nowheregirl3858]

Would love to see a Part Two of this for vegetarians!

[@dmshore]

I do a lot of roasting of vegetables in bulk early in the week that can then be used flexibly in the rest of the week, but I imagine there are several other ways to consider this.

[@liteguy7267]

Yes! I was starting to think how I could do this for vegetarian meals, especially how I could make it high protein too

[@rlrfproductions]

Was thinking about this too. I've started chopping up good base veggies like broccoli and cauliflower and just keeping them portioned in microwave-safe containers. At mealtime, I only have to throw some water and spices into the container, give it a shake, nuke it for 4 minutes, and have perfectly steamed veggies that are then ready as is, or for further stir-fry with some sauces and a pantry protein like tempeh, saitan, tofu, dried mushrooms etc.

[@tlaren]

I'm not a vegetarian myself, but I'd love to see the flip side too. I think that'd give folks a lot of ideas.

[@kausikvenkat]

I have 2 considerations here. One was tofu. I know in Korean dishes braised tofu is used but the korean-spicy flavour will be infused and i'm not sure how it'll extend itself to other dishes. The other was mock chorizo. Chorizo can be used to make multiple mexican dishes and even works with pasta. But honestly chorizo doesn't take that much time to prep

[@katwilliams2950]

The only thing I don't agree with is that cooking from scratch is expensive. Maybe on the front end it can be, but typically in the grand scheme of how much it cost per serving vs buying it premade/partially done like boxed pasta or even bread and making it into full meals, it's still cheaper than at the store

[@heatherjohnson1569]

I agree. I think the reason it is expensive for him, is that he likely is buying premium products rather than shopping at aldis. Cooking from scratch can be super cheap or super expensive depending on the menu you are wanting to do and how much you don't already have in your pantry.

[@toshmeister92]

Please make this a series!! It's helped me SO MUCH!

[@boknoz]

Would absolutely love to see a video of the other 4 types of braising meats you listed! This one gave me a great framework for chuckroast for sure! If anyone in the community has any recipes for short ribs, shoulder, pork spare ribs, and chicken thigh meal prep recipes, that would be awesome!

[@garyfinnis1707]

Great video Ethan. I'm not a meal prepper per se, but I always cook more volume than I expect to eat to eat at any one time. So I have leftovers! That's my meal prep strategy I basically always have 'prepped' leftovers in the fridge and freezer that I can pull out and turn into something new and delicious any night when I don't feel like cooking.

[@ahnaf_chowdhury]

Can we have a similar video for Chicken Thighs? I want to how the braising will go for that. Thanks a lot ❤

[@ajk6656]

I mainly looked at meal prepping for taking lunches to work. I've worked out a system where I will typically make something on a Sunday that will last for 3 lunches during the week, then during one of those days I'll make something for dinner and just upscale to get an extra two lunches for the rest of the week. Seems to work well enough for me!

[@tellegraammemartijndoolaard2]

Congratulations,,👆👆👆I have a package for you 🎁🎁🎁.

[@mjaq6099]

Please do more of these. This is why I haven’t meal prepped. I don’t have the discipline to want to eat the same thing over and over.

[@juan_pwn]

Pinto beans are probably imo the best kind of food to prep. They’re cheap, you can make a batch and use it over the week with bean tostadas, burritos, soft tacos, or just a side dish. They’re also super easy to reheat or freeze them if you don’t plan on eating all of it throughout the week. simplemente, me encantan los frijoles

[@ingoodwaves491]

Came for the meal prep tips, stayed for the life philosophy

[@itshollyw959]

This is very similar to what I do! I prep my vegetables after going to the grocery store, cutting kale and lettuce, etc. Throughout the week I'll make a meal, and then save any leftovers like rice and beans. I'll also cook whatever meat I get in a large quantity and then save the rest. That way I have tupperwares in the fridge full of rice, beans, pasta, lettuce, meat, etc., already cooked and prepped. So I can throw things into a bowl or into a pan, add a few seasonings, sauce, an egg, etc., and each time I have a different meal that takes about 20 minutes to make! I definitely think it's all about prepping ingredients, not complete meals!! Awesome video, thanks Ethan!

[@andonivelasco8466]

Meal prep shouldn't be about having the actual meals prepped in advance but the building blocks that allow you to have a meal ready in minutes. As you did, braising meat, making sauces you can put in the freezer, pickling vegetables, roasting vegetables, boiling eggs or potatos... You could throw a good dish in minutes if you have all those thing readily available in your kitchen

[@tellegraammemartijndoolaard2]

Congratulations,,👆👆👆I have a package for you 🎁🎁🎁

[@shalalary]

Finally someone who gets it! Meal prepping is too much effort imo. Thank you for showing us how to simplify weekly meals!

[@pleaserespond3984]

My approach to meal prep is leftovers. Planning takes effort, so I skip that part. I try to make several large batches of food on weekends and then eat throughout the week. I find it's the easiest combination of both cooking what you feel like and having food ready to go when you need it. Of course it doesn't always last that long (because I hate planning), so just substitute here and there with additional fast meals or just delivery.

[@Jacerme]

I’ve been using this process without even thinking about it for a while now. As someone who is trying to learn to get better at cooking, sometimes dishes don’t turn out as well as you’d hope. So having a simple base meat to season then add to a meal has been really nice for me! Great video!

[@skyhawk_4526]

Works great with pork shoulder as well. You can cook a pork shoulder with a light coating of "liquid smoke" and salt in a slow cooker overnight, shred it, and use it for all kinds of easy dishes. Add some BBQ sauce and you've got pulled pork for sandwiches. Mix it with a red chili sauce or tomatillo sauce and add wrap in tortillas with some cheese and you've got enchiladas. Add it to some Italian tomato sauce over some pasta and you've got a great meal. Add some gravy and vegetables and serve over some mashed potatoes, and you've got a hearty stew. The possibilities are endless, and it'll easily make 5 servings.

[@altruex]

I really love that your channel isnt just a home cook channel, its also gives research and self development vibe - im always on that personal development route and it feels like you give really helpful cooking and personal life style tips which i love!

[@JoeBiodome]

Wow! I think you're the first "meal-prepper" that I've watched that shares my preference for mostly fresh and unique meals. This is a really good idea that I'll be trying out this sunday :)

[@frankiebiase6632]

I started meal prepping like 7 months ago and I absolutely love it

[@devonhansen7705]

I agree about getting a series of videos showing various examples of this framework. It would be especially awesome to get a video guide on developing saucy things you can reheat the braised meat in, especially examples that correspond to different cuisines. For example, what would a quick and easy curry-like preparation of the braised meat look like?

[@stormpaul3066]

I always appreciate that you reference books/readings. It really shows the research you put in, and makes me want to read more. Thanks for another great video!

[@snackums996]

There is a cookbook series called "Well Fed" that does a good job of describing and then planning for a weekly meal prep.

[@jdshl8423]

I meal prep because I'm lazy. Yes, you heard that right. I don't like going out. What makes meal prepping great for me is that I am actually not fussy about food I make, and I don't require great variety. My main meals usually revolve around minced meat (pork, beef, chicken), a leafy green, fresh or canned mushrooms, onions, carrots, tomatoes, or frozen mixed vegetables. Simply sliced/chopped up, stir fired and seasoned well. That's it. I like soupy rice, which I make by boiling about 350ml of water, throwing in half of a suitable bouillion cube and some frozen chopped up coriander or spring onion. The prepped rice and portioned ingredients are warmed up in a microwave oven in a bowl, and the soup poured over it. Done. If I use prepped pasta, then I just dump everything in a pan, open a bottle of pasta sauce, pour in a decent amount, and mix it up till hot. Done. Sometimes I make a stew when I can get beef at a great price. Additionally, I make myself ham and cheese or egg mayo sandwiches frequently. Also bulk prep simple desserts like green bean soup and barley with gingko soup. And then there's the vanilla cake I make in my frying pan and have with jams or custard. I hate the cleaning up the most really. LOL!

[@MrTaylork1]

Same. The last thing I want to do when I get home is cook something. I don’t care how much of it is pre-prepped. Wife and I have been prepping meals every weekend for years. We make 2 different meals each week and heat up the containers for lunch or dinner. If you can’t eat the same thing 5 days in a row, it’s not good enough. We’ve found many recipes that we still look forward to eating again on Friday.

[@mortalitydoesstuff8965]

Definitely combining this with your frozen veggies protocol and a couple of my own little tricks to supercharge my ability to feed myself. I wish I could just magically beam my gratitude into your face because no number of words can accurately describe how much easier you've just made my life

[@TheFalopi]

I did the roast meal prep thing last week and it was wonderful! Just shredded up another one and put in a zip lock to use through the week. Such a great idea and easy to approach. Love it!

[@kencult]

Hey Ethan! I would love if you did a round up of best meals to make in large batches to freeze! I recently made your gyoza and froze them and I also started making mini breakfast burritos and freezing them for quick snacks. What a game changer!

[@shawnmiguel]

thank you for this, your channel is a perfect blend of science, cooking, and a dash of productivity that really has helped me in my home cook journey.

[@cristinam748]

I love with method with chicken and rice. Prep on Sunday. Mon- stir fry, Tuesday- Burrito Bowl, Wed- chicken rice soup.. ect ect. I have the base, then cook around it each day to bring in variety.

[@louisdicarlo8569]

This is the best meal prep option video I have seen. I have cooked for 10+ years and I hated the idea of meal prep and never enjoyed it enough to stick to it. This option is a perfect way to make meal prepping simple, nutritious and delicious. Thank you for making this video.

[@chantelledavie4655]

This was super in-depth and helpful! Would you possibly be able to do a video on meatless/alternative protein options that would work for your system?

[@Janne_Mai]

Seitan Sunday? No but seriously, I can see how to do this with tofu - 1) buy firm tofu 2) press it (you can even skip this step) 3) marinate it 4) fry it 5) use in stir fries, summer rolls, and all kinds of dishes! All of these steps can be done separately. I like a marinade that's 50/50 soy sauce&lemon juice, with fresh ginger and spicy pepper powder. I also use smoked tofu a lot, which can be a meal base without any prep at all.

[@chantelledavie4655]

@@Janne_Mai that sounds delicious, I'll definitely try that, thank you!

[@amibudgets]

Doing a big pot of beans from scratch on a Sunday for the week would work really well! Say black or pinto beans, that you can use to make into burritos or tostadas, use in salads or bowls. You could use them to make chili which you could then pour over chips for nachos!

[@user-zr6jm4ld9l]

Please make this a series! This is meal prep gold for neurodiverse folks.

[@nichelassie3862]

"neurodiverse folks" just say fucking people my guy jesus christ

[@jonrandelldaclison9803]

In college, I use to do this method but with ground beef since it was so cheap. I would cook a few pounds and throughout the week, I would transform the lightly seasoned beef into all sorts of things like tacos, sloppy joes, chili, added to noodles or rice, stuffed peppers, breakfast egg cups etc.

[@decemberblue9307]

I'm a picky eater so for me the issue with meal prep isn't laziness but rather not knowing what I would like to eat the next day and also having the same meal for consecutive days. Not to mention the change in taste when served right off the stove vs heated in the office microwave. What I usually end up doing is having the 5-7 different meals that are staples and I don't get bored of and I rotate them every week (example I have 3 rice dishes where I have one every week). I plan out my meals for the week on the weekend so I have my mind set to eat whatever I've mentioned. I also save recipes I find on KZbin and instagram for any days where motivation hits in the weekend to make for the next weekday to have some change

[@kennyboy6325]

Always appreciate some new perspective! Cooking at home is my zen moment for the week, but tend to run out of time to do a full-blown meal more than 1-2 times a week. I'm going to take some notes from you here. Those first steps you offered, where the thinking is minimal, but the meal gets started, is going to change my game. I work until nearly midnight, and tend to hit the grocery store late. There are ALWAYS cheap & discounted cuts of beef, but I skip on them going, "I can't do anything with this today." This is going to be a game changer, just from a different way of approaching the week's meals. Thanks dude!

[@chasecreechproduction6914]

Really changed the way I think of meal prepping. Love the idea of making a a lot of a main ingredient ahead of time and then having the freedom to make a few different things out of it during the week. Appreciate it

[@amy1151]

I use this basic method by preparing a few ingredients one way to use throughout the week in various different recipes. I’ll use the charcoal grill to cook a chicken and flank steak on Sunday afternoon. With the grilled chicken I can use it for Greek chicken pitas. Once cooked, I’ll store in the marinade of Greek dressing. On service night, I’ll reheat in the marinade keeping it juicy and highly flavored. While it is reheating, I can chop the veggies and make a quick tzatziki sauce. The flank can be used for fajitas by reheating in fajita seasonings and broth or water. This saves so much time because you are efficiently doing multiple tasks in the same time. Plus it is half the cleanup of the grill or pans.

[@athenalin6737]

What a fantastic idea! I will steal the Sunday-braise and offer an alternative... Buy a rotisserie chicken! Last week, meal #1 is the chicken breast with the crispy skin, meal #2 was the meat pulled off the chicken and refried with ginger, garlic and onion, meal #3 was chicken soup made from the bones and remaining meat!

[@tellegraammemartijndoolaard2]

Congratulations ☝️☝️☝️I have a package for you 🎁🎁🎁

[@dianaadamo5574]

Love getting an ad of you directly before watching your video :)

[@mirroughs7729]

I enjoy videos like this, these are the ones I search KZbin for and watch on repeat. First, it was Mike from Pro Home Cooks, now I get to add another to my watch list. Makes me really enjoy cooking.

[@saint9715]

this has been extremely helpful to me as someone with ADD and constant decision fatigue. thank you. keep em coming !

[@RyanBreaker]

I've been starting to do this and it's been life-changing for weeknight meals.

[@pistolen87]

2:16 I´d like to add: creates minimal amount of dishes :)

[@ddmcline3]

Would love to see a series making recipes for the week in this style! Best way to meal prep for the week and helps make delicious meals even on busy nights

[@NotAFanOfHandles]

I do the same thing - cook food enough to be used as building blocks for actual meals later so I won't be tempted to just pick up some take out. For instance: Ground beef - buy ground beef, season it minimally, cook it, use it in a variety of dishes such as burritos, spaghetti, tacos, cottage pie, nachos, etc. Potatoes - make a bunch of simple mashed potatoes - use some as a side dish (top with gravy maybe?), turn some into a main dish (cheesy bacon potato bake), mix it with some cheese as a pierogi filling, turn the rest into loaded cheesy bacon potato soup (use sour cream and your favorite broth to turn into soup). Eggs - eggs are supremely versatile, but I only "prep" the "old" ones by boiling them because older eggs are easier to peel - boiled eggs can be a snack in itself, added to ramen, made into egg salad sandwiches, added to potato salad, turned into deviled eggs... (Note: check age by placing in water, boil the ones that stand on end, keep the ones lying on the bottom for regular cooking/baking, and if it floats it's safer to toss it.) Also can be done with beans, white/brown rice, etc.

[@tellegraammemartijndoolaard2]

Congratulations,,👆👆👆I have a package for you 🎁🎁🎁

[@handcannon1388]

I have talked to a few popular KZbin cooks about doing videos like this in the past. I think quite a few people don't undertake longer cooks with larger cuts of meat because they figure that it's too time consuming and much of it will go to waste. What usually isn't covered is what you can do with the leftovers. You did forget to mention one thing; however. Many of these ... let's call them meat building blocks ... are freezer friendly. That gives you the freedom to do two or three meals with a "building block" and reserve the rest (if any is left) for later use.

[@iranjackheelson]

Ok.... so instead of meal-prepping, you're just cooking. Genius!

[@ropro9817]

Ethan: This is amazing! (for uninspired home cooks like me 😆) Thank you! 🙇 Any chance you could do a 'meal prep for people who hate meal prep' series? ❤

[@SixofQueens]

I do a sort of meal prep every week. First, I make a base meal of baked vegetables, seasoned differently every week, which is augmented day to day with either sliced ham and parm cheese or canned chicken breast with queso fresco. I also have 4 meals that are salads, often themed around what I bought that week and the dressings/toppings I have available. Then on the weekends I'll make a pork loin roast or some salmon or some other more technically intensive meal, as well as including some charcuterie inspired meals to help break up the monotony even more.

[@nickalegria8625]

These tips are awesome. Makes sense for everything else I’m doing, not only meal prepping

[@tad030]

my challenge is prepping lunches for the week, and i resent spending so much time on a Sunday having to do it. i can totally see this working for me and will certainly give it a go!

[@rainbow_storm]

i do something similar with chicken, i make it in an instapot (kind of poach it) and it gets super soft and easy to shred and then I just add whatever seasoning I want day of and make a meal out of it! So I'll definitely have to try this way cause its right up my alley.

[@Aren.K]

I do the same! You can do the same with beef cut into large chunks at about an hour and five minutes in the instapot too. I usually make two weeks worth of protein and freeze it all portioned out. I can't imagine not doing it at this point.

[@ericcorso]

This is great advice. Been an avid home cook for years now and I’ve naturally slid into this style of meal prep. Lovely work.

[@claykalmar8131]

I developed a completely different system last year that leads to the similar result of quick, easy, delicious, healthy weeknight meals. My wife helped me realize that I wasn't getting super lazy about cooking, but that I kept picking out multiple high-effort meals for each week, which we then didn't have the time or energy to cook and enjoy. I made three lists of most of the meals that we like, based mainly on effort and yield. I now pick meals mainly from the "20 minutes or less with at least one night of leftovers" list, and save the "high effort/low yield" list for once in a while or special occasions. The third list is "heat and eat" which is mostly prepackaged freezer food for when the leftovers run out or get boring, or as a cheaper alternative to takeout.

[@toastymcgee9788]

Dude, this is going to change my damn life. This is exactly what I need. This is base building. I struggle with work lunches. I'm going to use this for chicken this week. Slow cook some chicken, maybe make some rice, make some asian inspired food, a chicken sandwich, the possibilities...

[@paulschuster7353]

great concept! would appreciate a vegetarian version if possible!

[@secretspy44]

Closest thing Id reccomend is cooking a pot of dried beans. I might be biased but they seem to taste better than canned and can be similarly versatile.

[@elizaragsdale3726]

Second this! I love the idea but don't eat meat

[@iburley_]

This is an excellent tip that I'll definitely be trying out. I've done something sort of similar for years with sauce and stock. Any time I make tomato sauce or a chicken stock, I don't only make as much as I need for that one meal, I make as much as my biggest pot can hold (eight quarts). When I'm done with the meal, I split the rest up into different sizes of deli containers and freeze. Sometimes a meal is as simple as boil dried pasta, toss in a stock cube and some frozen mixed vegetables, and you're onto your next thing.

[@cwbrownCaroline]

I’v just started on working this way. I keep caramelised onions and roasted garlic in the fridge to help me out, and batch cook at least one basic a week and it is making life so much easiet!🎉

[@nicoskefalas]

That’s another video I didn’t know I needed!!!

[@irian42]

Maybe now I can finally meal-prep!!

[@piyushsharma9486]

Hey man. Just wanted to let you know you have actually changed my life. I cook healthy food for myself now due to you. Thanks 👍

[@tellegraammemartijndoolaard2]

Congratulations,,👆👆👆I have a package for you 🎁🎁🎁.

[@THEStraysCHAN]

Ethan, love your (team's) work, man. Thanks for always mixing it up with the format and for the continued high quality. You and your team are always super well researched and hone in on real problems for home cooks. Kudos to the team!