The Visual Guide to Easy Meal Prep: Save Time and Eat Healthy with over 75 Recipes

by Erin Romeo

Conquer your healthy eating plan while saving time and money! In  A Visual Guide to Easy Meal Prep , nutrition coach and meal prep master Erin Romeo, founder of Food Prep Princess (foodprepprincess on Instagram), shows you how to prep your food in five easy steps, with photos clarifying every detail.

Meal prep is the key component to any diet--whether you're low carb , vegetarian , dairy free ,  gluten free , or just trying to eat healthy ! If you don't plan to eat, then you plan to fail! With A Visual Guide to Easy Meal  Strategies and Recipes to Get Organized, Save Time, and Eat Healthier , you'll learn shortcuts to prep to reduce your time in the kitchen , budget-friendly meal prep ideas, and how to pack your food. Learn how to shop , how to prep and cut your food, and the best containers to maximize your food prep pantry. 

In this highly visual guide , you'll also get more than 75 recipe ideas for healthy meal prep, complete with photos to make your prep work quick and easy. So skip the unhealthy take-out food and save money and time with the shortcuts in this essential healthy living companion, with tips and tricks for all of your food planning needs.

You'll see how meal prep works      You'll find meal plans and step-by-step meal prep instructions for specific   You'll never be at a loss for a healthy meals again with this easy and complete guide to meal prep.  

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Cooking, Food

176 pages, Paperback

Published August 6, 2019

Reviews

[Chantal · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some great tips and recipes in this meal prepping book. They all seem to be healthy with lean meats and lots of vegetables. The book is easy to read and to understand. It also has a weekly plan. At the end this will save you some time, which you can use on other things in life. I do wonder how long things will still be safe to eat if you prep them early on in the week.

This is a ARC from the publisher via Netgalley, which I got for a honest review.

[Selena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free e-copy of The Visual Guide to Easy Meal Prep: Strategies and Recipes to Get Organized, Save Time, and Eat Healthier from NetGalley for my honest revies.

This book has a variety of recipes that will help you to eat healthier and eat cleaner. Recipes that will be pleasing to everyone, even the pickiest of eaters.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

The Visual Guide to Easy Meal Prep is a handy and informative guide to not only meal prep but ways to save money/budget on food better, organise, shop, save time/shortcuts, eat healthier and cleaner and plan meals more effectively. The book contains some great recipes and meal prep instructions and includes handy tips and meal/ingredient alternatives, too. This is a great book to start the new year with and is a great starting point for anyone looking to change meal prep and eating habits as a whole.

[The Candid Cover (Olivia & Lori) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Review on The Candid Cover

The Visual Guide to Easy Meal Prep by Erin Romeo is a perfect addition to any kitchen. The layout is simple and the instructions are easy to follow. Some of the ideas do seem like common sense, however, anyone new to meal prepping and looking for healthy recipes will find them here.

While I strive to keep myself organized in the kitchen, there are always times when I wish I was better prepared. Organizing the shopping and the prep is one thing that this cookbook seems to stress. The Visual Guide to Easy Meal Prep is a planning tool with some healthy recipes to help you achieve success in the kitchen.

❀ STRAIGHTFORWARD STEPS

The recipes that are included within this book all fit together with the themes of planning and healthy eating. Sourcing the ingredients is not difficult and the steps involved are straightforward. I created the Peanut Butter Brownies, which are a healthy alternative to your standard brownie. They were tasty, but not enough to sway me from enjoying a coveted dessert.

❀ GREAT TIPS AND HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES

If you are on the hunt for ideas to organize yourself in the kitchen, The Visual Guide to Easy Meal Prep may be the book for you. It has some great tips and healthy alternatives to many popular dishes.

[Erika Sarutobi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

This book is helpful in teaching you the basics but it includes many obvious stuff that you should know like buying knives for the kitchen to get started. This takes around 1/3 of the book before going to the lists of food and which category they fall into (carbohydrates, fats or protein).

I like how there was a low carb, vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free plans before heading out to the recipes for each meal of the day with pro tips in between.

Overall, a bit disappointed because I thought there would be a different insight to meal prep besides the obvious. Regardless, the recipes in the book sound delicious and I can't wait to try some of them especially since they're healthy.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.

[roxi Net · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy meal prepping one day a week out of my need to be organized, eat healthy, and be able to grab things quickly. I think this is a good cookbook but I wasn't sure what the 'visual guide' aspect of this book was since it seemed more of a straight-forward cookbook. The recipes are great (never thought of a 'broccoli, chicken, and cheese-stuffed sweet potato') yet other than the basics (a list of foods to purchase), I didn't learn anything over exciting that was different from how I normally prep my food. I think it would be a great book for someone who is just learning to change their dietary lifestyle and prep food for their success.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book works on several levels, but you have to buy into the whole package for it to work for you.
Firstly Meal Prep is a self-repeating process, the more you do the easier the idea becomes a reality. This book presented a great argument for Meal Prep but will it make me change - sadly not.
Secondly Meal Prep prompts a better lifestyle but demands a degree of organisation and planning to have a ready meal to hand to save the grasp for that slice of cake.
Thirdly Meal Plan is easy only if you are organised and your default approach isn't laziness.
For the cook want to save money, eat better and more healthily this is a great resource.
I love the approach and felt the motivation, reception is my fault alone. A cook with a smile is a winning look. A cook book works with great pictures and photos of food, good enough to eat.
This book is a cramed with easy to follow recipes. The ethos of Meal Prep is a given but since this is a niche book that demands you buy into the whole concept. Otherwise, it is a cook book with some interesting tips and meals.
If you don't buy into Meal Prep then it will be a frustrarion, a constant reminder of a 'better' way like that gym equipment gathering dust in the garage.
Buy it if you are up for the challenge. read it if you are prepared to change. Meal Prep is not a spectator sport.

[January Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very helpful for me, as I do need visual help ha,ha! I prep for about three days a week for myself as I have to physically go to my office about three days a week. Very useful book!

[Jenny Houle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This step-by-step book is great if you are struggling with the best ways to meal prep. I often get overwhelmed when I get home from the grocery store after I have sworn I will meal prep, and instead I give up on the idea. This book helped me get organized and set up in such a way that I didn't feel overwhelmed and was able to do the cleaning/chopping/full prepping. It is important to point out that this is not a cookbook (although she does include 4 simple meal plan ideas, with cooking instructions, so that you can get a better idea of how to do the step-by-step), Each of the plans she includes cover a specific type of diet (gluten free, vegetarian, etc.). She also included a great list of ingredients to have on hand so that meal prepping is easy.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn’t groundbreaking- the recipes are mostly simple, and the meal prep instructions are not more involved than in other websites and books I have read. However the whole of it is clearly written, and almost all the recipes sounded like I would both enjoy cooking and eating them. Many are so simple and fast that I would use them as weeknight meals without any pre prepping required. I can’t wait to get home from vacation and try them- especially the smoothie recipes, the chocolate granola, and the tofu skewers.

The recipes are all pretty paleo/low carb friendly, and the author has menus for low carb and dairy free meal plans in case that is applicable for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

[jess ~has abandoned GR~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO HELPFUL AND USEFUL!

I like how each "recipe" is really how to efficiently cook/prep everything at once. I haven't tried any of her suggestions yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

Only downside: the actual book didn't really start until a third of the way in. The first third is just helpful tips like "it's important to have a bowl so you can mix things inside of it."



But aside from that -- flip to about a third of the way in and get to ready to learn something.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Race Point Publishing for The Visual Guide to Easy Meal Prep by Erin Romeo. This is a book by the self-proclaimed Food Prep Princess who says her method for meal prep is “life changing.” This book is to help you meal prep so that you can save both time and money, as well as, eat healthier. Meal prep is all about routine, which this book provides you.

The first third of the book is full of very helpful tips and techniques, including the five steps to meal prep success, details on how to read and decipher nutrition labels and ingredient list, and lists of approved foods for healthy meal prep. The book also includes sample meal plans for: low carb, vegetarian, dairy free, and gluten free. The meal plans include which recipes to use and a step-by-step plan on how to do the meal plans. The meal plans each include recipes for four days – three meals and two snacks each day, including repeated recipes.

The book then lists lots of meal prep friendly recipes by topic. Some of my favorite recipes are:
- Breakfast
o Breakfast Burritos
o Healthy Egg Cup with several variations
o Chocolate Raspberry Breakfast Quinoa
- Mains
o Spinach Fettuccine with Turkey Bolognese
o Zucchini Noodles Caprese-Style
o Broccoli, Chicken, and Cheese Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
o “Not Your Mama’s Meatloaf” Muffins
- Snacks & Sides
o Apple Cinnamon Walnut Muffins
o Chocolate Granola
o Roasted Vegetables
- Dressings, Dips, and Sauces
o 3 Step Tomato Salsa
o Avocado Aioli
o Hummus

The book ends with a very detailed index to help you use the book. I found this book extremely helpful in beginning to meal prep. The recipes are all meal prep friendly and delicious. The sample meal plans really help to show you the process to use. This book is a great resource for meal prep in addition to a great source of meal prep friendly recipes.

[Isabel Hinen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this! All the meal prepping tips were SO helpful, and there were several recipes I will be saving! It was very gluten-free, low-carb, and dairy-free friendly, so if those describe you, I would highly recommend it! The recipes were definitely healthy and well-rounded, with lots of complex grains and colorful veggies included. You may not have the best luck with your picky eaters, but there were still some recipes that even my picky childhusband would enjoy, like homemade chocolate granola! The great thing is you can alter all these recipes to your taste, substituting any ingredients that you aren't sure about. This book is a no-nonsense guide that doesn't waste your time and attention but still lets you walk away with helpful knowledge you will most definitely remember!

[Chrystopher’s Archive · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick to read with accessible recipes, this is a handy cookbook to have. It lays out the basics of meal prep as well as a crash course primer on grocery shopping (which this helpless millennial appreciated), and outlined a meal plan for not one but four different eating styles - low carb, vegetarian, gluten free, and dairy free. I actually learned something from this cookbook, and feel inspired to try some new things.

[amberreadsromance · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was OK. It's another average meal prep/cookbook out there to have as another resource. The photos were great--vibrant and colorful and made me want to make a recipes from the book.

I received this ARC copy in exchange for my review.

[Rianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

59/52 books read in 2019.
Provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't fully collected my thoughts yet. Three stars at the moment, might go down.
Review will be up soon.

[Katherine Pittman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Really like the layout of the book, it's simplicity, and the recipes. I like the focus on the healthy aspect of batch cooking. I felt inspired to cook and meal plan. With that said, I would have liked a little more prep/planning assistance listed for each recipe and not so generally at the beginning of the book.

[Heather Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and it is great for beginners who are making meal prepping for the week. I will have to try some of the recipes.

[Angel La · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful mealprep guide with step by step instructions on how to achieve your customized mealprep whether you’re vegetarian or following a low carb diet. I wish there were more recipes. An entire keto friendly mealprep chapter would be awesome.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Quarto Publishing for a copy of The Visual Guide to Easy Meal Prep for review. Available August 6/19.

Lots of easy to follow information for beginners to meal prep, like me. Plenty of easy recipes as well but I really appreciated the walk through of what to prep and why meal prep works. Tips and tricks along the way will save plenty of time along the way.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful Tips and Healthful-Sounding Recipes, But...

Do you have a hard time getting dinner or other meals on the table every day? In this book, the author introduces her take on the concept of advance meal preparation and gives her five steps for meal prep success. The introductory sections of the book do provide a firm foundation in what you need to consider if you decide to attempt this advance meal prep. I have occasionally done multi-meal food prep, so I know that organization and planning is a key to success (along with sturdy shoes). The author goes into a little about how to grocery shop for healthful ingredients and even do some pre-preparation before your cooking day.

The author espouses what she calls healthy cooking, and for the most part, I would say that it is. Although, when I looked over her “approved food list” (and something about that rankles my independent, don’t-tell-me-what-to-eat mentality), I was somewhat dismayed to find that potatoes were not on it. I am not one who believes that potatoes are inherently evil, unlike some, and I believe they have a place in a well-rounded, healthy diet so long as you are not following a low-carb or anti-inflammatory diet plan.

Speaking of plans, the author does give four meal prep plans that you can follow depending upon your dietary preferences or needs: low carb, vegetarian, gluten free, and dairy free. For each plan, she gives a couple of breakfasts, mains, and snacks. Each plan has enough for four days of food, with the three main meals and one or two snacks covered. While the author does discuss how to strategize your cooking day in general in the introduction, she goes into greater detail in each of the plans. She tells you precisely which recipes, or parts of recipes, to do and in which order so that you make the most efficient use of your time and resources (like oven or stovetop time). I think both these detailed plans and the more general plan are a fantastic way to get you thinking about how to structure your own meal prep sessions with your family favorite recipes.

The recipe portion is divided into just a few basic sections like breakfast, mains, snacks and sides, and dressings, dips, and sauces. Unfortunately, the author does not give any sort of nutritional information for any of the recipes. I think this is odd for a cookbook that is meant to be healthy. Everybody has a different approach to what they think healthy eating is. Some watch their carbs while others watch fat, amongst other things. It would have been nice to have the macronutrient breakdown as well as the calorie count. Even though she gives meal prep plans for four very specific diets, she doesn't label the recipes as being friendly to them. Sometimes, of course, this is easy to figure out (no chicken for a vegetarian, no cheese for someone who’s dairy free), but other times, it is more tricky and perhaps even impossible if you are, say, really eating low-carb since she doesn't give any nutritional counts.

For each recipe that needs to be reheated on eating day, the author gives brief but useful instructions. I will admit I have a hard time imagining some of these recipes being good warmed up, like an omelet. Eggs always seem to be the best right after they've been cooked. So I wonder how the egg dishes would actually be on day three or four.

One thing that I found kind of funny is that there is no specific dessert section, but dessert recipes are definitely included in the snacks and sides section. I'm wondering if the author thought that she couldn't have an official dessert chapter in a healthy cookbook or if she didn't have enough healthy desserts to warrant an entire chapter. Surely, she is not saying that one should snack on dessert foods? For some reason, in what is meant to be a healthy cookbook, I find that kind of funny.

I feel like this book could have been organized better, though I'm not quite sure what should have been done. I'm wondering if perhaps the plans should have been at the back, as I often see in cookbooks, and the recipes clearly marked with what diet(s) they would work with. Perhaps, too, she could have had hyperlinked master lists of recipes for each diet. I just feel like this book needs some better organization since it seems to be appealing to at least four different and distinct crowds as well as the general cook. Maybe the book would have been better split into four separate books based around the different diets, with only the recipes that would be suitable for it. Maybe she could have had a fifth cookbook that was more about the generalities of meal planning with multiple plans to really help the cook-reader get a sense of how to strategize and execute multi-meal cooking, based not just around diets but seasons and holidays as well.

All in all, I think this cookbook shares some good tips and techniques if you want to try prepping and cooking ahead. Some recipes are complicated, which could be hard to do on a big cooking day, but some look relatively straightforward. The organization is a little confusing, and there are issues with the recipe information, as I stated. I would call this cookbook a mixed bag, so to speak, with some good information and recipes but definitely lacking in a few areas.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

Read my other reviews at https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is interesting and full of great ideas I will surely try. The recipes are healthy and well explained.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meal preparation might seem like a challenge, but this book helps you prepare several meals and snacks in advance. Batch cooking made easy. A lot of lean, healthy recipes that I wouldn't have thought of on my own.

[Anuradha Sowmyanarayanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book THE VISUAL GUIDE TO EASY MEAL PREP is presented in a visually appealing way in five chapters. Prepping is the action or process of preparing something, or preparing for something. The author’s choice of the word PREP in the title of the book makes it crisp and clear. By going through this book the reader will obviously consider cooking as an art as well as a happy exercise. ”Food is the most primitive form of comfort” – Sheila Graham. With this book in hand, comfort is not so far.



This is highly useful for those who love to plan and be prepared for the week ahead with their meals. The time for preparation of a meal depends on the dish we plan to prepare. This book guides the readers to choose the best quick and nutritious recipes. The recipes in the book are listed in separate categories like breakfast, snacks & sides, dressings, dips and sauces.



The Author Eric Romeo is a nutrition coach, expert meal planner and food prep specialist. She is better known as the ”Food prep princess.” Her meal preps have been featured on shape.com, health magazine.com and in many sites. More about her at food prep princess.com. This book is published by Quarto publishing group USA.



Author shares about her book in a different style by answering these question with more practical and simple answers.
“”what can you expect from meal prepping?””

“What is meal prep?”

“Why Meal prep?”

“Where to start?”

“How long does it take?”

I quote from page -10 of the book “All you need are three ingredients; a proven routine, some patience, and an open and willing attitude. I bring the first ingredient; I need you to bring the other two!” The words of the author are so assuring and this will definitely bring an urge in the readers to gain the other two for a satisfying meal preparation.



Food shopping terms to know in page 15, added sugars –over 50 forms available in the market products, how to read nutrition facts labels and ingredients list, parts of the label in page 17 are the eye openers for many shoppers and this surely will lead them towards a guilt free eating and healthy living.



This book can be handled even by a fresher in the field of cooking. The author initiates to take baby steps in getting containers, grocery shopping, cleaning and cutting, cooking, methods of portioning &packing. In each and every aspect of meal prep author cautiously stands by the reader and put forth the process in a convincing way.



Difference between skillet and saute’ pan, advantage of using wooden spoons, glass Vs plastic containers, pros and cons of batch packing and individual meals, are extra information being shared for the wholesome benefit of the reader.



The recipe in page 80- AVOCADO AIOLI is mouth -watering and the author’s description add more to it. I quote “ Creamy, healthy, and beautiful…Yes, Please! Enjoy this deliciousness on sandwiches, wraps, potatoes or anything barbecued.”



In page 64 author shares her first learnt recipe of Spanish Rice, where ground beef is part of the original recipe but she used learner meats like ground chicken or turkey. Because “When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by our own taste.” – Laiko Bahrs.



In page 42 the recipe of APPLE CINNAMON WAFFLES is given and the shell life of the product is 3 months when stored in freezer. It is a boon! Like -wise in page 70, a recipe SIMPLE AND HEALTHY TRAIL MIX, just mix all the ingredients and Eat, no need to cook! One more boon! The author took to salad dressings in a vibrant style, basic, citrus and tangy salad dressings makes salads much tastier and lip smacking.

“There is no sincerer love than the love of food.” George Bernard Shaw. Enjoy cooking and love your food.




(PDF of the book provided by Net Galley for book review)

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Visual Guide to Easy Meal Prep is a new cookbook and recipe collection from Erin Romeo. Due out 6th Aug 2019 from Quarto on their Race Point imprint, it's 176 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.

There have been a lot of times when I've come home from work and literally had no plan for dinner and a not-inspiring collection of ingredients and no idea what to cook for my family (we usually wind up with takeout food in those cases). I've been familiar for ages with the concept of once-a-month-cooking and meal planning and prep, but it always seemed to take a lot more organizational skills than I honestly have. I'm sort of an extreme case of course, but I wanted to read this book and see if I could get some tips I could use to be more food-prep organized.

This book is certainly organized. The first 25% of the page content covers the introduction, definitions and concepts involved in meal prep, along with lists of very basic kitchen utensils and storage items. There are also lists of staples with quantities to have on hand for maximum efficiency. The author also includes 4 sample plans for meals: low-carb, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free.

The following chapters contain the recipes along with ingredient measures, shopping lists, yields, prep time and other essentials. Many (but not all) of the recipes are illustrated. The photography which is included is very clear and well done. Ingredient measurements are supplied in American and standard (metric) measurements. The nutritional information, sodium, fat, etc content is not listed for the recipes. Extra tips or recipe alternatives are listed in sidebars with the recipes. The recipes themselves are fairly straightforward and are made with easily sourced ingredients. Many are very simple (hummus, aioli, guacamole, salsa, etc). I also wonder how many of the items will taste after being stored for later in the week (cooked egg, smoothies, etc).

It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a beautifully presented very well organized book. I don't know exactly how many of the tips I'm going to be able to incorporate into my daily life, since I don't really have much storage space in my freezer or refrigerator (or cabinets). I would definitely recommend it to any of my friends who are looking to make their food prep even more efficient and streamlined (Karen from yoga? Definitely).

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Vonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things I liked:
The inclusion some vegetarian options and recipes (because I am one)
It would be fairly simple to swap in a recipe or two of your own into the plan
3 meals and 2 snacks a day and she says you’ll likely lose weight
Variations for gluten free or dairy free
Healthy
Home cooked is way better tasting than fast food
I think there is great variety in the recipes - some Mexican, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Thai, dessert, soups, wraps, beef, fish, chicken, vegetarian, pastas, salads, stir fries, snacks, dips, etc.

Things I disliked:
She says the prep time is 2-3 hours once a week, but then later she gives some instructions on doing some things the night before
To save on complicated prep, she suggests you eat the same meals twice each week. I think this will bother some people, but if time is more valuable to you than variety, you might disagree. Of course you can choose to plan different meals every day and the time required will increase accordingly.

Full disclosure: I haven’t actually tried the prep plan yet, so my review is based on an untested method.

I think this would be a delightfully easy starting point for someone who wants to try a bulk cooking/meal prep plan. Seeing how most women work these days and have very limited time for putting towards cooking, I think this could bring a lot of sanity on weeknights, especially when you have young children at home. I myself work full time and still have 1 child at home. I leave home at 6am and sometimes I’m not home until 5:30pm. That leaves me very little time for planning and cooking, and very little energy to execute any plan. I find cooking a lot more enjoyable when I’m not starving, at the end of my rope, or extremely limited on time. This plan could help solve all those problems.

If you are super picky and don’t like some of the health foods that are becoming more common, such as quinoa, whole grain pasta, cauliflower rice, lack of creamy sauces and cheeses, zucchini made into noodles, etc., you may not like these recipes. However, I think with a little planning, you could try this meal prep method with your own recipes.

There are a handful of recipes I’d like to try: Thai Bowls with Peanut Sauce, some of the Greek Yogurt dips, the Ginger Soy Chicken Thighs, Roasted Vegetables, and several others.

[Ann T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Quatro - Race Point Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

This book had appealing photos and good instructions for beginners wondering how to set up and begin food prepping.
I have menu planned and food prepped for our family for a number of years now and was hoping for some new inspiration for meals, especially to get inspiration for healthy meals to last the whole week.

This recipe book seemed to be more aimed at people cooking for one or two ( meals were written to provide four serves, used twice In a week so families would have to double or quadruple the amounts depending on family size). It also seemed to cater to those on a specific eating plan eg; low carb, vegetarian for much of the book.

I enjoyed reading this book and it was evident a lot of thought and planning went into the final product. The meals were healthy and colourful.

One thing I did wonder was how the meals looked and tasted two or three days after being prepped. There were many meals which I would personally have only ever thought to make just before eating such as zoodles (zucchini noodles), smoothies, scrambled eggs. I wonder about the retention of nutrients in pre made smoothies, juices and salads and the taste of reheated scrambled eggs.

This book is a great starting point for a busy couple wanting to reap the rewards to meal prepping.

[Ivory Castle · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a time poor and culinary challenged human I requested this book hoping it would reveal some tricks/tip to help me along or at least point me in the right direction. I am inclined to overthink things so it was a relief to learn there were only five steps to meal preparation.
The author emphasizes the importance of portion control and the accompanying photos are a great visual guide (appetizing as well) if you are a little uncertain. Written in a chatty style, with easy to follow recipes and accompanying tips make the process a lot easier particularly for someone like me. Not all of the recipes are to my liking but I wouldn’t expect them to be. There were quite a few I book marked to make on my next plan ahead day.
I was also impressed the author had some qualifications to her name and her experience wasn’t just from blogging, being famous etc. It is also good to learn from someone passionate about their work and happy to share their knowledge with others. It certainly increases my enjoyment and motivation when someone imparts in this manner.
As a single person I find cooking a large batch of food means I end up with a freezer (upright and Tuckerbox) filled with a lot of serves of the same meal. This can become a little monotonous but I can see I just need to organize my thinking and cooking a little.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide an honest review in return for a free digital copy of the book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this book! Meal prep is something we regularly do in our house, so when I saw this book on NetGalley, I was immediately drawn to it. What new, fresh tips and tricks could it contain?!

The introductory chapters are full of little nuggets of inspiration and encouragement to give meal prep a try. While I think this book is geared more towards beginners, I was still able to find some useful information to try out in my next meal prep session.

The tone of the book is very upbeat. You can tell as you read that Erin Romeo is truly passionate about the topic, and she really wants to help simplify life in the kitchen, something pretty much everyone can use help with!

The second part of the book is made up of original recipes, as well as step-by-step guides to get your meal prep done efficiently. She includes several meal plans for different dietary restrictions as well, so this really is an all-in-one guide. You can pick your diet, flip to the corresponding recipes, and then just follow the steps as she has laid them out. I can't wait to give her method a try during my next meal prep session!

I would recommend this book to... everyone, really. Everyone has to eat, and everyone is busy. This book could help anyone who is looking to streamline their time in the kitchen, especially people completely new to meal prep. Highly, highly recommend!

[January · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Visual Guide to Easy Meal Prep by Erin Romeo
176-page Kindle Ebook

Genre: Food & Nutrition

Featuring: Table of Contents, Photos, 5 Steps, Tips, Approved Foods List, Recipes, Low-Carb Plan, Vegetarian Plan, Gluten-Free, Plan Dairy-Free Plan, Grocery Lists, Index

Rating as a movie: G

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🍝

My thoughts: 🔖Page 41 of 176 Low-Carb Plan - So far this book is pretty good. It has a lot of information in manageable steps about how to start meal prepping from containers to cooking. The issue I have now is I'm not interested in the food choices.

This book could have been a 5-star book but I did not love it. My mom was so impressed by this book that she bought it and its predecessor. I personally think the author did a fantastic job of breaking down how to meal plan step-by-step and the setup for the recipes is great, but the recipes themselves is why it didn't get 5 stars. I could see someone eating this especially if they are on a diet, but the average person is going to have to tweak the majority of these recipes because they are not yummy looking.

Recommend to others: Likely. I think it's a great book for breaking down and organizing your milk prep routine even if you don't use the recipes.