20 ULTIMATE recipes for meal planning

To make life easier, all homesteaders need to have some basic meal staples ready to go, especially on those days when you’ve been out in the paddocks all day and are too tired to do anything else! This post is a round-up of my 20 favourite tried and true meal prep ideas, that are suitable to make using an Instant Pot, slow cooker, or stove.

So you’re finally out of the corporate rat race and on your homestead full-time. Hooray! It doesn’t mean that your ability to organise and plan goes out the window!

If anything, planning and organisation on a homestead is a must. There are certain chores that simply have to be done at certain times, depending on what your homesteading focus is. So to make life easier, all homesteaders need to have some basic meal staples ready to go, especially on those days when you’ve been out in the paddocks all day and are too tired to do anything else!

When I make a plan for meal prep, I base all my freezer meals on something that you only need to add to rice, pasta or steamed veggies. Also, all my freezer meals can alternate proteins and vegetables as needed. They’re great dishes for using up excess and for swapping out protein.

Another thing I got out of a habit of doing, was thinking that a meal was only for a certain time frame. For example, chili con carne only for lunch or dinner. When I make plans for meals, it’s things I can eat whenever I like, because in my mindset I actively changed this idea of having to eat cereal for breakfast, eggs and bacon only for breakfast, that sort of thing.

The majority of these recipes will use the same basic herbs and spices. So not only is it beneficial to invest in some of these in bulk, but it’s better to make spice mixes yourself so you know what’s going into your meal. It’s cheaper and allergen free and you as the cook has total control in what you’re feeding yourself and your family.

With recipes to follow, here are my top 20 freezer and meal prep meals for active and busy homesteaders. One thing to note with all of these recipes is, I’ve listed them here with the protein I make the meal with. However all of these are interchangeable to your preferred meat. Things like the burger patties, meatballs and fried chicken can be prepared and frozen or cooked and frozen – the choice is really yours with how much time you’ll have.

Many of these ideas are pressure cooker and slow cooker friendly, so really utilising the kitchen items and cooking methods that are easy to work with and not overly technical. The best thing to remember about pressure cooking is, halve it. Whatever you cook your meal for currently, on the stove, halve it.

Without further ado, the most epic meal prepping and freezing/planning menu for busy homesteaders! (Recipes to follow in the next few days)

  1. Bolognese / meat sauce
  2. Savoury mince
  3. Chili con carne
  4. Goulash
  5. Sweet chilli chicken stir fry 
  6. Honey, garlic and soy stir fry
  7. Hoisin stir fry
  8. Birria tacos
  9. Meatballs
  10. Chicken fajitas
  11. Pulled pork/beef
  12. Baked chicken thighs
  13. Sarma
  14. Stuffed capsicums
  15. Burger patties 
  16. Snitzel in sauce
  17. Pork belly 
  18. Chicken paprikas 
  19. Chicken Kiev’s 
  20. Fried chicken 

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