Preparing sweet potatoes in advance for the week is a convenient way to ensure you have a nutritious and delicious meal ready in your fridge. With busy work and household schedules, it can be challenging to plan fresh meals regularly. However, you don`t want to compromise on your family’s health by offering takeouts from nearby fast food or ‘munchies’ from the pantry.
By learning how to meal prep sweet potatoes, you can make conscious food selections with a healthy and versatile ingredient. Let’s get the hang of prepping sweet potatoes and help you prepare wholesome meals.
Why You Should Meal Prep with Sweet Potatoes?
For a good start, consider ordering a ready-made healthy menu with sweet potatoes included before cooking on your own. This way, you can try nutritious and fulfilling potatoes cooked in different ways (roasted, fried, etc) to find the perfect taste. Check some tasty options in our meal prep menu.
There are many benefits of adding sweet potatoes to your meal plan. This includes:
Time-Saving
How often have you stood before the fridge contemplating what to cook at the end of the day? Most people would agree with this happening to them almost every day of the week. With a meal plan, you no longer have to deal with the stress of figuring out what to cook.
Plus, there is no exhausting clean-up after each meal if your dishes are prepared beforehand. You only have to do one BIG washing and putting everything away on the day your meal prep sweet potatoes and other dishes. On other days, you can quickly get away with casual cleaning. This leaves you with enough time to spend with family, go for walks, do last-minute homework, or just relax with a good tv show.
Money Saving
Temptations to order take-outs from the nearby restaurant are common after a hectic workday. However, food prices at diners and cafes have spiked in recent years. When you meal prep, you purchase ingredients in bulk - rather than separately. Since you know what to cook for the week, you will also have a shopping list ready, reducing the chances of impulse purchases. This gives you more shopping control and significantly helps you save on bills.
Nutritious Food Selection
Sweet potatoes are a solid source of nutrients, including fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium. Combining these compounds helps digestive health, boosts immunity, improves brain function, and reduces the risk of heart disease.
They are also satisfying and keep a person full for longer periods. This eliminates the need to snack between meals and ensures you have a healthy food option for your family.
What Is The Ideal Way to Meal Prep Sweet Potatoes for 1 Week?
Sweet potato meal prep is a simple task as long as you have the right ingredients and a versatile selection of dishes for a whole week. Once you have decided on the meals, list the items you will need so you don’t end up with things that may distract you from your diet.
At the grocery store, you will find sweet potatoes in various colors, shapes, and sizes:
- Look for sweet potatoes with smooth skin and no bruises or cuts.
- Buy small to medium-sized potatoes. But make sure they are roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- Although fresh sweet potatoes are available year-round, you can also opt for the frozen variety to save time on peeling and cutting.
At home, store the sweet potatoes in a cool, dry place. However, do not refrigerate! You should also cook them within one week, or they can go bad.
Before cooking, wash the potatoes thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt or debris. Then, follow any of the below recipes to meal prep sweet potato dishes for the week.
Sweet Potato Meal Prep Recipes to Try
1. Baked Sweet Potato
Baking sweet potatoes is the most popular way to serve the ingredient with protein and veggies. Once properly cooked, they stay intact in the fridge for up to 5 days and several months in the freezer.
Ingredients:
- 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil, avocado oil, melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Wash your potatoes and then pat them dry with a towel. Leave the skin on for added fiber.
- Cut the sweet potatoes lengthwise in half. Pierce them a few times with a fork or knife.
- Drizzle the oil and sprinkle your spices.
- Let it roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until they are tender.
- Once baked, leave them to cool completely before transferring them to a storage container for freezing.
To Reheat: Remove the sweet potatoes from the freezer and let them thaw. Warm them in an oven, microwave, or stovetop. Serve them hot with steak, burger, or any other protein of your choice.
2. Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potato fries are an ideal alternative to regular fries. They are also healthier and add more nutrients to your plate while retaining the delicious taste.
Ingredients:
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Wash and cut the sweet potatoes into fries. Keep the slices thin to make your fries crispy. You can also leave the skin on to boost fiber intake.
- Use your large bowl to combine all the ingredients.
- Toss the fries in the seasoning mixture until they are evenly coated.
- Spread the fries on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes. Make sure to flip the fries halfway to ensure they are evenly baked.
- Once they are done, leave the sweet potatoes to cool completely.
- Store the meal-prep sweet potatoes in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To Reheat: Thaw the frozen fries and bake them in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve with warm vegetarian chili and beans or a topping of your choice.
3. Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Oven-roasted sweet potatoes are the perfect partners for many main dishes. You can also use them in lunch boxes for a healthy snack option.
Ingredients:
- 4-6 medium-sized sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into small cubes)
- 1 sweet onion (cut into wedges)
- 2 cloves of garlic (thinly sliced)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Combine sweet potatoes, onion, and garlic in a bowl.
- Drizzle with olive oil and toss until the vegetables are evenly coated.
- Spread them on a parchment-lined baking dish.
- Roast for 30 - 35 minutes or until they are tender and golden. Make sure to turn the vegetables frequently so they cook evenly.
- Once cooked, remove your tray from the oven and drizzle with balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Let the sweet potato meal prep cool completely before transferring it to a storage container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 5 days.
To Reheat: Thaw the ingredients and reheat them in the oven or microwave. Serve hot!
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Cook Sweet Potatoes for Meal Prep?
Baking, roasting, boiling, and steaming sweet potatoes are some ways to cook sweet potatoes for meal prep.
What Meals to Cook with Sweet Potatoes?
You can meal prep with sweet potatoes in various recipes, such as breakfast bowls, potato curry, salad, and tacos. They also make a great side dish or a stand-alone snack for healthy munchings.
How to Store Sweet Potato Prep Meals?
To safely store sweet potato meal prep, ensure the ingredients are completely cool before transferring to an airtight container or storage bag. You should also divide the dishes into required portions so you don’t have to thaw the entire batch for each meal. If properly stored, the sweet potato meals can last in a refrigerator for up to 5 days. In case of freezing, keep your meal preps for up to 3 months.
Can I Lose Weight by Prepping Sweet Potatoes?
Yes, meal prepping with sweet potatoes is the best way to enhance weight loss. The meals make it easy to maintain a well-balanced diet by providing healthy alternatives to junk foods. They are also packed with nutrients that keep you satisfied for long durations to prevent overeating.
Conclusion
Meal prepping with sweet potatoes is an easy way to put nutritious food options on the table and support health goals. Whether you are a busy parent with a family to support or a corporate worker with a strict schedule, knowing how to meal prep sweet potatoes can save time and limit the stress of figuring out what to cook for each meal. Just follow the above tips and recipes to add versatility to your diet. If you are tired of inflation in the supermarket, there are meal prep options available.
