Load shedding is back, and like that distant family member who never knows when to leave, its back with a vengeance. And just like that distant family member, let’s call them Uncle Bob, load shedding shows up when you least want it to. This time around, keeping track of when and where dear Uncle Bob might show up, and how long he plans to stay, is proving a bit difficult. We want to shed some light on load shedding and how you can make those tedious hours.

The main concern for most of us is “How am I going to cook?” We can’t have Nandos and KFC every time Uncle Bob visits us between 4pm and 7pm, we’d be just as broke as Eskom. Meal prepping is a sure-fire way to make sure you and your family don’t starve, but what happens when you just don’t have the time?

Our solution is ‘Meal Prepping’.

Not everyone has access to a generator or a gas stove, so preparing your meals in advance will save you the stress of frantically looking for food. Meal prepping makes it as easy as popping open a container and enjoying your food!

We have a few tips for beginners, to ensure you get the most out of your meals:

Tip 1:

Prep the meal you dread the most, first. Often, this meal is breakfast. It’s easy to ignore or push aside in the mad morning rush, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you find it difficult to prep your morning meals, opt for healthy shakes or breakfast muffins instead. Once you’ve gotten that out of the way, you’ll find it much easier to prep the rest of your meals!

Tip 2:

Schedule your prepping. Spare a few hours of your Sunday to get your week’s meals prepped. Make it as difficult to make excuses as possible. That way, you have no excuse not to have food for the rest of the week!

Tip 3:

Stick to what you know. Load shedding isn’t permanent (we hope), so try to use dependable recipes that you already know and love. Experimenting cuts into your allotted time when prepping and there is a strong possibility you won’t like the result.

Tip 4:

Have fun! Put on your favourite music or stream your favourite show while working in the kitchen. If you’re not a fan of cooking, this helps make the chore more enjoyable and helps the time pass quickly!

Pro Tip:

Instead of prepping three to four meals for everyday of the week, pack yourself some rewarding snacks to munch on throughout the day. Try to make a note of where you’ll be when Uncle Bob visits and how long he’ll be staying and try to plan your meal prepping around that. Chances are, you only need to prep one, maybe two, meals per day, if any! Stay hydrated and keep your energy levels up with Ashwagandha and Green Tea throughout the day! Make sure you stay cool and don’t overwork yourself.