Mum makes 49 meals for the week for just $153 in a mega prep session

2022-08-10

Why you need to try the ‘three pot’ meal prep trick: Nurse mum-of-four makes 49 dinners for $3 a serve – and they’re as healthy as they are tasty

Shelley Moore made 49 healthy meals for just $153 using a ‘3 pot’ meal plan
The plan involves turning three bulk meals into a variety of other dishes
An emergency nurse, the time-saving tactic has helped her lose 11 kilograms
The mum-of-four made meatball subs, curries, pies, rissoles and peanut beef

A mum-of-four has shown off her impressive meal prep after serving up 49 dishes for just $153.

Shelley Moore, from Victoria, spent just two hours in the kitchen cooking lunches and dinners using the ‘three pot’ meal plan on the Healthy Mummy app.

The simple method can be done with any recipe – you simply cook up three main dishes in bulk and turn the leftovers into separate meals.

An emergency nurse, the 32-year-old is time poor and credits her recent 11-kilo weight loss to these mega prepping sessions that include potato and peanut beef, rissoles, meatball subs and pumpkin curry.

A mum-of-four has shown off her impressive meal prep after serving up 49 meals for just $153

Shelley Moore, from Victoria, spent just two hours in the kitchen cooking lunches and dinners using the three pot’ meal plan on the Healthy Mummy app

‘I think it’s great that by taking a couple hours to cook and prepare these super easy meals means that for the whole week (if not longer!) I don’t have to think about what we’re going to have for dinner or what I can bring to work,’ Shelley said.

‘At $3.13 per serve I have saved so much money compared to how much I would normally spend.’

Shelley started with the dish that took the longest – the potato and peanut beef – as it was four hours in the slow cooker.

She turned this into six serves of slow cooked potato and peanut beef, five serves of beef wraps and four serves of slow cooked beef filos.

Bulk Recipe 1. Bulk Cooked Potato and Peanut Beef

This made:

6 x serves Slow Cooked Potato and Peanut Beef

5 x serves Slow Cooked Peanut Beef Wraps

4 x serves Slow Cooked Beef Filos

Bulk Recipe 2. Bulk Rissoles & Vegetables

This made:

5 x serves Rissoles & Vegetables

6 serves x Meatball Subs

6 serves x Spaghetti & Meatballs

Bulk Recipe 3. Bulk Spinach and Pumpkin Curry

This made:

5 serves x Spinach and Pumpkin Curry

7 serves x Spinach and Pumpkin Curry Pie (2 pies each)

5 serves x Spinach Pumpkin Chicken Curry soup

She then made bulk rissoles which she turned into five serves of rissoles and vegetables, six serves of meatball subs and six serves if spaghetti and meatballs.

‘While I was cooking and prepping, I had the app open on two devices – my phone and my tablet, so I could refer to two recipes at a time. That way I was able to think about my next steps and keep the momentum going,’ she said.

Her final bulk meal was spinach and pumpkin curry (five serves) which she turned into seven spinach and pumpkin curry pies and five serves of spinach and pumpkin curry soup.

‘A pie maker is a fantastic way to make it a little quicker and easier, but you’ll need to adjust your calories with the extra pastry,’ Shelley said.

She made bulk rissoles which she turned into five serves of rissoles and vegetables, six serves of meatball subs and six serves if spaghetti and meatballs

‘Now that our meals for the entire week are sorted and just need to be reheated, I will have more time to engage and connect with my kids and partner, and maybe even get a little extra sleep.

‘Next time I do a big three pot meal prep, I think I will prepare the night before – peeling, dicing, grating etc to save a little more time.’

When Shelley is not using the bulk recipes she saves money by regularly checking what she already has in the fridge, freezer and pantry and then customising her meal plan accordingly.

‘I am saving between $50 and $100 each weekly shop and that’s not including the money I’m saving by not buying takeaway when I come home late from work too exhausted to cook,’ she said

What are Shelley’s top meal prepping tips?

* Buy veggies when they’re on sale, chop and freeze them to use later.

* Substitute the veg in recipes with veggies that are in season as they’ll be cheaper

* Consider investing in a chest freezer, and buying meat on special to freeze for later. Buying meat in bulk then dividing and freezing

* The 3 Pot Meals are excellent for the budget because one base cook-up will provide three different meals

Shelley also substitutes one or more meals per week with vegetarian options.

‘I am saving between $50 and $100 each weekly shop and that’s not including the money I’m saving by not buying takeaway when I come home late from work too exhausted to cook,’ she said.

‘I am also saving money by incorporating smoothies into my day, either for breakfast or lunch.

‘They are so packed with vitamins, minerals, probiotics and protein that I know I’m fuelling my body with exactly what it needs, but in a quick and convenient way.’

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