The Marlow Mum's Guide to Meal Prep That Actually Survives the Summer Holidays

We are settled into the school holidays. This means extra meals to think about, no routine and kids who are somehow both "starving" and "not eating that" within the same sentence. Instagram-worthy Sunday batch cooking, with its labelled containers and colour-coded lunches, seems far from reality when you're juggling childcare, days out, a job and your own needs (if you can even remember what they are anymore!).

Here's a meal prep approach that actually holds up:

Lindsay Montgomery is a Nutritionist and Personal Trainer based in Marlow

Forget the big Sunday session, find 10 minute meals instead. 

Rather than blocking out three hours you don't have to meal prep, spend a few minutes Googling some meals that are ready in under 10 minutes – salads, stir fries, omelettes etc.  You don’t need gourmet cuisine, you need something that fits into your life and still provides decent nutrition for you and your family.

Set up your kitchen for success.

Bring meals together quickly by leaning on a few convenience foods. Stock the cupboards with pre-cooked rice and grains pouches, tins of tuna and salmon, jars of beans and flavoursome pesto’s, pastes and sauces. This way you can bring a delicious balanced meal together without extra faff.

Cook once, eat twice. 

When you do get time to cook, always make double (or more!). If you don’t like the idea of eating the same thing twice then batch cook one component that can be used in different ways. For example, a bolognese sauce becomes a jacket potato topping, lasagne or pasta bake. Or a roast chicken becomes fajita filling, a Caesar salad or a quick stir fry.

Make the most of your freezer. 

We have all started to fear processed food but it is not all made the same. Having a well-stocked freezer is a life-line for a busy mum who just needs to get something on the table. When you do get the chance, batch cooking and stocking your freezer with your own creations is amazing. But when you don’t have the time, relying on a few decent freezer staples is key – plus, frozen fruit and veg is actually more nutritious than fresh most of the time!

Take the pressure off. 

Some days the only answer is a picnic-style dinner with no cooking required. These are often my favourite evenings and require hardly any cleaning up if it’s nice enough to eat outside. You don’t have to create amazing meals every day, you just have to try to get some balance into what you do provide – protein, fibre, fruit and veg. Keep it simple.

Stop trying to re-invent the wheel. 

Repetition is your friend in the holidays. If a week of similar lunches keeps everyone fed with minimal effort, that's a win. Save the creativity for when there's more headspace for it.

The goal of summer holiday meal prep isn't a beautifully organised fridge, it's getting everyone fed without it consuming your entire day. Quick meals, a well-stocked kitchen, and permission to keep it simple.

And when normal routines resume in September and you’re ready to build a structure that works around your lifestyle, you can dive into my group coaching program designed especially for busy mums, just like you.

You can find out more here

Lindsay is a Nutritionist and Personal Trainer based in Marlow on a mission to cut through the noise and make healthy living simple and achievable. She works predominantly with busy mums helping them to reclaim their health and feel like themselves again.

For more information about Lindsay and her services please head to

www.lm-nutritionandfitness.com, and follow her for plenty of nutrition tips on Instagram @lm_nutritionandfitness