I Really Wanted to Love the Skinnytaste Meal Prep Cookbook

I really wanted to love this cookbook. I have been following her blog for a while now and always enjoy the recipes she posts and have bought almost all her cookbooks! When I first started Weight Watchers, Skinnytaste was my go-to blog to get new recipes and meal plans.

So when I saw that Gina had come out with a new meal prep cookbook, I was thrilled and ordered it. But sadly, after reading through the book cover to cover, I realized that this cookbook was a bit of a letdown.

skinnytaste meal prep cookbook cover

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What is Skinnytaste Meal Prep?

The Skinnytaste Meal Prep Cookbook is the latest cookbook by Gina Homolka, the founder of skinnytaste.com and author of New York Times bestseller The Skinnytaste Cookbook (2014), and Fast and Slow (2016).

In it, she shares 130 make-ahead meals that offer a variety for any taste or occasion when you’re looking to eat healthier without sacrificing flavor.

When I first saw this cookbook, I thought it sounded great! I love meal prepping and could use some new ideas in the kitchen. Recently it was on sale at Amazon, so I decided to grab a copy.

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07/07/2024 02:10 am GMT

My Review of Skinnytaste Meal Prep

My cookbook arrived, and I instantly jumped in and read the whole cookbook. The first thing that stuck out to me was the complexity of the recipes. This has been something that has been bugging me for a little while now with the Skinnytaste recipes – most of the recipes require either hard-to-find ingredients (at least here in the Midwest) or complex steps.

Back when I didn’t have kids, I used to dedicate days to meal prepping and making elaborate dinners and didn’t mind. Now, I need everything to be as quick as possible with minimal clean-up involved.

In the meal prep book, it’s not much different. For example, there’s a recipe for apple cinnamon baked oatmeal. The cookbook has you sauteing the apples ahead of time, as well as making your own oat flour in a food processor. When I meal prep, I want recipes to be as simple as possible, and to me, that seems like too many extra steps compared to other similar baked oatmeal recipes I’ve made in the past.

I noticed almost all the recipes were like this. There weren’t many easy set it and forget it type recipes but rather more complex recipes. I should note that Gina does have 2 cookbooks Fast and Slow and One and Done where she shares more quick and easy recipes, so she does have some options. But for me, when I think of meal prep, I think quick and easy, so I expected to see more of those options.

I also didn’t find too many new recipes in the cookbook. The recipes all seemed similar to those in the previous cookbooks or on her blog, just with minor tweaks. For example, Zucchini Rollatini’s recipe in the cookbook is very similar to one she posted on her blog a few years ago.

I do like that Gina does include a lot of tips on meal prepping, how to freeze foods properly (all recipes include instructors on how to reheat, how long each portion will last, etc.), and which containers are the best to use for meal prep. She also does include worksheets inside the cookbook to help you create your own grain bowls that are helpful too! Gina also does include a 4-week meal prep menu to get you started.

Related Post: Lillie Eats and Tells Planned Cookbook Review

Conclusion

This cookbook is probably best for those who have not read any of Gina’s other books and are just starting to get into meal prep.

For someone like me, who has been following her blog for a few years now, I felt this book was disappointing. It had very few new recipes that were exciting to me, and as a mom, they were just way too time-consuming to do every week. I was hoping to use this cookbook to help meal prep before the baby comes, but the recipes are a little too complex for me.

If you’re looking for quick meals, I would recommend checking out Gina’s other cookbooks, Fast and Slow or One and Done over this new meal prep one.

Author

  • Ali Van Straten

    Ali Van Straten is the founder and journalist of Champagne and Coffee Stains. She is a Peloton expert, certified running coach and certified nutrition coach. Champagne and Coffee Stains provides information and resources on Peloton Interactive, running and recipes.

    View all posts https://www.champagneandcoffeestains.com

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One Comment

  1. Sorry you didn’t like it!

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