Blenders for Meal Prep
Blenders are appliances that mix ingredients. Depending on the power and settings used, you can achieve different consistencies for your recipes. They are great for all kinds of different foods and drinks, making them super versatile additions to your meal prep.
Blenders have evolved over the years from more than just countertop styles. Today you can find blenders ranging from small and portable devices that are perfect for a single serving to large, heavy-duty machines that can break down the strongest of ice.
The best thing about blenders is that they automate rudimentary and tedious cooking tasks like breaking down ingredients into soup bases, blends, and sauces. By hand, these cooking steps can add length, and tiring, time to your meal prep. But, by adding electricity to a spinning blade, we can speed through those parts of cooking, optimizing our time in the kitchen.
Tip: If you need to use a blender, but want to keep a rustic style intact, try charring your ingredients over an open flame first.
Countertop
Countertop blenders are the classic appliance that most imagine when thinking of blenders. They feature a large glass pitcher with a spinning blade at the bottom that is attached to a motorbase.
The device normally has a few settings like pulse, puree, or blend. Most foods don’t need the highest settings, they are usually meant for crushing ice to create smoothies and mixed drinks.
The lid might also have a few removable parts that make it easy to pour your mixture out for serving, storage, or cooking. These open hatches on the lid are also great for adding ingredients as the mixture is being blended which can help with layering flavors or emulsifying.
Food Processor
Food processors are some of the most similar to mortar & pestles. They are exceptional for mixing aromatics and sauce bases for curries and more. Unlike their predecessors though, food processors spin at an extremely fast speed, breaking down ingredients in seconds rather than minutes.
Food processors tend to feature two spinning blades that are flush with the bottom of the mixing bowl. This makes it easier for smaller ingredients like garlic and ginger to make meaningful contact with the blades.
These appliances excel at making fine sauces for curries, moles, and more and are often the secret trick to some of your favorite restaurant dishes. Sauces don’t just add flavor, they can also introduce new textures to a dish which helps keep meal prep exciting.
Single-Serve
Single-serve blenders are personal sized blenders that are small and portable. They are popular for workouts and exceptional for meal prep because the container can be preloaded with fruits and vegetables for blending when ready.
Despite their size, single-serve blenders are capable of crushing ice too, making them perfect for summertime use whether you’re making fresh smoothies or mixed drinks. They’re also easy to clean because they’re small, fitting right into your dishwasher.
Personal blenders are popular for many because they are less bulky or clunky than other options, featuring small jars instead of heavy, glass pitchers. Easier to store and easier to use, if your meal prep includes smoothies personal blenders are perfect for you.