We all have days when our to-do list is longer than our arms and that means cooking a healthy meal from scratch feels like an impossible task. You might end up ordering in or picking up fast food more often than you’d like, and before you know it, your healthy eating habits have gone out the window.
If this sounds familiar, meal prep is probably something you need to get into. Meal prepping means cooking and portioning out meals in advance so that you have healthy meals ready to go when you’re short on time (6).
This beginner’s guide to meal prep will show you how to get started, including tips on how to make meal prep work for your lifestyle, what kitchen tools you need, and how to create a meal prep routine that works for you.
The idea of cooking a week’s worth of meals in one day can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Follow these steps to get started:
You do not have to meal prep all your meals to get the benefits of this practice. If cooking an entire week’s worth of food feels like too much, start with just one meal or even one day of meals.
Once you get into the habit of prepping meals in advance, you can gradually increase the number of meals you prep until you’re doing it for as many meals as you need to get through the week.
A good idea is to start with the meal that you struggle most with. For example; if you’re always tired after work and end up ordering pizza, start by meal prepping dinner.
If you wake up ravenously hungry and end up eating unhealthy breakfast foods, start by meal prepping breakfast.
As the popular saying goes; failing to plan is planning to fail. The same goes for meal prep. Block out some time in your schedule for meal prep, whether it’s an hour on Sunday or 30 minutes every night. Find a time that works for you.
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To develop a simple meal prep routine, choose a couple of recipes that you love, are easy to make, and can be easily stored. You can find lots of great recipes online or in cookbooks. Eventually, you’ll have them memorized and won’t even need the recipe.
No-cook recipes are great for meal prep because they don’t require any cooking and can be easily prepped in advance. Examples include salads, grain bowls, wraps, and sushi.
Kitchen appliances make meal prep a lot easier. The slow cooker, for example, is great for making large batches of food that can be portioned out and eaten throughout the week.
If you don’t have a lot of counter space, an electric pressure cooker can be a great space-saving alternative.
Other appliances that can be helpful for meal prep include:
Once you’ve decided on your recipes, make a list of all the ingredients you’ll need. If you already have some of the ingredients at home, great! If not, add them to your shopping list.
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Consider how long you can store the food you’re about to prep. Food safety is a concern with any type of food storage, but it’s especially important when you’re storing cooked food (4).
Cooked food can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. When freezing cooked food, portion it out into individual servings so that you can thaw and reheat only what you need.
Ingredients that are not used in cooked recipes can be stored in the pantry, fridge, or freezer, depending on their shelf life.
Meal prep doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’re short on time, there are a few shortcuts you can take:
Now that you know the basics of meal prep, here are a few healthy meal prep ideas to get you started:
Breakfast meal prep ideas:
Lunch meal prep ideas:
Dinner meal prep ideas:
Snacks and sides meal prep ideas (11):
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Here are answers to some common questions about meal prep:
A: Most meal prep meals can last in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. When freezing cooked food, portion it out into individual servings so that you can thaw and reheat only what you need.
A: Food safety is important when it comes to meal prep. Make sure to use either glass or BPA-free plastic containers (5). Label each container with the name of the dish and the date it was made.
A: Not if you plan! Variety is the key to successful meal prep. Try to include a variety of colors, textures, and flavors in your meals. And don’t forget to change things up from week to week.
A: Try prepping ingredients only instead of fully cooked meals. This way you can mix and match to create different dishes each day. Using herbs, spices, and other seasonings can also help add flavor to your meals.
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A: If you’re short on time, there are still some things you can do to make healthy eating easier. cook a big batch of grains or protein at the beginning of the week.
Chop up vegetables and store them in the fridge. And make sure to have quick and healthy snacks on hand for when you get hungry.
Meal prep can be a great way to save time and eat healthy. By planning and being creative with your ingredients, you can create a variety of interesting and delicious meals. If you’re short on time, there are still some things you can do to make healthy eating easier.
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