How to Meal Prep: Tips and Ideas
This post is an update to that you can read here.
Anyone who’s been following me for a little bit knows that meal prepping is. my. jam. I’m a busy lady and I’m the type that gets hangry when I go without food for too long. So there are few things better than coming home after a long day of interacting with people than having good food just waiting for me. Having a planning method that really simplifies my cooking and is based around my schedule saves me time and ensures that I’m getting all of my nutrients. So I’m not cooking hurriedly when I could be eating and watching Netflix.
One thing to note is that there is no “right” way to meal prep. So what I talk about in this post are my suggestions, not rules to live by! Tweak and experiment as you see fit.
What is meal prepping?
Meal prepping is basically preparing multiple servings of meals by batch making meals, individually portioning meals, and/or prepping ingredients.
Why I love it (aka benefits)
The biggest draws for me have always been saving money and saving time. When I first started meal prepping, I was a recent college grad (and pretty broke) working a job with crazy hours. I also didn’t want nutrition to fall by the wayside, so the easiest way to save money, save time, and ensure that I was eating nutritious meals was to meal prep. Some other benefits include reduced stress as you avoid last minute decisions about what to eat (or rushed cooking) and potential help with weight control because you have complete control over what you eat and how much of it.
Downsides
I’m pretty plain Jane and can eat the same things for breakfast, lunch, and dinner five days in a row without issue (I usually prep for M-F). But if variety is the spice of your food life, meal prepping may not work for you. The greater the number of people you’re cooking for, the easier it will be to create variety because you’ll naturally use ingredients faster. But if you’re solo dolo, that bag of spinach might go bad before you get a chance to eat it if you don’t eat a little everyday.
Getting Started
1. Pick a meal prep day
It’s easier if you pick a day ahead of time and plan for it. Many people prefer to do their meal prep on the weekend, so they’ll have enough food already prepped for the entire week ahead. Others pick a Monday or another day to do it. Find the day that works best for you and your family.
Once you’ve picked a day, ensure you set aside enough time for your project. You may need several hours to a whole day depending on the amount of food you need to prepare or the size of your family.
2. Write your meal out and create your grocery list based on your meals for the week
3. Go grocery shopping
4. Purchase Tupperware (if necessary)
If you’re prepping for lunches to take to school or work, small containers can be a lifesaver. You can use plastic containers and buy them in bulk.
The key is to be able to fit all of the food for one person’s meal into one container. Make one for each member of the family who will be taking one of those meals. Also consider using color coded lids or labels to make it easier to sort them.
5. Cook in the right order
Get your more time consuming dishes (think anything that needs to go in the oven or steam on the stove) going first. Then while those cook, you can work on the less time consuming ones. Cooking in an order that makes sense will save you time. If you find yourself waiting for something to bake or boil on the stove with nothing to do, you could wash any dirty dishes that you may have accumulated.
6. Portion everything out into your containers and store in preparation for the week (if you go the individual portions route)
Strategies
Freeze Smoothies and Juices
It’s healthier to make your own juices and smoothies, rather than buying processed and sugar laden versions from the store. Freezing these items ahead of time will save minutes or hours in the morning.
Use Jars Creatively
Mason jars have become a fun meal prep trick. You can use mason jars to layer salads or make casseroles. You can also use them to make oatmeal layers for morning breakfasts.
One popular way is to use them as jarred salads. Put the heaviest items, such as meat or beans, on the bottom of the jar. Then, add the layers of cheese or thicker vegetables. The lettuce should go on top because it’s delicate. Add sauce or dressing in a different jar, so it doesn’t get messy.
Chop and Cut in Advance
If you hate making salads but love eating them, chop things ahead.
You can cut many vegetables ahead of time and store them in the fridge. You can even store spiralized vegetables in the fridge to turn them into pasta later. Zucchini is a popular option.
Use An App
I’ve never used an app, but the two that I’ve seen the most about are Mealime and Yummly. Read this article to get the scoop on some of the best apps to use, if you choose to go that route. I personally like to plan my meals and write my grocery list in the Notes app on my phone (standard on all Apple devices) on Fridays, go grocery shopping on Saturdays, and do the bulk of my cooking on Sundays.
Create separate containers for each vegetable, so they don’t wilt or affect each other. Use clear containers or label them with what’s in them and the date.
Freeze Soups and Sauces
Did you know that you can freeze most soups and sauces after making them?
Another easy way to make meal prep work for your family is to freeze soups and sauces. Make extra batches and let them cool on the counter. Then freeze them, so later you can just thaw, heat, and eat.
Here are the recommended times for various cooked foods that offer the best flavors, maximum nutrients, and food safety.
Refrigeration at 40°F or lower
1-2 days: Cooked ground poultry or ground beef
3-4 days: Cooked whole meats, fish and poultry; soups and stews
5 days: Cooked beans; hummus
1 week: Hard boiled eggs; chopped vegetables if stored in air-tight container
2 weeks: Soft cheese, opened
5-6 weeks: Hard cheese, opened
Freezing at 0°F or lower
2-3 months: Soups and stews; cooked beans
3-6 months: Cooked or ground meat and poultry
6-8 months: Berries and chopped fruit (banana, apples, pears, plums, mango) stored in a freezer bag
8-12 months: Vegetables, if blanched first for about 3-5 minutes (depending on the vegetable)
Super Saver Tip: plan your meals around the circulars/sales at your grocery store. I did this all the time in college (and still do it from time to time now) and it definitely helps you save a little extra money! If you’re going all in, literally use the circulars to plan your entire meal. But if you’re looking to have a little of what you want and a little of what’s on sale, it’s usually easiest to swap your sides and veggies. For example, if I planned to have salmon, rice, and broccoli but I see that green beans are on sale, I’ll likely swap the broccoli for green beans.
That’s it for this post! If you’re ready to get your wellness started and need a little help, get my free list guide to uncomplicate wellness and bypass some common roadblocks.
I hope this gets you one step closer to becoming your own wellness expert and as always, thanks for journeying with me!