Whether you’re strapped for time or just want to make it easier to eat healthy, meal prep is a habit that, when done well, has many benefits. Planning and being intentional about what you eat can help you save money and time; cut down on food waste; and even bring more pleasure to your eating experience. After all, wouldn’t it be nice to open a fully prepped, neatly organized fridge that made you look forward to cooking a healthy dinner? Good news—it’s possible, and there’s no better time to start your meal prep journey than right now. Here are some tips to help you start meal prepping and get healthy delicious meals on the table without the headache.
Getting Started
First things first: Start with a clean refrigerator. Clean off the shelves and wipe everything down weekly so you have a fresh start each week. Next, assemble your containers—and you don’t have to have all the fancy Instagram-worthy options. Use mason jars or clean, upcycled jars to store ingredients.
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Of course, proper meal prepping requires that you make a meal plan and a list of ingredients before you head out to the store. So, schedule time each week to do this. Pro tip: Add a magnetic whiteboard to your fridge to help you keep track of what’s inside, and what you need to stock up on as you go through ingredients.
Batch Cook
Another benefit of meal prep is having more flexibility as you pull together meals during the week. Batch cooking staples—like beans, grains, and roasted veggies—ahead of time allows you to assemble meals on the fly without needing an actual recipe.
Protein Prep
Whether you eat meat or follow a plant-based diet, protein has its place in a healthy eating plan. Use your slow cooker or Instant Pot to cook meats in advance. Make a batch of shredded chicken, pulled pork, or grilled steak (or all three, if you like). Tofu and plant-based proteins like beans are also smart ingredients to prep ahead.
Veggie Prep
From prepping raw vegetables to roasting your favorite hearty varieties, spending some time on veggie prep will make life easier (and healthier). Clean, peel, and chop veggies like cucumbers, red bell peppers, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots to store for side dishes, lunches, and snacks; dice onions and garlic to store in glass jars for main dish prep. Roast a sheet pan of veggies every week to add to grain bowls and pastas, or serve as a side dish. Just chop everything up (keeping pieces roughly the same size for even cooking), drizzle with olive oil, add salt and pepper, and roast at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.
Grain Prep
Prepare rice, barley, quinoa, and any other grains you like and keep a batch in the refrigerator or freezer. Keep it simple—you can jazz up quinoa or rice later when preparing your recipes. The point of meal prep is to have things mostly prepared so that you can cut down on active cooking time.
Herb Prep
Incorporating fresh herbs and spices makes every dish taste better. Clean and dry fresh herbs like cilantro, chives, and parsley; roll in a damp paper towel; and place in a mason jar or glass container with a lid. You can also snip off the stems and add the herbs to a mason jar filled with water, like a bouquet. Cover loosely with a plastic bag and place the jar in the refrigerator.
