By following this meal prep and planning advice, it can help you build a routine that’s practical, flexible, and easy to maintain.
Start With the Basics
- Make meal prep part of your weekly schedule. Pick one or two days each week to prep. Many people choose Sunday, but the best day is the one that fits your life. Consistency matters more than timing.
- Begin with one meal. Stary by making a few breakfasts or lunches until you feel comfortable. Once that routine feels easy, expand to prepping more meals for the week.
- Choose recipes with overlapping ingredients. Our dietitians recommend selecting meals that use similar items so you can prep once and eat several different meals. This keeps shopping simple and reduces food waste.
Plan Before You Shop
- Create a weekly menu. Writing out what you plan to eat gives your week structure and helps you avoid last-minute choices.
- Rely on recipes the whole family loves. By keeping a few tried-and-true healthy recipes in your meal routine, you’ll find it makes prep time easier. You can also throw in some new meal ideas to add some variety.
- Make a grocery list and stick to it. A list keeps you organized, saves money, and helps you buy exactly what you need for your meal prep plan.
Prep Ingredients You Can Reuse
One of the most helpful meal prep strategies our dietitians suggest is to prepare ingredients that you can easily mix and match to create different meals throughout the week. For example:
- A big batch of grilled or roasted chicken is ideal for adding to salads, bowls, wraps, tacos, and many of these other healthy chicken recipes.
- A pot of whole grains like quinoa or brown rice can be used in stir-fries, burrito bowls, or as a base for almost any meal.
- Roasted vegetables can be added to eggs, pasta, salads, or served as easy sides.
- Beans can be used in soups, grain bowls, or mashed into spreads for sandwiches.
This approach keeps meals interesting without requiring extra cooking.
Keep Freezer-Friendly Foods on Hand
Freezer meals can save you on your busiest days. And you don’t need to rely on convenience foods to save you. Soups, stews, and chilis freeze especially well when portioned into individual containers. So do healthy casseroles. Breakfast burritos, baked oatmeal cups, and homemade muffins also store well for quick grab-and-go options.
Use Flavor Boosters
Simple additions like herbs, spices, citrus, vinegars, and healthy sauces can transform basic ingredients into completely different meals. A few go-to seasoning blends or homemade dressings can help you enjoy more variety without extra effort.
Prep Snacks and Quick Bites
Meal prep isn’t just for full meals. Prepping snacks helps prevent overeating and keeps you energized. Try chopping fresh vegetables, portioning trail mix, washing berries, making yogurt parfaits, or prepping hummus cups for easy grab-and-go choices.
Store Food Safely and Smartly
Use airtight, BPA-free containers to extend freshness. Keep sauces and dressings separate until you’re ready to eat so meals stay crisp. If you freeze any meals, label them with the name and date so you always know what you have and how long it’s been taking up residence in your freezer.
