Getting dinner on the table after a long day can be daunting. You may be tired and stressed and don’t feel like making too many decisions or doing more work than you have to. That’s why meal prepping for dinner is such a good idea. By taking time to plan your meals, buy and prep ingredients, and put it all together so it’s waiting for you when you’re ready to eat, you save yourself a lot of hassles. Dinner meal prep makes your life easier, plus it can save you money and help you eat healthier.
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Benefits of Healthy Dinner Meal Prep
The beauty of meal prepping dinner for the week is that you have a meal ready for you at times when you’re least in the mood to cook. This saves you from a lot of work and headaches or the alternative, which for many people is going out to eat or ordering delivery. This routine not only gets expensive but can wreak havoc on your diet. By prepping healthy meals for dinner, you’ll have a tasty meal waiting for you when you get home that’s as nutritious as it is delicious. You won’t have to be slicing and dicing to create a healthy dinner – it will already be done for you. It’s as easy as picking up the phone to order takeout!
Easy Dinner Meal Prep Tips
When it comes to meal prepping dinner, making things easy is the name of the game. For easy meal prep, it’s best to plan out your menu in advance and shop for all the ingredients at once. Then start prepping! Set aside some time over the weekend to prepare meals and/or ingredients and you’ll be set with healthy dinners throughout the week when you’re not in the mood to cook. Here are some food prep ideas that will help you get days’ worth of dinners ready in no time!
- Decide what type of prepping to do – All meal prep doesn’t have to result in a fully cooked meal. Some foods taste best when they’re cooked right before eaten. For those meals, prep by washing, cutting and portioning out ingredients so they’re ready to cook quickly. Other meals may be fully cooked so you just have to warm them up or can eat them cold.
- Stick to easy prep dinner meals – It can be overwhelming to meal prep long and complicated recipes. That’s why when it comes to weekly meal prep, it’s best to keep things as simple as possible. Pick a protein and season it as you like or combine it with your favorite sauce. Then serve with some veggies and a complex carb and you’ve got a healthy dinner ready to go.
- Make a list of favorite meal prep dinner ideas – Sometimes the hardest part of making dinner is deciding what to eat. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep a list of your favorite healthy dinner meal prep ideas, along with the ingredients you need to make each one. That way, you don’t need to take a lot of time thinking about what to eat or planning your meals.
- Focus on healthy meal ideas – Taking the time to meal prep dinner is a great way to eat healthier. Many people like to make protein the main component of dinner, especially if they’re trying to lose weight or build muscle. There are plenty of high-protein dinner meal prep recipes that are healthy, cheap and easy to make.
- Use similar ingredients for multiple meals – Instead of making every meal completely different, think about how you can use similar ingredients to make different meals. This saves you a lot of prep and cooking time. For example, grill up a big batch of chicken and turn it into multiple meals, such as Chicken Fajitas, Chicken Tacos and Orange Thai Chicken Salad.
- Plan meals around sales – If healthy and cheap meal prep is your goal, plan your meals around what’s on sale at the store each week. Stick to in-season produce, which is usually less expensive and tastes better. Buy chicken, fish or meat when it’s a special price, or opt for the family pack, which is usually cheaper per pound (you’ll be using it for multiple meals so it won’t go to waste).
Healthy Meal Prep Dinner Recipes
Need some dinner ideas for meal prep? You can use almost any recipe for meal prepping, as long as it doesn’t contain ingredients that will spoil quickly or that won’t do well if refrigerated or frozen after being sliced, diced or chopped. Here we share some of our favorite recipes in case you need dinner ideas when nothing sounds good.
Chicken Meal Prep Recipes:
Fish Meal Prep Recipes:
Beef Meal Prep Recipes:
Vegetarian Meal Prep Recipes:
Dinner Meal Prep FAQs
Here are answers to some common questions about dinner meal prep:
How can I ensure my meal prepped dinners stay fresh?
The best way to keep meals fresh is to store them in airtight containers in the fridge. If you’re not going to eat food within a few days, freezing is best.
How long can meal prepped dinners last in the fridge?
On average, cooked meals will last for 3 – 4 days in the fridge, although some will last longer and others not as long. If you prep ingredients but don’t cook them until you’re ready to eat, they may last longer.
Can I freeze prepared dinners for longer storage?
Many foods freeze well and you can often freeze pre-made meals for longer storage. When you’re ready to eat them, thaw in the fridge before reheating.
What containers are best for meal prep?
The best meal prep containers are ones that are the right size and shape for what you are preparing. Glass containers are preferable to plastic, but as long as your containers have lids that close well and keep air out, you should be able to use any type of container you have.
Can I meal prep dinners for the entire week?
Many foods will keep in the fridge for the week, but some foods may spoil quickly. For example, fish dishes are best eaten within a day or two of preparation. If you don’t want food to sit too long after being prepared, think about scheduling two days to meal prep throughout the week instead of one.
Should I cook everything when meal prepping dinner?
Some people like to have fully cooked meals ready to go, but that’s not the only option. It’s also convenient to prep ingredients but wait to do the cooking right before you’re ready to eat. This will still save you lots of time.
How do I reheat meal prepped dinners?
Individual meals are often best reheated in the microwave, but you may want to reheat prepped food in the oven or on the stove, depending on what you make. The latter options are usually preferable if you are reheating a family-size dish, such as a casserole.
How do I prevent reheated meals from becoming dry or overcooked?
Food that is marinated or has a sauce on it will typically stay juicier, as long as you don’t overcook it. To keep food moist, cover it with a damp paper towel before microwaving. Heat at short intervals and test for doneness so you don’t overcook it.
Why should I consider meal prepping my dinners?
Many people meal prep lunch because they need to take meals on the go. Meal prepping for dinner also has benefits, saving you time and money and helping you eat healthier after a busy day. If you often don’t feel like cooking or order takeout too often, consider prepping some meals for dinner.
What are the benefits of dinner meal prep?
The beauty of meal prepping is that you’ll save time and money. You’ll also likely eat healthier because you’ll have healthy foods ready to eat when you’re hungry and won’t have to resort to fast food or less healthy choices just for convenience.
How do I start meal prepping for dinner?
It’s best to start small if you’re new to meal prepping. Think about making just a couple of simple dinners at first or using similar ingredients for multiple meals. As you get more comfortable, you can meal prep more elaborate meals or prepare more meals in advance.
What are some simple dinner meal prep ideas?
The simplest way to meal prep dinner is to cook up your favorite protein, such as chicken breasts. Then add your favorite cooked veggies and complex carbs. Adding a sauce on the side gives your meal flavor and you can change the taste for different meals with ease.
What are some healthy options for dinner meal prep?
There are loads of healthy meal prep recipes, but some good ones to try include soups, stews and stir-fries. They’re easy to make in bulk, stay well in the fridge and can be filled with healthy ingredients.
Are there any dinner meal prep recipes suitable for families?
There are plenty of recipes you can make to feed a family. Meal prep doesn’t mean you have to put a single portion in a container. You can prepare family-sized meals so the whole family can sit down to a pre-made meal in minutes.
How can I add variety to my dinner meal prep routine?
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut when meal prepping. Get in the habit of using different veggies and sides, even if you tend to eat the same kind of protein over and over. If you like ethnic meals, search for recipes that look like they would be easy to make in advance and portion out to add variety.
How much time does dinner meal prep usually take?
The amount of time you need to devote to meal prep depends on how much food you’re making and the extent to which you need to prep the ingredients. Some people find that meal prep is a great way to get the whole family involved in an activity that is fun and contributes to their health.
Meal prepping for dinner can help make your life easier. Knowing you have a healthy meal to come home to at the end of a long day can reduce stress and give you something to look forward to. Not having to start making a meal from scratch can provide you with valuable time to do something you enjoy. And not needing to order takeout simply because you’re too tired to cook will not only save you money but will help you eat healthier. That’s a win all around!
