Ever notice that no matter how many delicious fresh vegetables you buy at the store, they never make it onto your plate? If you’re looking for a way to eat more fresh vegetables throughout the week, then meal prepping vegetables could be the perfect solution for you.
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Washing and chopping up vegetables is probably never at the top of your list when you come home at night, but when vegetables are prepped and ready to eat, it's much easier to add them to your everyday meals and avoid food waste.
Vegetable meal prep is a great way to add more nutrition, flavor, and texture to your weekly meal routine. Not only do vegetables provide variety to recipes, they’re also low in calories and help fill you up.
Veggies can be used in almost any recipe, including salads, omelettes, sandwiches, snacks, pasta, and side dishes.
If you’re wondering what is the best way to meal prep vegetables, we have tips you can use, plus a ton of healthy meal prep recipe ideas using popular vegetables you can find at most grocery stores and farmers markets.
How To Meal Prep Vegetables for the Week
- Choose the right veggies. Not all vegetables last long once they’re washed and cut. Some of the best options for meal prepping are heartier veggies, such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, peppers, onions, celery, and green beans.
- Prep veggies to fit your meal plan. Preparing vegetables for recipes is a great way to make the most of meal prepping. Decide what you’re going to make this week, then wash, slice and chop vegetables that are part of your planned recipes or you know will complement your dishes well. Store the prepped veggies in the fridge in sealed containers so they’re ready to eat with no additional work needed.
- Use each vegetable more than once. To make easy work of preparing produce, consider buying vegetables that can be used in multiple meals. For example, if you need bell peppers for two or three dishes, chop them all at once. This not only saves time but may save money.
- Clean and dry before storing. Most vegetables need a good rinse or cleaning. Just be sure that once you wash produce, it’s fully dry before storing it. Moisture will make veggies go bad quicker than you expect. Consider wrapping delicate greens in a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
- Always use a sharp knife. You’ll make easy work of slicing and dicing if you work with a sharp knife. Using a dull knife makes you push down harder for each cut, which is more dangerous.
- Refrigerate meal prepped vegetables. While some vegetables like peppers, onions and squash can sit on the counter until you’re ready to use them, once they’re cut, veggies will spoil quickly if left at room temperature. After washing, drying, and chopping your vegetables, store them in the fridge in airtight containers.
- Freeze vegetables before they go bad. Most veggies are freezer-friendly, but freezing and defrosting may change the texture if you don’t blanche (briefly boil) them first. If you don’t have time to pre-cook your vegetables, use your frozen veggies in soups, stews, smoothies, and sauces.
VEGETABLE MEAL PREP FAQS
What is vegetable meal prep?
If you enjoy a lot of vegetable-based meals, meal prepping vegetables is a good idea for you. Washing, chopping, cooking and storing vegetables ahead of time for the week can help save time, reduce food waste and even help you eat healthier.
What are the benefits of vegetable meal prep?
There are many benefits to meal prepping vegetables, including saving time during busy weekdays, ensuring you eat a healthy and balanced diet, as well as saving money by not paying for unplanned takeout meals.
How long can prepped vegetables last in the fridge?
When stored properly in airtight containers, most prepped vegetables can last 3-5 days in the fridge. Vegetables like leafy greens may have a shorter shelf life, while heartier vegetables like carrots and bell peppers may last even longer.
Can I freeze meal prepped vegetables?
Many vegetables can be frozen to be used at a later time. Blanching (briefly boiling) most vegetables before freezing helps maintain their texture, color and nutrition. Most blanched vegetables can be stored in airtight freezer bags or containers for up to 3 months.
What are the best vegetables to include in meal prep?
Here are some of the best vegetables for meal prep and delicious recipes that use these healthy veggies:
- Leafy greens like kale or spinach
Broccoli, Spinach and Sweet Pea Omelette - Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower
Cauliflower Stir Fry - Root vegetables including carrots and sweet potatoes
Sweet Potato Tacos - Bell peppers
Spinach and Bell Pepper Frittata - Zucchini and squash
Squash and Tomato Salad - Cherry tomatoes
Fresh Tomato and Spinach Cauliflower Pizza - Green beans
Summer Salad - Cucumbers
Asian Cucumber Salad
How should I store meal prepped vegetables?
Store prepped vegetables in airtight containers or resealable bags in the refrigerator with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. For freezing, use freezer-safe bags or containers and label them with the date.
How do I keep prepped vegetables from getting soggy?
To prevent prepped vegetables from becoming soggy, store them in airtight containers with a paper towel to absorb moisture. Keep dressings, sauces and dips separate until you're ready to eat. For leafy greens, use a salad spinner to remove excess water before storing in the fridge.
Can I meal prep vegetables for breakfast?
There are plenty of vegetable meal prep ideas for breakfast. Here are some easy breakfast recipes that use prepped veggies:
- Egg Muffin Cups: Bake eggs with diced vegetables in a muffin tin.
- Green Smoothie: Pre-portion vegetables and fruits for this smoothie and store them in the freezer.
- Breakfast Greens: This hearty breakfast salad is made with soft boiled eggs, asparagus, avocado and mixed greens.
Here are more healthy breakfast meal prep ideas to make this week.
Healthy Meal Prep Vegetable Recipes
Looking for more vegetable meal prep recipes to make in a hurry? Here are some healthy and delicious recipe ideas to make with your meal prepped veggies:
More Vegetable Meal Prep Ideas
Are you ready to start meal prepping vegetables for your favorite meals? Not only will you enjoy the added nutritional benefits of incorporating fresh veggies into all of your favorite recipes, you’ll also get to enjoy the flavors of the season on your plate every day of the week.
The possibilities for using fresh vegetables in your daily meal planning are endless. Whether you want a veggie-packed sandwich, a hearty salad or a veggie-filled pasta dish, there are many ways to prepare and flavor your meals with vegetables. You can even enjoy pre-cut veggies with a flavorful hummus dip as a healthy snack, or cook up some Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower to eat during the big game.
For more meal prep recipe ideas, try our healthy meal prep lunch ideas, or our healthy dinner meal prep ideas.
And if you’re looking to add more protein into your meal prep routine, check out these chicken meal prep ideas that are easy to make and use plenty of fresh and nutritious ingredients.
