Meal Prep 101 - Tips to Meal Prep Like a Pro

If you’ve resolved to eat better and eat out less in 2022, then now is a good time to learn some tips for meal prepping. By bulk prepping your meals for the week ahead, you can save time and effort each day, plus you’re giving yourself a better footing for success because your eating plan becomes more convenient. That’s not to mention that you’ll save money as opposed to cooking a single meal at a time or ordering takeout/eating out.

First Things First

To properly meal prep, the food you use should stay fresh for as long as it possibly can. For this reason, it is important to invest in high-quality storage containers. They should be airtight, which keeps the ingredients inside from wilting, and they should have more than one compartment, so you can keep wet items and dry items separated. There are some great disposable bento-style compartment containers on the market, or you might choose glass food storage containers instead for their durability and eco-friendly design. However, for fast breakfasts, such as the ingredients for a smoothy or overnight oatmeal, you might consider some serving-size mason jars.

Planning

Take time to write down your menu and zero in on the groceries needed to prep. This makes it easier to buy the things you need in bulk to save more. Do your best to plan for concise servings, since that helps you narrow down your shopping lists and costs while also keeping calorie/fat/carb counts consistent.

It may be a good idea for you to start small with just a few meals prepped for the coming day or so. This lets you take the time you need to figure out your own style and specific strategies for keeping food fresh.

Prior to starting the prepping process, it can be helpful to organize your kitchen, refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Knowing what you have available and where everything is located can reduce the amount of time you spend prepping food.

Meal prepping can become part of a healthy lifestyle, but you have to really be consistent to reap its benefits. By setting aside a specific block of time for meal prepping, you can steadily work toward implementing meal prepping into your week so that it becomes second nature for you to prep your meals.