How to Meal Prep – A Complete Guide for Beginners + Recipes

Learn how to meal prep — everything you need to know to save money and time with healthy meal prepping for a week and recipes to get you started.

Today I want to help make your life just a little bit easier. I’m sharing EXACTLY how to meal prep — AND going over all the basics of healthy meal prepping for a week of success!

Meal prepping is THE biggest tip I have for living a healthy lifestyle. It will ensure that even when life gets absolutely crazy, you still have nutritious options that will help you with your weight loss or fitness goals. 

Taking time one day a week to prepare healthy meals is key to not only looking better — but feeling better, too.

I know prepping all your food for one week may seem overwhelming at first, but overall it will actually end up saving you A LOT of time in the kitchen — and make life a little less stressful.

Because of that, I wanted to create the ultimate meal prepping for beginners guide to help your get started — PLUS I even included some EASY meal prep recipes and other meal prep ideas that are extremely versatile!

What is Meal Prep?

Meal prepping is simply planning and preparing some or all of your meals in advance with the intention to improve overall nutrition, control calories or portions, or even to just save time and money.

There is no right or wrong way to meal prep, only what works for you and your family. (Meaning you don’t have to do it all on Sunday like you may believe. You can do it at ANY TIME of week – just find what works for YOU.) 

This could mean making your lunch the night before, batch cooking, prepping ingredients to use later in the week, or pre-cooking all your food and portioning it out for the week. 

And while single-serve meals seem to be the the most common and what you think about when preparing food, there are actually many styles and types of meal prep you can try.

Depending on your schedule, preferences and taste, or your dietary needs you can mix and match your weekly prep to find what works best for you in order to reach your goals. 

Some Types of meal prep include:

Full make-ahead meals: 

You cook an entire meal and store it in your fridge or freezer. This can include your proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables, and healthy fats. You can store everything together or keep each different ingredient in a separate container. This style is great for families.

Batch cooking or freezing

Make multiple meals, then portion and store them. This approach is useful for meals you can easily cook in large amounts, some may even be great to stock your freezer with. Recipes like big pots of soup, slow-cooker meals, grains like quinoa or brown rice that freeze well, or many kinds of casseroles.

Single-Serve Meals: 

Prepare food as you normally would for a meal and then portion it in single-serving containers. This style can be great for lunches or for those living alone. 

Ingredient prep

For people who like to cook and serve food all at once, just prep parts of each meal. Chop veggies, mix spices or marinade meat in advance to save time when you’re ready to cook. You can pre-cook ingredients, or just do the prep work. This can be great if you love fresh tasting meals, but really want to save time during the week.

basics of meal prepping

What are the benefits of Meal Prepping?

Save Time

For some people this can be hard to believe at first — until you’ve actually started prepping and realize that it 100% TRUE.

Think about every time you cook dinner during the week. Say you spend about 45 minutes preparing and cooking dinner, then after dinner you spend about 15 minutes cleaning up and doing dishes. For the entire week, even if you just cooked dinner 5 days per week that would add up to 5 hours.

Now imagine you spend about an hour and a half preparing your dinners for the week, then about 30 minutes on clean up and dishes. This is just 2 hours of work verses 5, now you have 3 more hours to spend however you’d like, whether that’s spending quality time with your kids or family, getting in more workouts, or starting a side business you’ve always wanted to do.

Save money

Meal prepping can save you a ton of money in the long run. 

Think about if you were to grab lunch out everyday.  Chances are if you buy your lunch it probably costs about $10-12 each day. 

Now imagine if you were to bring your own lunch to work (even for just 4 days) that costs just $3-4 dollars to make at home. That’s a weekly savings of $34-48 per WEEK…that adds up to about $1500-2500 a YEAR!!

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather use that money for a vacation than out to lunch every day.

Less Waste

How many times have you gone grocery shopping for the week, started off really well, then by Wednesday you’ve started ordering take out because you’re too tired to cook…then 4 days later you’re throwing out spoiled food that you never used?

Meal prepping can help ensure that you use all of your ingredients and that far less goes to waste. You won’t be temped to order out because you’ll already have a delicious meal ready and waiting for you at home.

Less Stress

Meal prepping can also help to reduce stress around what’s for dinner, or not having enough time to cook a healthy meal. 

It can also help to decrease guilt around not making healthier decisions if you were to eat out. It may even help with “mom-guilt” of cruising through the drive-thru another night this week.

Portion Control

Meal prepping can also help to keep your portions more in check, especially when you pre-portion out all of your meals in single-serve containers. 

If you know a recipe makes 4 servings, and you portion that out into 4 separate containers, you know that once you are done with the container, you’ve had your entire serving.

Increased Nutrient Consumption

This can go back to preventing you from ordering your meals out. Chances are if you’re ordering your meals, they may not be the most healthy options, especially if you’re ordering out when you are extremely hungry.

Making your meals at home can help you create more balanced meals that you know are loaded with nutrients.

This can help you reach your goals a lot faster whether you have goals of weight loss, gaining muscle, or just over all feeling better and more energized.

The BEST Tips for Meal Prepping for Beginners

KEEP IT SIMPLE – When you are just starting out, the whole process can seem like a HUGE undertaking. So please, keep it simple and commit to just one, maybe two meals at most to prep. 

Make it a meal that you seem to have the most trouble with each week. Choose simple ingredients and simple recipes, and just get started. Once you feel comfortable and successful after a few weeks, you can start to experiment and get a little more creative.

USE RECIPES YOU KNOW – This goes back to keeping it simple. Don’t try a brand new recipe that you’ve never had before, prepare something that you’ve made and love, but will keep well in the fridge for a few days. 

There is plenty of time to try new and exciting dishes, but when you are just starting out, use trusted recipes that can make your life easier.

SCHEDULE IT – Plan exactly when you will do your meal prepping and put it in your calendar. Make sure you are prepared with all the ingredients you need BEFORE you get started. 

I’ve outlined how to “prepare for your prep” down below with making sure you and your kitchen are ready for your first meal prep.

MAKE IT FUN! – Again, this can all seem daunting in the beginning, so try to make it as fun as possible. I’ve created an entire post on how to make meal prep fun, but my biggest tip would be to put on some great music and get cooking!

Meal Prepping vs Meal Planning

So what is the difference between meal prepping and meal planning?

Meal PLANNING is making a plan of WHAT you will be eating each week.

Meal prepping is actually preparing some or all of your food, whether is just pre-chopping veggies and fruit for the week or making entire meals.

Both can help you reach your goals of eating healthier, but meal prepping is almost like taking meal planning just one step (or even ten steps) further.

How to Meal Prep

Preparing for your Prep

Step 1: Make a Plan — Choose a Day + Pick your Meals

This is the fun part! Take some time to look up recipes — here are some great meal prep recipes to get started — and figure out how you want to prepare your food for the week. 

You can be creative or you can be simple. If you’re new to meal prepping I recommend using basic recipes that don’t contain too many ingredients. Once you have done a few weeks of prepping then you can start to experiment.

You can start with 1-2 breakfast ideas, 2-3 different lunches or dinners, and 1-2 snack options. It’s nice to have a little bit of variety to choose from during the week. It helps to keep things interesting. (But again, if your new, maybe just ONE dish for the week is a good goal for you.)

Next, choose a day and time to do your prepping. Look at your recipe and estimate how long it will take to prep and clean up, and add that to the cooking time. Give yourself a few extra minutes as a buffer and clear out your schedule. Give yourself plenty of time to cook, portion out your meals, and clean everything up again.

Plan HOW you will prep everything and what sort of storage you will need for each meal. Decide what should be cooked first, second, and third. Start with the foods that take the longest to cook, like grains or slow cooker meals. Then move onto things that take less time.

Also, keep in mind the equipment you’ll be using to prepare. Can you use the same pot for two different ingredients without having to wash it? For example, I usually cook my veggies first on a baking sheet. Then I use that same sheet to cook up some chicken or fish — it save times AND dishes!

Step 2: Make Your Grocery List + Go Shopping

Now that you have your recipes gathered and you have a game plan, you will need to make a list of everything you need, then head to the grocery store.

Make sure to take inventory of all of your ingredients BEFORE you hit the store so that you don’t end up buying double of something you may already have. Make sure you check stock of the healthy foods in your refrigerator and your pantry, in case you need to restock anything.

Step 3: Prepare your Kitchen + Get your Containers Ready

Before you even start, you’ll want to make sure your kitchen and workspace is totally clean — TRUST ME, it makes the whole process much easier when you have plenty of room to work and all on your meal prepping containers are clean.

Also be sure to clean all of your cooking equipment, tidy up your pantry, and get rid of any old food in your refrigerator.

Being clean and organized will help to keep your meal prep stress free.

How to Meal Prep - Everything you need to know about getting started with healthy meal prepping!

Start Cooking your Meal Prep Recipes

Ok, now it’s time to get cooking!

As I mentioned there are many different way to meal prep, but this outline is great for a beginner who may be just making a protein, carbohydrate, and veggies to get started.

Below, I’ll explain a few more techniques of cooking that may also work for you.

Step 4: Prepare your Grains or Startchy Vegetables

Starting with healthy grains is a great idea because some can take quite a while to cook — like brown rice. Others don’t take as long — like quinoa or couscous. After they’re finished, you can use the same pot to cook up some veggies, or make a soup!

One of my favorite things to do is to make a big batch of brown rice, and then freeze it in individual containers. It’s like minute rice — only healthy! You’ll love how easy it is to cook and freeze brown rice — PLUS you can use the same method for quinoa AND cauliflower rice too!

Or maybe instead of grains you want to cook potatoes, sweet potatoes, roasted squash or beets — these usually take quite a while to cook too, so starting with these will help to decrease the overall time you’re in the kitchen because you can prepare other things while these are cooking.

Step 5: Prepare your Fruits & Veggies

Ok, here’s a little meal prep hack — Ii you’re a beginner or just like convenience, buy your fruits and veggies pre-cut. This can save TONS of time in the kitchen.

But if you like to shop on a budget, you can also buy produce in its “whole” form as well. With that however, you will have to cut and prepare your fruits and vegetables for the week.

A great idea is making a big fruit salad each week for a snack. You can serve it with some Greek yogurt or easy homemade granola, you can throw it in a smoothie, or you can just eat it as-is for a snack. It’s a PERFECT thing to have on hand.

Cutting up a rainbow of different veggies to keep raw and nosh on all week is another great idea. They’re perfect to snack on with hummus, top salads with, and to use in a stir-fry for a quick dinner.

When it comes to preparing salads — I find storing them in mason jars is the best container to keep them fresh and crisp. Just remember to get your salad and greens as dry as possible so they don’t get soggy!

It’s also a good idea to cook some veggies as well to serve as a side with some protein. An easy way to cook a bunch of veggies while meal prepping is by roasting them.

It’s easiest to cook up a few different veggies all at once — maybe three or so. Cut them all up about the same size and place them on a big baking sheet. Then roast them with a little olive oil or coconut oil and some salt + pepper. I usually do two big baking sheets worth of veggies each week for lunches and dinners.

Step 6: Prepare your Protein

Here you can be as fancy or as simple as you want. If you want to marinate your protein, this will make your meals a little more planned — which is totally fine! But if you’re newer to this whole meal prepping thing, it might be easier to choose some basic recipes that can be very versatile — think simple recipes your can use for more than one thing.

Shredded chicken breasts for salads or pita pockets. Turkey burgers you can serve on an Ezekiel bun or with some greens or veggies, a simple baked salmon recipe that goes with anything. Or even just some easy grilled shrimp. You can really choose just about anything here.

Once you get more comfortable in with your basic meal prep routine, you can start adding in some new recipes. Try adding in one new recipe each week until you get the hang of it. Pretty soon you’ll be a meal prep master and can make some tasty combos like General Tso’s Meatballs…YUM!

Step 7: Portion and Store it for Later

Now it’s time to grab your food storage containers and store it for later. Again there are a few different ways that you can do this. 

Buffet style would be keeping all of your cooked ingredients seperate, and then pick and choose what you want to eat through out the week. This is a great option to make things like balance bowls.

Or you can pre-portion everything into single-serve containers for a completely balanced meal. All you have to do is heat it and eat it!

Meal Prepping Sheet Pan Meals

Other Meal Prep Techniques

Batch Cooking

Maybe you just want to cook a giant batch of chicken for the week, or have some whole wheat pasta ready to add into mix and match meals through out the week. 

This is something we do in our house each week. We cook about 3 pounds of chicken on the grill each week and use it for a variety of meals including chicken tacos, balance bowls, salads, sandwiches and wraps.

This is one of non-negotiables each week to make sure we ALWAYS have a healthy protein ready when we need it.

Batch cooking could also be something like making a huge double batch of soup. You can have some for the week ahead, and then freeze a few portions to enjoy whenever you need something in a pinch.

Sheet Pan Meals

Sheet pan meals are amazing for easy weeknight meal OR for meal prepping. You can prepare and cook an entire sheet pan meal or you can simple prep the ingredients and assemble it, then cook it later.

I have an entire post on how to make sheet pan meals to get you started with this style of cooking and I know you will love adding this into your meal prep rotation.

Ingredient Prep

Sometimes even just chopping veggies or marinading chicken may be enough to get you started with preparing for the week. 

This could save you 10-15 minutes each time you cook if you prep all of your ingredients right when you get home from the grocery store.

Simply use your meal plan to decide how to best prep the ingredients, maybe that’s chopping some onions for a few different meals you’ll make during the week, or maybe you prepare ingredients for a slow cooker meal, throw it in a big ziplock bag and freeze it for a dump dinner later on.

Remember, there is no right or wrong way to meal prep, only what works for YOU.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does my Meal Prep Stay Good?

This is a very personal opinion and is different for everyone. Some people only feel comfortable eating leftovers for a day or two at most. Others are ok with eating foods made up to 5 days. 

The FDA suggests that cooked leftovers should be refrigerated or frozen two hours after preparation, and that leftovers should be eaten or thrown out four days after refrigeration. But keep in mind this is general and you can still use your best judgement. 

Personally in our household, we aim to consume prepared meats within 5 days, and veggies and grains in under 7 days.

Always ensure that your food is stored properly and if anything smells or looks “off” it is best to toss it.

What are the best Meal Prep Containers?

Having the correct containers is a MUST when meal prepping. 

I have created an entire post about the best meal prep containers and how to use each one and for what type of meals they are best for.

What Can I Meal Prep?

Almost anything! And that is what is so beautiful about meal prep. 

Many meals still taste great the next day, but if you’re unsure if a meal will be a good meal prep option, here’s a simple solution.

The next time you make a meal that you may want to try adding to your meal prep rotation, simple save a small portion of it (it can be just a few bites so that you don’t waste anything), store it in the refrigerator (or maybe even the freezer) and then reheat it the next day. If you find it still tastes good, it’s a keeper.

I would recommend doing this method instead of making an entire meal during your prep and then finding out it may not be a great option.

Also keep in mind, you don’t only have to reheat things in the microwave, some things may taste better reheated in the oven or on the stove top in a skillet.

Can You Freeze Meal Prep Food?

Yes! Most things freeze beautifully, including rice, meatballs, oatmeal, quinoa, sauces, soups, breads, fruit, beans, casseroles, chili, muffins and pies.

Use the method above to test out if a meal or freezes well before making and entire recipe for the freezer.

Somethings that DON’T always freeze well are recipes that contain a large amount of milk products, mayonnaise or cream cheese. So keep that in mind when you’re planning.

What Equipment Do I Need to Meal Prep?

To get started you don’t need any fancy equipment at all, you can simply use what you already have.

But if you really start to get into meal prepping there are some great tools and equipment that can make meal prepping even easier.

I’ve created an entire post outlining all the best equipment for meal prepping, but I want to share some of my absolute favorites here for you.

  • Slow Cooker – The ULTIMATE meal prep equipment. Slow cookers are great for freezer meals as well as easy weeknight meals. You can use it to make soups, stews, or even some simple shredded chicken.
  • Muffin Pans – These aren’t only great for muffins, but they are also great for mini frittatas, and single serve meals like turkey meatloaf or baked oatmeal.
  • Electric Griddle – I love this for prepping things healthy oat flour pancakes and Ezekiel bread french toast. I love making a big batch so that I can freeze them for an easy, quick breakfast during the (my son loves both of these too!)

Do I have to prepare everything in advance?

No, absolutely not! This is especially true if you are beginner. You can choose just one meal to prep and you will still get so many of the benefits of meal prepping. 

Choose the meal that seems to give you the most trouble through out the week.

For example, if you find that lunch is the hardest meal for you — whether you hit the drive-thru a little too frequently, or you spend far too much money than you would like — commit to meal prepping only lunches to begin with.

You can stick to just the one meal, or once you start feeling comfortable with it, you can slowly add in snacks, breakfast, or any meal that you want each week.

How long does meal prepping take?

It can take as long as you want or as little time as you want. If you need to focus on only meal prepping breakfast, then meal prepping may only take you 5 minutes to make some quick overnight oats. 

Or if you’re a busy mom of three and know you have a hectic after school schedule during the week, you might prefer taking 2 hours on the weekend to prepare a casserole, ingredients for balance bowls, and a freezer meal to enjoy later in the week.

When first starting on your meal prepping journey it may take a little longer than a seasoned meal prepper. But eventually you’ll find a style and rhythm that works for you, and your schedule.

The BEST Meal Prep Recipes for Beginners

I’ve compiled a ton of healthy meal prep recipes for you but I wanted to highlight a few very simple ones to get you started and give you a few options to try.

Remember, you can meal prep almost anything, so don’t get stuck on just these — use them to give you an idea of how to start and take it from there.

Best Meal Prep Breakfast Recipes

Best Meal Prep Lunch Ideas

Best Meal Prep Dinner Recipes

Best Meal Prep Snacks

  • Apples & Almond Butter
  • Fruit & Yogurt, cottage cheese, or a small piece of Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
  • Veggies & Hummus or a Dip
Easy Homemade Trail Mix

Meal Prep Hacks to Save Time

Want even more meal prepping tips that can save you a TON of time? 

I’ve created and entire post with some of the best meal prep hacks that can make your meal prep even easier.

Things like using pre-cut or frozen veggies to using assembly lines in your prepping, these tips are great whether you’re just starting out or a meal prep veteran.

Stock your fridge, freezer and pantry with healthy basics

Sometimes even just a 30 minute meal prep each week can help set you up for success. Having a basic meal that you can always depend on can save you even when the urge to order out is strong.

Our fall back meal is quinoa, grilled chicken thighs, and roasted frozen veggies. We drizzle it with a little homemade vinaigrette and we have a meal in under 30 minutes.

Having your kitchen stocked with a few healthy staples can make all the difference in choosing a healthy meal over a not so healthy option.

I’ve included a printable grocery list with some staple ingredients that may help you reach your goals.

Download your FREE Clean Eating Grocery List HERE!

I promise , the benefits of meal prep are so worth the effort. You will save yourself so much time, money, and stress. And you’ll be eating healthier to help you reach your health and fitness goals. 

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions, I’m always here to help!

xoxo,

Deanna

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