20 helpful meal-prepping tips

The best way to be successful at meal-prepping is to plan for your entire week. Know exactly how many meals you need to prepare before you go to the grocery store, and let that be your guide. 

It’s easy to plan for a week at a time, but that doesn’t mean you have to cook for an entire week at once. If it’s easier for you to do a couple of smaller sessions days apart, do that. Find a good meal-prepping routine and stick to it. 

If you want to commit to meal-prepping, use high-quality containers. Glass ones work great, as they wash up well, last forever, and don’t stain easily. Find ones that are dishwasher and microwave-safe and nest for easy storage. 

Few things are easier to cook than a sheet-pan meal, and they’re perfect for meal-prepping. Cook a protein and a few different vegetables on a sheet pan, season each a bit differently, and then mix and match in your containers. 

Keep your pantry stocked with your go-to items to make meal-prepping easier. Buy in bulk any grains or seasonings you use often so that your grocery runs are limited to the fresh foods you use that week. 

Seasoning blends will be your saving grace when meal-prepping. It can be a lot of work to prepare entirely different options each week, but a different blend of seasoning can make the same set of ingredients taste completely different, thus adding variety to your meals. 

When it comes to the actual cooking, start by chopping all your vegetables and proteins first. Meal-prepping can take a long time and require a lot of multitasking, but it will be significantly easier if you start by chopping everything you need. 

There’s nothing worse than a soggy salad. Don't add your dressing in advance if you’re meal-prepping salads for the week. If you’re storing your salad in a container, put the dressing at the bottom and buffer it with an ingredient that won’t get soggy from the moisture. 

Meal-prepping doesn’t have to be complicated. Make things easier by utilizing your slow cooker. Dump your ingredients, season, and let the slow cooker do its thing. You’ll have a delicious meal ready to be separated into containers stored for the week with very little effort. 

Sometimes, it’s helpful just to have some protein ready for the week. If you like to add chicken, beef, tofu, or another hearty protein to your meals, cook some with salt and pepper, then add it to a variety of meals that are easy to throw together throughout the week. 

Meal-prepping can be a lot to clean up, so make it easier by cooking meals that only use one dish, like a one-pot meal. It can be soup, stew, pasta, stir fry — you name it. You’ll thank yourself for only using one pot when it’s time to clean.

Remember: meal-prepping doesn’t need to look a certain way. It can be something that you do at the beginning of the month to prepare for the weeks ahead. If that’s the case, use your freezer to your advantage and freeze a multitude of meals that can be tossed in the oven when you’re short on time. 

If you have trouble setting aside time to meal prep, incorporate it into the times you’re already cooking. If you’re grilling out, throw a few more items on with whatever you’re making for your next meal. If your oven is already on, make another meal to have ready for the coming days. 

Condiments really are a hidden secret in successful meal-prepping. To make meal-prepping as easy as possible, have the exact same protein and veggies seasoned the exact same way — just switch up your condiment. It’s an easy swap that offers enough variety for you to be willing to eat the same food repeatedly. 

If you’re having trouble coming up with menu items, have a theme for the week. The theme could be a certain method for preparing food or food from a particular country. It’ll be easier to generate ideas when you have a smaller focus. 

Meal-prepping is just a fancy term for eating leftovers. And even the biggest leftover lovers sometimes get sick of their food. To avoid waste, find a good way to repurpose your leftovers. This could mean deconstructing meals or turning them into something new, like pasta or soup. 

Planning in advance makes meal-prepping a breeze. Use your go-to meals to create a monthly meal rotation. Put together a plan for four or five weeks of meals, and when you’re finished, start over. It’ll keep variety in your meals while keeping you organized. 

Meal-prepping can be a lot of work, especially if you do it alone. Make it easier on yourself by enlisting help from a partner, a child, or a friend. Turn it into a fun activity, and make sure they’re rewarded with some food for their time. 

Grocery shopping with a list is just good sense, but it’s especially helpful when meal-prepping. Stay resolved enough to avoid buying anything not on your list. 

This may sound like another obvious tip, but it’s worth reminding: label your containers. Put sticky notes or tape some foil on permanent containers with the name of the meal and the date it was cooked so you aren’t eating anything too old or taking the wrong meal by mistake.