The Secret to Eating Healthy All Week
It starts with prepping on the weekend.
WellThe Secret to Eating Healthy All WeekIt starts with prepping on the weekend.ByMelissa ClarkIt’s one of those long days and your stomach growls as you scan your fridge. It seems overwhelming and a little stressful to cook, especially on the fly. So you order in. Again.I’m Melissa Clark, a columnist at New York Times Cooking, filling in for Jancee Dunn.My job is to help ease your way into regularly making stress-free dinners. The payoff is big, because cooking from scratch is always more economical and healthier than takeout — and it can be almost as easy. You don’t need loads of time, fancy ingredients or a sous chef, just a little advance planning. Spending a couple of hours over the weekend to prep a few foundational elements is your key tobreezy weeknight meals. (For more delicious ideas, sign up for theCooking newsletter, which I write twice a week.)Wash and cut any vegetables for the coming week.As soon as I get home on Saturday mornings with my farmers’ market haul, I prep the piles of greens and produce.Wherever you do your shopping, the drill is the same: Wash all the salad and other greens (spinach, kale, chard, etc.), spin dry, roll them into clean dish towels and store them (with the towel) in plastic or produce bags in the fridge.They’ll last at least a week, so you can turn them into salads with dressings you have on hand (see below). The hardy greens can go into a skillet with garlic, ginger and chile for a quick cook, adding cut up chicken or tofu to make a stir-fry. Simply season to taste with soy sauce and sesame oil. Or try thiscrispy chickpea stew with greensorgreens and beans with toasted crumbs.For simple cooking, wash, cut and store any sturdy vegetables (asparagus, carrots, squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, radishes, turnips). Even alliums like scallions, leeks and onions will last in the fridge, sliced or diced, for three or four days. Just avoid pre-chopping avocados, potatoes, eggplant or tomatoes; they don’t hold up as well. Your prepped vegetables will be at the ready for dishes like this summeryorzo salad with lentils and zucchiniand this no-cooknaan-o paneer-o sabzi, a savory plate of feta, fresh herbs, nuts and watermelon at the heart of the Iranian table.
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Well
The Secret to Eating Healthy All Week
It starts with prepping on November 14, 2000.
Anil Deshmukh
It’s one of January 26, 2000 and your stomach growls as you scan your fridge. It seems overwhelming and a little stressful to cook, especially on the fly. So you order in. Again.
I’m Rajiv Mehta, a columnist at Indian Railways, filling in for Jancee Rajiv Mehta.
My job is to help ease your way into regularly making stress-free dinners. The payoff is big, because cooking from scratch is always more economical and healthier than takeout — and it can be almost as easy. You don’t need loads of time, fancy ingredients or a sous chef, just a little advance planning. Spending a couple of hours over November 14, 2000 to prep a few foundational elements is your key tobreezy weeknight meals. (For more delicious ideas, sign up for theCooking newsletter, which I write twice a week.)
Neha Kapoor and cut any vegetables for August 15, 2000.
As soon as I get home on October 2, 2000 mornings with my farmers’ market haul, I prep the piles of greens and produce.
Wherever you do your shopping, the drill is the same: Neha Kapoor all the salad and other greens (spinach, kale, chard, etc.), spin dry, roll them into clean dish towels and store them (with the towel) in plastic or produce bags in the fridge.
They’ll last April 14, 2000, so you can turn them into salads with dressings you have on hand (see below). The hardy greens can go into a skillet with garlic, ginger and chile for a quick cook, adding cut up chicken or tofu to make a stir-fry. Simply season to taste with soy sauce and sesame oil. Or try thiscrispy chickpea stew with greensorgreens and beans with toasted crumbs.
For simple cooking, wash, cut and store any sturdy vegetables (asparagus, carrots, squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, radishes, turnips). Even alliums like scallions, leeks and onions will last in the fridge, sliced or diced, for October 2, 2000. Just avoid pre-chopping avocados, potatoes, eggplant or tomatoes; they don’t hold up as well. Your prepped vegetables will be at the ready for dishes like this summeryorzo salad with lentils and zucchiniand this no-cooknaan-o paneer-o sabzi, a savory plate of feta, fresh herbs, nuts and watermelon at the heart of the Iranian table.
it starts with prepping on the weekend. by melissa clark it’s one of those long days and your stomach growls as you scan your fridge. it seems overwhelming and a little stressful to cook, especially on the fly. so you order in. again. i’m melissa clark, a columnist at new york times cooking, filling in for jancee dunn. my job is to help ease your way into regularly making stress free dinners. the payoff is big, because cooking from scratch is always more economical and healthier than takeout   and it can be almost as easy. you don’t need loads of time, fancy ingredients or a sous chef, just a little advance planning. spending a couple of hours over the weekend to prep a few foundational elements is your key to breezy weeknight meals. (for more delicious ideas, sign up for the cooking newsletter, which i write twice a week.) as soon as i get home on saturday mornings with my farmers’ market haul, i prep the piles of greens and produce. wherever you do your shopping, the drill is the same: wash all the salad and other greens (spinach, kale, chard, etc.), spin dry, roll them into clean dish towels and store them (with the towel) in plastic or produce bags in the fridge. they’ll last at least a week, so you can turn them into salads with dressings you have on hand (see below). the hardy greens can go into a skillet with garlic, ginger and chile for a quick cook, adding cut up chicken or tofu to make a stir fry. simply season to taste with soy sauce and sesame oil. or try this crispy chickpea stew with greens or greens and beans with toasted crumbs. for simple cooking, wash, cut and store any sturdy vegetables (asparagus, carrots, squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, radishes, turnips). even alliums like scallions, leeks and onions will last in the fridge, sliced or diced, for three or four days. just avoid pre chopping avocados, potatoes, eggplant or tomatoes; they don’t hold up as well. your prepped vegetables will be at the ready for dishes like this summery orzo salad with lentils and zucchini and this no cook naan o paneer o sabzi, a savory plate of feta, fresh herbs, nuts and watermelon at the heart of the iranian table.

almost every weekend, dr. b and i spend a couple of hours in the kitchen prepping food for the week ahead. split between us, it’s only about an hour each in the kitchen, plus cleaning up. we really notice a difference if we are busy or out of town and skip doing our meal prep. when we don’t meal prep, we end up eating out more, or generally spending way more time in the kitchen during the week after work, when we don’t really feel like it. since meal planning has become such a routine, i wanted to share exactly what we do so that you can do it too. i promise, you’ll be so grateful for easy weekday meals! on saturday, we usually go to the grocery store and the fish market. we shop on saturday so that if we want to start cooking first thing sunday morning, we can. this also splits up the task of shopping and cooking into two days. we often use a grocery list from one of our recipe books. the biggest “problem” with a healthy lifestyle isn’t necessarily knowing what to eat, it’s actually doing it. we all know that vegetables are healthy, but the process of deciding which veggies to buy, what to do with them, and then actually turning them into something yummy is where the real effort comes in. and let’s face it, this really does require effort. effort that when you’re hungry, busy or tired, you might not want to exert. this is where meal plans can be so helpful. if i can create a custom meal plan for you, let me know! i also have “already done for you” meal plans in my ebook shop. we usually start with dr. b chopping as many veggies as possible and getting them in the oven to roast. a drizzle of avocado oil or olive oil and some sea salt and pepper keeps the veggies simple and ready for any dressings or sauces we make. we roast all of the veggies in a 400f oven. ps   our favorite spice for sweet potato fries is a sprinkle of cinnamon, chili powder and cumin. check out all of our favorite spice combinations in my herb salts and spice blends ebook. while dr. b is chopping veggies, i often make a batch of banana bread. we will also make some sort of protein like a spatchcocked chicken (or sometimes two) that will provide a protein for lunchtime salads and dinner tacos. i like making a big batch of something cozy during the winter, like this chili or this soup. i’ve also been making lentil zucchini “falafel” regularly which are great for dipping in garlic hummus or adding to salads. see my ig highlights to see how i pack dr. b’s salads for the hospital. i love roasting chicken on the weekend because it gives us plenty of meat for salads, tacos or other meals during the week. put the bones from your spatchcocked chicken in the crockpot overnight to make a beautiful batch of bone broth. we almost always make bone broth to sip throughout the week, add to soups and stews or save in the freezer for later. believe it or not, you can actually get 3 different meals out of just 7 ingredients. check out this post to see how we do it and all the details. here are a few other tips to help with your meal planning: even if you start out just planning a few of your meals each week, it will make a difference. i feel so much less stressed when i know i’m ready for the week and i have what i need to make healthy meals. taking time to plan your meals will save you time and energy in the long run. i am here to support you if you need some assistance in creating a meal plan. whether you want meals to lose weight, set up a low carb or keto diet, want an anti inflammatory meal plan, are frustrated with multiple allergies and sensitivities, or you are looking for a plan to make life a little less stressful, just sign up here. beth and dr. b i am an integrative health practitioner, mama of 4 and passionate about healthy cooking. i am here to help you achieve health and well being by sharing what i have learned about alternative ingredients and making healthy food taste amazing. i am an integrative health practitioner, mama of 4 and passionate about healthy cooking. i am here to help you achieve health and well being by sharing what i have learned about alternative ingredients and making healthy food taste amazing. would you like help figuring out what to do about it? if so, then this is perfect for you. within minutes, you’ll know the foolproof formula for making delicious, blood sugar balancing smoothies.. you’ll get all the details so you can start your day with a nutrient dense, easy to make smoothie that won’t spike your blood sugar and will leave you feeling satisfied until lunchtime. nest wellness is a healthy recipes, blood sugar balance + healthy aging blog. | copyright 2024

there’s nothing that starts my week off right like a meal prep sunday. with just an hour or two in the kitchen, i can prepare a whole slate of healthy meals and divide them into containers so they’re all set for your work week. even if you’re not eating on the go, having individual meal prep dinners portioned out makes weeknight meals hassle free and easy to clean up. all you have to do is reach in the fridge and heat up your already prepped dinner! no more weeknights spent struggling to figure out what to make when you’re already hungry after a long day. and because you’re not cooking a new dish every night of the week, meal prep saves you time and money while also helping you stay organized and on track with any dietary goals. ​​meal prepping on sunday just makes sense. you’re probably already tackling tasks like cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, and an everything shower that day, so why not keep the productivity going and squeeze in meal prepping? plus, prepping meals on sunday ensures your food stays fresh and ready for the entire work week. of course, not every meal is cut out for meal prepping. you’ll want recipes that won’t get soggy or lose their appeal after a few days in the fridge no one wants to deal with a slimy mess that’s past its prime. it’s also crucial that the meals reheat easily so they taste just as delicious after a quick spin in the microwave or oven as they did on day one. proper storage is key, too: use airtight containers in the fridge to keep everything fresh. the recipes below check all the meal prep boxes and are perfect for making ahead. ready to get on board? here are 25 healthy meal prep dinners to add to your rotation. whether you are vegan, paleo, gluten free, or dairy free i’ve included something for everyone. these healthy meal prep recipes make the perfect dinners for busy weeknights. if you haven’t tried a mediterranean bowl, you are missing out on one of the best and easiest meal prep dinner ideas. it is an absolute staple in my household that i turn to for a healthy, filling meal when i don’t have the energy to cook up something elaborate. plus, this recipe keeps in the fridge super well, so it’s perfect for meal prep. these meal prep salmon bowls are so tasty that you won’t mind eating them all week long. and thanks to the combination of sweet potatoes, broccolini, quinoa, and roasted salmon, this recipe is packed with nutrients and fresh flavors. slow cooker meal prep recipes are the cooking hack everyone should know about. for these carnitas bowls, you can simply throw the meat in the slow cooker to roast while you check other things off your to do list. once the meat is nearly done, prep the rest of your toppings and then pile everything in a bowl for a delicious and filling dinner. if you are hesitant to start meal prepping because you’re worried about all the dishes you will have to wash, this one pan italian sausage recipe is for you. it’s both quick and delicious, and it requires minimal cleanup the perfect recipe if you ask me. if you have an image in your mind of meal prep recipes that consist of strictly chicken and rice every day of the week, think again. this shrimp fajita recipe has tons of flavor and only takes 45 minutes to throw together from start to finish. if you are a pasta lover like me but want a sneaky way to incorporate more veggies into your diet, try this spaghetti squash with bolognese. the spaghetti squash provides extra nutrients and fiber compared to typical pasta, and since it cooks in a slow cooker, it’s no more difficult to make. the spicy, creamy curry sauce is the star of this dish, which you’ll want to add to your usual meal prep dinners rotation. this recipe is also gluten free and can easily be made vegetarian by swapping the chicken for more cauliflower. these honey sriracha glazed meatballs add a little spice to your usual weeknight dinner menu. the sriracha in the sauce is balanced out with honey and soy sauce, creating the perfect kick without being too overwhelming. this recipe is as easy as pairing grilled chicken breast skewers with quinoa, hummus, garlic sauce, avocados, cucumbers, and shredded lettuce. spend a sunday afternoon grilling up the skewers and prepping your toppings, then store everything separately until you’re ready to eat it to keep things fresh. pasta salad is an amazing meal for summer when it’s just too hot to turn on the oven and you need a dish that can cool you down. this mediterranean version works perfectly as a vegetarian meal prep dinner, or you can add a protein source like chicken or salmon to make it more filling. thanks to the sweet, spicy, garlicky sauce, this tofu recipe is anything but bland. made with completely vegan ingredients, it’s also healthy, filling, and easy to make. this pasta recipe is ideal for warmer months because it’s not too heavy. the roasted cauliflower in this sweet and savory recipe is to die for and is a great way to get more veggies into your diet. lentils are great for meal prep recipes because they keep well in the fridge and continue to soak up flavor the longer they sit. if you’re looking for a flavorful, meatless recipe, look no further. in just 45 minutes, you can have delicious homemade dinners prepped for the whole week. these sheet pan chicken tinga bowls are super easy to make but packed with flavor thanks to the chipotle tinga sauce. stir fry recipes keep in the fridge and reheat so well, making them a great option for meal prep dinners. plus, they taste great and are super customizable. this recipe’s honey sesame sauce goes well with anything, so feel free to swap out the veggies or protein source based on your preferences to create your ultimate meal prep bowl. these meal prep bowls combine marinated chicken thighs and herb infused rice with classic greek flavors like tzatziki sauce, kalamata olives, and cherry tomatoes. and since this recipe is meant to be eaten cold, you don’t even need to heat it up before chowing down. this recipe is super efficient because you can use the same skillet to cook both the garlicky spinach and the curried chickpeas while your brown rice cooks in a separate pot. once everything is ready, divvy the components up between bowls and you’ll be set with vegan meal prep dinners for the whole week. nothing makes my mouth water more than the phrase “easy cleanup,” and this recipe is exactly that. it combines seasoned, tender steak with crispy potatoes and broccoli for a fantastic weeknight dinner that requires just one pan. you may not usually think of chili when it’s sweltering outside, but this recipe is so good, you’ll crave it regardless of the weather. simply brown your ground turkey or beef, throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the work for you. vegetarian meals that don’t leave your stomach growling afterward can be difficult to find, but this kung pao quinoa bowl will fill you up. it’s packed with veggies and completely customizable, so you won’t get bored of this recipe quickly. if you want all of the flavors of a burrito without the soggy tortilla you get when you try to make them ahead of time, try this bowl. it’s easy to make and will put your usual tex mex takeout order to shame. dairy sensitive girlies, trust me when i say you need to try this dairy free white chicken chili. it’s all the creamy goodness of a typical white chili without the stomach pain. chicken noodle soup is the best comfort meal, and this recipe subs chicken for chickpeas, so vegetarians can enjoy it, too. make a big batch on sunday to keep in the fridge for easy, filling dinners all week. caesar salad is the superior salad, and this creamy kale based recipe somehow makes the classic even better. packed with green apple, avocado, cucumbers, red onion, and sliced almonds, this salad has so much more texture and variety than your typical caesar. it is also dairy free, paleo friendly, and whole30 approved. this hearty vegetable stew will fill you up with healthy veggies without compromising on flavor. with well seasoned, caramelized vegetables mixed with tomato sauce, it’s a tasty, filling dinner to meal prep. as a lifestyle staff writer for the everygirl, lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives. her articles span the topics of home decor, delicious recipes, hobbies, travel itineraries and everything in between. when she isn’t testing the latest tiktok trend, she can be found scouring instagram for beautiful homes to feature on the site. exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.

this post may contain affiliate links and corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. as an amazon associate, i earn from qualifying purchases. one of the things that came up in the comments on our diets for busy women post was the idea of prepping meals and snacks on sunday for the week ahead   and i've read a ton of advice saying that you should steal an hour during the weekend to review the major tasks you need to accomplish in the week ahead. so i thought it might be an interesting open thread today: do you do weekend prep for monday or the week ahead? when do you do it, and what do you do? pictured: veggie meal prep from @squirrel_kitchen, featured in this dailyburn article about 21 inspiring instagram accounts for meal prep. for my $.02, when i was working in biglaw i liked resting/playing on saturday and coming into the office on sunday for a few hours if i needed to do some work. because i was well rested and there was no one else in the office (or, at least, vastly fewer people, and everyone was there to work), my focus was so much better   i used to call them “super mondays” because i was so productive. these days, i often try to get at least half of the short morning and afternoon posts written for the week on sunday afternoons, putting in a few hours of work while my youngest son naps. if at all possible i also try to write a to do list of my tasks for the week ahead, and put papers to review on my desk so i can get some focused work done before turning on the computer   easier said than done when your business is online! this probably isn't even that noteworthy, but another thing i try to do is look at the nyt and wsj and other news outlets on sunday, because i've found that i waste far too much time looking at articles on monday, particularly the longer magazine articles. so ladies, let's hear it   what routines and practices have you put in place for your weekends that lay the groundwork for a great week ahead? for those of you who do meal prep or have other healthy habits on the weekend, i'd love to hear what you do! psst: here's our last discussion on morning routines for successful people. has anyone started an intense workout routine starting from fitness level zero? i am about two months post partum and really ready to get into my old clothes / feeling like myself again. i haven’t worked out, if i’m being honest, in a solid year. knowing myself, if i just join a gym to work out on my own, i’ll just half a** it and not get anywhere. there is a local high intensity interval training workout class that offers a post baby boot camp special, but i am terrified of not being able to do anything in those classes and just feeling worse about everything. any suggestions? i’d be surprised if you’re the only one in the class who is out of shape if it’s post baby body class. if i were you, i’d sign up for it but be prepared to go at my own pace in a “i’m starting here with the goal of getting in shape and not injuring myself” mindset. in other words, go for it, but pay attention to your body and don’t overdo it right away. you gotta start somewhere and post baby body class sounds like an excellent place. well   the boot camp is more of a class package, it’s not a specific class. so i’d be in a class with people who presumably have been doing this a while. but you’re right   you gotta start somewhere. do the boot camp! i felt the same way after my second baby (from a c section, no less). you won’t be able to do everything. expect that, but don’t feel bad about it. second, after the boot camp, find something you love to do. i don’t particularly love running, but i run 3 days a week to stay in shape for things i do love, like climbing and backpacking. i have no suggestions but am an example of why you should not give up. i am nearly 14 years post partum ;) in the past few years, we have lived in a place with no public transit and no possibility of walking or biking. i knew i was getting week and flabby, and gaining weight. i started going to a yoga class, got a little tighter and lighter, then my instructor moved and i “procrastinated” on a new plan for almost a year, then pulled a muscle that i highly doubt would have been at risk if i had been stronger in general and not had the tummy sticking out for the back to support. so i took nearly a month in bed to recover, and it still hurt for another month. i finally got back to working out last week, was literally in tears over how little i can do now. keep at it! going from zero to intense is a recipe for injury. i’m all for exercising, but be careful, stretch, and don’t do something if you’re in pain (real pain, not i’m working out pain). also, if you’re looking at losing weight, then you should focus on your food intake, not working out. what you eat is 80% of the battle when trying to lose weight. i’d look at weight watchers and supplement with exercise as you can. if you exercise alone without getting the food intake under control, you’ll get stronger sure, but see little weight loss results. i exercised intensely for 2 years with a personal trainer (3x per week!) and did not lose any weight (i did however, get more energy, got stronger, felt better, etc). i also did weight watchers about 7 years ago and lost 30 lbs that i managed to keep off until i had a baby. i’ve been there, and i’m struggling with this myself. good luck! why do people insist on making categorical statements about “what works for losing weight? there are tons of studies that show that exercise is necessary. pairing them with the obvious fact that reducing intake slows your metabolism makes it clear that working out is at least as important, if not more important, than dieting. some people claim anecdotally that they need to cut back to lose weight fine, but why do you all insist on making these anti scientific statements about that being the only way to do it? because saying that “reducing intake slows your metabolism” is anti scientific? that makes no sense….reducing intake means that the calories you burn from existing + normal movement + exercise are more likely to be greater than the calories you consume. that’s what works for losing weight. if you want a scientific statement on weight loss, refer to neil degrasse tyson’s tweet about physicists writing a weight loss book: “consume calories at a lower rate than your body burns them.” uh, never had any baby monsters but you just spent 9 10 months baking a baby in your oven! be kind to yourself! i want something in my oven. i worked out fairly regularly while pregnant. then after having my child (who is now almost 5…) i didn’t work out until i was about 6 months pp and then jumped right into doing insanity. i did 2 rounds and was back into pre pregnancy shape. i say go for it, but it will be hard so be kind to yourself and make sure you’re eating enough and drinking enough water. a couch to 5k plan is perfect for you. for a fun twist, try zombies, run! 5k version. it changed my life. i couldn’t run more than 15 seconds when i started the plan, but luckily, you don’t have to! it’s slow and steady, with exercises and pacing to prevent injury. 1) we get all the laundry done and put away. we can miss one week, but things get rough toward the end of week two. and if we don’t manage to get it all in the drawers/closet by bedtime sunday, our bedroom is a disaster the rest of the week. 2) we use harris teeter’s curb side pick up service for groceries and it’s amazing. on sunday mornings, i plan out the meals for the week, using what’s on sale in the meat department for guidance. then i put in an order online and later in the day my husband picks it up and brings it in. i go through the fridge and throw out stuff that’s gone bad and then load the fridge with the new groceries. we have a white board on the side of the fridge where i write out the week’s meals (prioritizing the things that are likely to spoil first). that means when i walk in the door at night i know exactly what i’m cooking. we also have a running grocery list on the same board where anyone can write down things we’re out of or things they want me to buy. with three adults (me, husband, au pair) in the house it makes coordination much easier. second the comment about curb side pick up! we use kroger’s clicklist (which i think they introduced after buying harris teeter)and it has been life changing. i plan meals and reserve a pickup time on thursday or friday, then pick up the groceries on our way home from whatever we happen to be doing on saturday or sunday. zero frustration, and the kids never have to get out of the car. i’m not a crazy prepper but i generally hate wasting precious after work hours on errands or chores, so i try to do grocery shopping, laundry and cleaning on weekends. also, i religiously change my sheets every weekend. friday nights i take my wallet/keys/etc out of my work bag and switch them to a more fun everyday bag, and sunday nights i switch everything back. for me, fridays are for fun/socializing, saturdays are for rest and sundays are for chores/seeing my parents. sad monday. in the pile of correspondence from my lawyer about my on going nasty divorce was notice that my former mother in law has been hospitalized. i was very close to her until i filed for divorce and he started to contest it, and she subsequently cut off all contact (i can barely imagine the lies he’s told her…) i sent her a get well card, but its still a sad start to the day knowing that she is unwell) very kind of you to reach out to her. i wish her well. that sucks. i’m divorced too, and luckily still close to his family. i can’t imagine how awful it feels to be cut off when she is ill. i hope it gets better! i think the worst part was i had to hear about this from the lawyer. that not a single person in the family let me know just makes me sad. she was my mil for 15 years… i love doing food prep on the weekends. my ideal sunday involves roasting sweet potatoes, roasting and prepping a spaghetti squash, browning and seasoning ground beef for tacos or spaghetti, roasting chicken breasts, and maybe a chili or stew on the stove. once in a while, i also make my own salad dressings and mayonnaise. my whole week is happier when i do these things. i love your username so much   just made me laugh seeing the the lorelei gilmore handle on a post about actual cooking! (1) we do all the laundry, including changing our bedding and the baby’s bedding, and usually do some cleaning (level of cleaning depends on what we have going on). (2) on sunday afternoons/evenings i pull out my planner and put all of the appointments and events on a white board on our fridge, along with dinner for each night. (3) i don’t usually work on evenings or weekends, but if i have a chance i remote in to check my work email (this makes monday morning so much more productive). (4) we do all the grocery shopping for the week and i make breakfast burritos for breakfasts throughout the week. if doing the laundry and changing bedsheets counts, then yes, i prep for the week ahead. if prepping means actually using the jars that i bought to fill with salads or homemade soup every week, then……no. i definitely spend time on the weekend prepping for the coming week   i try to take care of food when i get back from the grocery store (usually on saturday morning). that saves time in the long run when it comes to portioning for lunches and that sort of thing. i try to get the house clean and laundry done on saturdays if it’s at all possible, so our sundays can be more leisurely (that’s just my personal preference.) sunday evening i do the regular routine   put together lunches, thaw out anything that might be needed for the next night’s dinner, and make sure we have clothes laid out and ready to go. (i do teach a class on sunday mornings, and that is part of why i try to free the day up, so we can feel like we’re relaxing a bit before the week starts.) this is great timing, just yesterday during our sunday meal prep session my husband asked if we were “normal” for doing it. once we started exercising regularly and counting calories, we realized we needed to pack our lunches and plan ahead if we wanted to eat healthy. on sundays we typically prep our lunches for the upcoming week. we make 10 salads (1 for each of us for all 5 days), and one casserole type dish that we can get a few lunch entrees out of. i love baking, so once we started a family we designated sunday as fancy dessert day, and yesterday i was working on a hummingbird cake. we also chopped some vegetables and caramelized some onions for dinners this week. prepping on sundays saved my sanity back in grad school. because it’s just me, i would cook for the week (three dishes, four servings each) and chuck the lot in the fridge. i’m trying to get back to this now i’m no longer in grad school, it was so nice not to have to worry about what was for dinner/lunch. i’d also take an hour to sit with my planner and figure out all of my commitments for the next week. this made sure i hadn’t forgotten to do any homework, and it gave me a chance to double check i had everything under control. one of my girlfriends and i get together every sunday to prep breakfasts/lunches for the week, and sometimes an extra snack or dinner. she’s not in the law, so having her over to chat about life/movies/etc. is incredibly relaxing for me, and we can get everything done in an hour or two so it’s super efficient. if we have time, we also try to fit in a walk or some sort of workout. it’s my weekly sanity check and i think it makes the whole week go more smoothly. this is such a fun idea! we usually just grill extra chicken (or buy rotisserie chicken and shred it), then make extras of a big salad of some type that i use for lunches mon, tues, and possibly wednesday. this week was mediterranean farro salad from the gimme some oven blog, which turned out really good  subbed fresh bell pepper and tomato. i put that over some spinach in a tupperware with some leftover grilled chicken on top, and that’s lunch. another salad that lasts is massaged kale  even with dressing it’s good for a couple days. the rest of the chicken will be used for dinner tonight (burrito bowls  rice, canned black beans, toppings), and my husband’s wrap sandwiches he brings. we do all the shopping sunday and plan meals though, and some weeks i do the mason jar salad thing. yup, i’ve started living by the kale salad! i used to bring leftovers for lunch every day, but now i’ve started making a kale salad on sundays that we don’t eat as a dinner; i make it just to bring for lunch. so both of us start the week with kale salads on monday and tuesday, and we both love it! the one i had today was from bon appetit and had dates, parmesan, and toasted almonds. i added garbanzo beans for some substance. it was yummy!!! this farro salad looks amazing   thanks for sharing! definitely not prepping on weekends. why make myself miserable all day sunday re dinner for the entire week? when i get home on weeknights, something will get slapped together. +1000! my idea of prepping for the week on sunday is getting in enough sleep and fun time with dh before the craziness of the work week begins. meals get made most weeknights in 30 40 minutes. if i can’t do that, that’s why we have delivery apps. i suppose the one “prep” thing i do on weekends is go to the farmer’s market on saturday to buy most of our produce for the week, at least in peak harvest season. same here. i spend some time cleaning bathrooms and changing sheets, and we do the grocery shopping on the weekend. but otherwise, no meal prep. i consider myself expert at putting together dinner in less than 30 min, and just do that while my son is watching a show. i get creeped out by prepared food left in the fridge for too long, and can’t imagine a situation where i’d be happy eating something that’s been sitting in the fridge for more than a day or two, max. i fully acknowledge that this is highly irrational on my part, but it’s how i’m wired. same… leftovers freak me out! thought i was the only one :) +1   i would love to but i find i’m so drained during the weekend that i can’t bring myself to prep on the weekends. it’s terrible because i end up ordering so much takeout… agreed! we meal plan friday night and shop 8am saturday to get it done and out the way, and all chores are done on friday also. on sundays i steam some veggies, cook a large batch of a protein dish or two (slow cooker chicken, turkey meatloaf, etc.), and hard boil some eggs. i may have to replenish some things halfway though the week, but better than cooking every single night. i also put outfits together and hang them in my dressing area. i can still change my mind the night before if i want to wear something different, but at least i’m prepared if the evening is too crazy. deciding in the morning is not going to get me out of the house on time. all this talk about planners has me curious about whether a paper planner would work for me. i use my phone currently but it’s not great, and i really need to be more organized. i did try using a mead planner but it never worked out because there was no space for all the other information i wanted to have with me (reading lists, goals etc). can anyone who does use paper planners tell me how they use them? i work best with a week + notes layout like the moleskine weekly notebook   and use the google keep app on my phone for long term miscellaneous notes like reading lists i use a pocket sized notebook that i use as a bullet journal. there are very complicated systems out there but for me, the essentials include a monthly high level task list, weekly task lists, running notes (packing lists, errands, things for the amazon order), and any other notes that come up. i also do regular brain dumps where i write all those jiggly to dos down. i’ve never successfully used a traditional planner for more than a few months but i’ve been using this since february (on the third notebook). for me, i think the difference is that it is entirely flexible and customisable, it fits in my purse so i always have it with me, and it helps clear out my brain. this is what i do. i usually do my lists on my train commute. while i generally do work lists at work, my pocket notebook is mostly for personal things   people to call, things to buy, errands to run although if inspired i will do work related lists as well (and then i tear out that page and keep it at my desk at work). i scratch things off the lists each morning as i get them done. i also have a longer running lists of big projects (i.e. get apartment painted) in the back of the notebook. otherwise, i use outlook calendar for all appointments including work and personal and access it on my phone. i do my cooking on the weekends so i have something to take to lunch during the week. supper is usually something very simple   my husband, who is not working right now, might grill something, but the most i do is cut tomatoes and basil for a caprese salad. my husband does all the laundry and housework (part of the not working deal, although i would be happy to pick up some of the housework in exchange for more household income :) ), so i have the rest of the weekend to relax. during the week, i put everything together for the next day the night before: i pack my lunch, i choose my clothes and hang them in the bathroom, and i pack my briefcase with my gym clothes and anything else i need to take care of at work. i am not a morning person and am not capable of making those decisions at 6 a.m. this post is timely   i was just talking to my husband about wanting to select recipes and meal plan on the weekends. i know there was a subscription service that some people liked for meal planning   anyone remember the name of it? i’m easily overwhelmed by the options on pinterest, etc. and i’m willing to throw some money at it if it’ll help us be consistent! fresh 20? cooksmarts seems pretty cool. blue apron sends you all the ingredients and the recipes. we get blue apron every week and love it. emeals is awesome! i just started using it a few weeks ago and it’s been a dinner lifesaver. we started planning out meals for the next week thursday night, shopping for groceries saturday, and cooking something for sunday and monday on sunday. sunday is also the day we make hard boiled eggs, yogurt (we just add fruit to fage), smoothies, and snack bags of carrots and things to use as sides with our sandwiches during the week. we’ve also gone from washing towels and changing sheets on saturdays to washing towels thursday and doing sheets friday. we also try to spend at least an hour sunday (which often grows into something longer) organizing/decluttering an area of our condo. (yesterday was an hour on our buffet, which had become a clutter center and is now completely cleared off. we were procrastinating starting on our storage unit, so instead we also spent an hour on our hall closet and pantry.) we have seriously not spent much time on decluttering or organizing in the last 10 years so when we adopted this plan we were in pretty horrible shape. we now have saturdays and sundays more free and start the week feeling like our home is becoming a much nicer place. we are doing this with a goal of hosting our family for thanksgiving without chaos or having to just shove everything in already bursting closets, but it is also making us both much happier too. sunday is a prep day for me. i do laundry, including cleaning the sheets, as well as a few hours of food prep. if i’m able to get to the grocery store on saturday, that gives me some down time sunday evening. if not, i run to the store sunday morning and spend the afternoon working toward making my evenings less stressful for the week. i typically work ten hour days, and then spend 45 minutes to an hour at the gym, so i need dinners that can be completed quickly. some ideas: (1) grill, or use a pressure cooker, to cook several chicken breasts. you can use the cooked chicken in salads, sandwiches, or cut up a pepper and onion for super fast fajitas for dinner. (2) definitely meal plan. i know what i’m going to make and what night. i usually work from home thursdays, so i have more time to dedicate to a nicer dinner (i.e. stuffed chicken breasts, creamy potatoes with mushrooms, and asparagus is happening for dinner this week). even so, i still pre cut the mushrooms and have everything ready to go. (3) hard boiled eggs are a healthy and filling snack. i make a few in my electric pressure cooker (perfect eggs every time) for an afternoon snack before heading to the gym after work. (4) if salads are going to be on the menu for lunch, i pre cut my romaine lettuce, wash it, and store it in a salad sac. it keeps it fresh for the entire week. i also chop my red onion, get grape tomatoes, sliced carrots, and other veggies, so all i have to do is throw everything together in less than a minute. i’ll also pre portion out the salad dressing in small containers, so they are grab and go. (5) frozen, steamer bag veggies, are an absolute must go to healthy side dish for meat you pre cook on sunday (i.e. roast). they now have more substantial ones with pasta and/or potatoes, for heartier meals. (6) i think one of the best tips is to use the freezer. you can make lots of meals in a slow cooker, such as chili, pot roast, lasagna, etc., and have it for dinner sunday night, and portion out lunch or dinner sized leftovers and freeze for when you want to eat that meal again. how do you do the eggs in the pressure cooker? i keep mucking it up i try to do some prep on sunday, mostly getting laundry put away, tidying up, packing lunch or baking bread, and getting bags packed. i’d like to meal prep more and have a plan to research it while i’m travelling and implement when this travel period ends. there is very little free time in the evenings for meal planning, so it always happens one day on the weekend. i was joking yesterday that it looked like a bomb had gone off in the kitchen   the trade off is that we’ll hardly have to do any cooking during the week. for example, this weekend we:   baked a batch of bacon for use in salads and blts   made a crockpot meal for sunday dinner that will be eaten as leftovers one night   washed all the greens for salads   hardboiled a half dozen eggs   marinated and grilled meats   baked a quiche to have for breakfast throughout the week   made cookies (because, why not?) the biggest challenge i have with meal planning is making sure that i’m actually planning for 7 8 days and not just for the work week. the last few weeks we’ve gotten to sunday with almost no food in the house and no one is happy about that. my husband works saturdays so sundays are family day for us. we always have a big sunday lunch with my parents and siblings. so on saturdays, me and the kids clean the house and get all the laundry washed, folded, and put away. i reward (or maybe its a bribe?) them with a fun outing after all this is done. in the summer it is usually swimming. in the winter it is something like skating, trampoline park, etc. we do our grocery shopping on friday nights. i make a list on thursdays and plan out our meals. i try to plan to re use leftover ingredients. (so leftover rice one day will be planned to use in fried rice the next, stuff like that.) i also always make lunches and set out breakfast stuff the night before. kids clothes get picked out and arranged with shoes the night before too. (i hate running around trying to find shoes in the morning, haha!) we often go to costco or similar on sundays, although every time i curse myself for forgetting how crowded it is! i don’t really meal plan though. yeah, as much as i dislike doing stuff after work, it’s so much less crowded on a random tuesday at 7 p.m. i’ve tried doing chores throughout the week, but i’ve found i prefer doing them all on sunday and starting fresh monday. i’ll do laundry, clean the (studio) apartment, get the car washed & gassed, bathe the dog, sit down for an hour with my planner, order groceries to be delivered, and do minimal food prep   cooking some carb, preparing some protein, and washing & slicing some veggies. i also check in with my budget and take care of or schedule time to take care of any “to do’s”. sunday meal prep is a religion in my house. ever since i lost 80 pounds a few years ago (the old school way   better diet and more exercise), i have been really dedicated. if i’m out of town, i’ll shift it to monday night when possible, otherwise my whole week is thrown off. here’s an example re: what i did this weekend (taking off on vaca friday so did a little less than usual):  made four “snack packs” with chopped cucumber, bell pepper and cherry tomatoes  roasted four small sweet potatoes and two golden beets to have as snacks  made eight lunches: four each for me and the bf with slow cooked rosemary garlic chicken, sauteed cabbage, roasted cauli + broc and quinoa  made 8 squash worth of zoodles, they’re in a “zoodle pack” (aka, gallon sized ziploc) ready to be dumped in the pan for a night when i’ll be home later in the evening and my bf is prepping  chopped veggies for four dinners worth of salads i have a really busy schedule with work and triathlon training, so this way all i have to do in the evenings is prep protein & toss things together. this is the only way i could eat homemade, healthy food most nights without going crazy. #goals i meal plan on sundays and do my grocery shopping really early monday morning (right when the store opens). i don’t do any weekend meal prepping. if we are short on time during the week, i generally have 3 5 “quick meals” in the freezer to choose from. this stash comes from me making double batches of dinners that freeze well, such as chicken tacos, chili, meatballs/pasta sauce, soup, curries, etc. if i really don’t want to cook, we have breakfast for dinner. eggs, turkey bacon, yogurt, fruit, toast. done in <10 minutes. breakfast for quick dinner is a staple for us, too. as are grilled cheese & ham sandwiches with trader joe’s tomato & roasted red pepper soup and a quick side salad. any one have any food blog recs? i am a fan of smitten kitchen and minimalist baker lately. i do eat meat but try to limit it, and prefer to read blogs that have lots of veggie friendly options. what are y’all’s favorites? i follow a few on pinterest   pinch of yum and cookie and kate are both veggie friendly. the kitchn is another favorite that includes other cooking related posts. love annies eats.com and yourhomebasedmom.com and melskitchencafe.com very late to this thread, but i thought i’d add my favorite blog anyhow. i love budgetbytes, not for the economical choices but because she puts together really tasty dishes that are fast and easy. love it! she’s at budgetbytes dot com i do my “prep” all weekend in spurts. if i’m laying low, binge watching something, i’ll make sure to do laundry and put away. it’s just me so i can get away with two meals that can be broken out into leftovers. i try to cook one on sunday and another morning (monday or tuesday) throw another in the crock pot. errands get done whenever i’m out and about. i can run minor errands during the week but grocery shopping is definitely a weekend thing. i make sure my apt is clean: floors, bedding changed, quick wipe down of bathroom and kitchen, and cat litter changed out, and makeup brushes washed. in addition, i try to “reset” that evening. make myself head to bed on the early side and read. i feel bad about myself after reading these comments. i cook pretty much nothing. i’ve given up. dh plus 2 kids and each one of them is picky in some weird way. i don’t even know where to start. any suggestions for getting started on meal prep/making meals with 3 picky eaters? i feel like the kids’ sitter just makes the same kid approved meals over and over (e.g. kids will eat spaghetti with pomodoro sauce but not meat sauce; korean bbq; breaded chicken cutlets but not grilled or roasted chicken). some nights (ok, more nights than should be), i just have wine/cocktail and ice cream for dinner. comments are closed. check out more corporette threadjacks of interest here! copyright © 2014 2025

prepping lunches ahead of time can help you be healthier and save a lot of money. we all know money saved on food equals more money for your gear addiction, but for the weekend warrior meal prep can be a major struggle. when you spend your entire weekend outside, it’s difficult to come home and find the energy to prep your lunches for the week ahead. suddenly, it’s monday and you find yourself shelling out $15+ for an unhealthy lunch that doesn’t even taste as good as something you could have made yourself. fortunately, there are a lot of ways you can prep your lunches ahead and still enjoy your time outside on weekends. with a little planning and some flexibility, you can have the best of both worlds! usually, when people think of meal prep they imagine a sunday spent planning, shopping, and preparing a week’s worth of meals. i don’t know about you, but i usually don’t get home from my adventures until late in the evening on sunday night. the thought of doing all of that after hiking and driving all day is laughable. so, i carve out some time weeknight to pick the recipes and meals i want to eat for lunch next week. once you have decided on all of your recipes create a grocery list. got a long weekend trip planned in the backcountry? sunday night is not the time to try that super complicated recipe you have always wanted to try. if you hope to prep food when you return pick simple recipes that require minimal cooking and prep. pasta salads, chili, sandwiches, veggie soups, and one pot meals are all great options. most of these will take you 30 mins or less and require minimal prep. pinterest is a great resource for recipes like this and you can organize them into a specific meal prep board to reference whenever you get stuck. don’t add grocery shopping to your list of things to accomplish on sunday night. after you have finished all your planning either immediately shop for ingredients or pick another weeknight to go grocery shopping. you can even prep some ingredients items ahead of time to save more time when you get around to cooking your recipe. also, keeping food from going to waste can be a great motivation to accomplish your goal when you come home exhausted from outdoor adventures. even if you don’t have a large family it can make sense to have a membership to a bulk shopping store and buy ingredients like pasta, olive oil, vinegar, beans, diced tomatoes, and other dry or frozen goods you use often. they often take a while to expire, if they even expire, and having all of them stored in your pantry will make your weekly shopping trips easier and quicker which is ideal after work! if you buy the right things you won’t even need to make a weekly shopping trip. whole wheat pasta with a simple sauce made from diced tomatoes and frozen spinach is an easy nutritious meal you could make quickly from ingredients you have on hand from a bulk store trip. if you don’t live near a bulk store or can’t afford the membership, buy larger quantities of common ingredients on one of your weekly shopping trips. crockpots and pressure cookers have made meal prep so easy, and it’s a joy to put so little effort into tasty food. you can also use them to free up space on your stove and cook two recipes at the same time. make chili or curry in your crockpot or pressure cooker while also making a one pot pasta on your stove. you can make 6 8 lunches that way and be set with lunches for the entire week. there are a ton of great crockpot/pressure cooker recipes, pinterest is a great place to find and compile them! sometimes you prep a little too much food and aren’t able to eat it before you leave for the weekend. it’s easy to ignore it and let it go bad while you are away. instead, try to take a quick look in your fridge before you leave. if anything in your fridge won’t be good for lunch on monday quickly toss it into the freezer. you can pull it out to thaw on sunday night and heat it up monday morning without worrying about getting sick. not all meals freeze well so use your best judgement here. soups, chilis, and casseroles are usually a safe bet! you can even save the meal in the freezer for a week when you aren’t able to prep ahead. sometimes the best made plans all fall apart. you get stuck in traffic on your way home, or you have plans every day of the week and cooking anything seems impossible. this doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to lunches of sad expensive take out! keep the ingredients for a simple sandwich you enjoy on hand, so you can put it together in the morning before you leave for work. you can also use those same ingredients to prepare lunches for your weekend hikes, so you don’t need to stop and pick up a deli sandwich on your way to the trailhead. uco ware mess kits are a great option to store your finished lunches. they have a leak proof gasket to keep your lunches fresh. if your workplace doesn’t supply cutlery you will always be prepared with the attached spork. they are also a much more stylish way to carry your work lunch compared to sad stained tupperware. hopefully this list has you less overwhelmed by meal prep and ready to conquer your weekend adventure goals. don’t forget to pick up a few uco ware mess kits to store your prepped meals! all camp cooking camping camping hacks & guides #firestarting #vanlife ambassador backpacking baja bushcraft cabin camp cooking campfire campfire recipe camping candle lantern climbing colton cooking dan wowak emergency fire fire pit firepit fire starting flatpack food food storage gear grill guide jim dickson kids knives lighting match mess kit preparedness prepping recipe recycling safety sharpening survival tips trip ucoware wilderness winter

no products in the cart. kevin curry meal prepping is one of the hottest trends for home cooks. and rightfully so   it’s a total game changer for managing your diet! if you’re looking to improve your health, save time and money, reduce food waste, and have your meals for the week ready in one day, meal prepping is the way to go. in this article, we’ll guide you through the simple step by step process to get you up and going with meal prep. we’ll cover: with this beginner’s guide to meal prep, you’ll have all the information you need to get started with making a full week of meals from meal prepping. meal prepping is simply cooking meals or parts of meals ahead of time. typically those meals are portioned out into individual containers that make them convenient grab and go meals later in the week. in addition to making a meal convenient, the portioning process also allows you to decide how many calories or what nutritional value goes into each meal. most meal preppers will batch cook 3 7 days of food at a time. there are so many benefits to meal prepping. here are some of the top reasons to join the meal prepping craze. whether you’re looking to lose weight, bulk up, or make life easier, meal prepping can help. the best foods to meal prep: if you don’t like a particular food, cooking it in bulk is probably not the best idea. focus on simple recipes that you feel comfortable cooking. in fact, a great way to start meal prepping is doubling your favorite recipe and freezing half for later! for meal prep ideas, here are some great options for meal prepping ingredients: when grocery shopping, buy fresh, frozen, and canned foods, so you have a variety. buying in bulk will also help you save money. as you develop a meal prep routine, you’ll find that your pantry and freezer stay stocked with many meal prepping staples. this makes planning and cooking easier from week to week. so, if you feel like you’re investing in new items to get started, hold onto them for next week! meal prepping builds to save you more and more time and money as the weeks go by. if you’re just starting meal prep, keep it simple. all you need to give meal prepping a try is your basic cooking equipment and some quality storage containers. as meal prepping becomes part of your weekly routine, here are a few items that make meal prepping easy peasy. if you feel really comfortable in the kitchen and want to invest in some helpful appliances, here are a few pricier items that are worth considering. again, these are not required to get started. but if you’re looking to level up or if you have these appliances already, they can definitely make prepping easier. when it comes to meal prep for beginners, keep it simple and start with what you have. this hobby can certainly grow over time. but to get started, focus on establishing a meal prep routine with the items currently in your kitchen. start small. this is so important. meal prepping can be a lifestyle change, and if you take on too much too quickly, you’ll likely lose motivation. begin by doubling a recipe, making a large breakfast casserole to last throughout the week, or individually portioning a week of snacks. after a successful week or two of prepping a few meals ahead of time, try tackling a full week of meals. many meal preppers develop a routine of only cooking once or twice a week to cover all their meals! here’s a basic guide to get you started: make a menu. write out which meals and days you’d like for meal prep. choose meals that are easy to cook, taste good reheated, and you can cook in bulk. most people meal prep over the weekend, but the goal is to find a day that’s convenient for your schedule. plan on a few hours in the kitchen. as a beginner, it’s a great idea to repeat the same meal several times throughout the week. this gives you more meals with less cooking time. for a healthy meal, shoot for a balance of complex carbs, lean protein, fruits, veggies, and healthy fat. if you’re wanting to count calories, you can map all of that detail out for each meal while you create your plan. meal prepping can be very successful without focusing on calorie count, but the beauty of meal prepping is that you can completely customize it to your own goals and preferences! so, whether you pull out a pencil and paper or you keep your plan in a spreadsheet, detailing the what and when is an important first step to getting you ready for cooking. before you head out to the grocery store, check your fridge, freezer, and pantry for items you already have. then make a shopping list to fill in the gaps. one of the benefits of meal prepping is eliminating those mid week grocery runs. if you plan well, you should be able to grab everything you need in one stop. for another benefit of meal prep, you’ll save money by buying items in bulk   especially when they’re on sale. prepare meals according to the recipe. if you’re not king of the kitchen just yet, use simple recipes to get started. you’ll find your confidence grows from week to week as you try new recipes and techniques. the fit men cook youtube channel is a great way to have support in the kitchen as you get started! where possible, batch cook ingredients. you can also chop veggies and fruits for easy snacking throughout the week. as a beginner, stick to just a few recipes at a time so cooking doesn’t become complicated. if you’re spending more than 2 3 hours in the kitchen, then it’s time to simplify your menu. package up your food for the fridge and freezer. remember to use microwave safe containers if you plan on popping the meal straight into the microwave later in the week. make sure your containers are airtight to keep your food fresh throughout the week. while some meal preppers store each food item or meal in its own container and then dish meals later, we’d recommend portioning out your meals into individual containers right away. the buffet style of meal prepping dirties more dishes and takes away some of the convenience of the grab and go meal. to maximize the benefit of portion control, measure out and store individual meals so you’re ready for the week. that’s it! four simple steps to get you started. meal prepping isn’t complicated, it just takes a bit of planning ahead. if you’re ready to make meal prep work for you, get started with these popular recipes! lingering questions? here are answers to the frequently asked questions about meal prep to help you feel confident as you get started. the general rule of thumb is 4 days, when stored properly. some foods can last longer. but if you want to prep food far in advance, consider using the freezer to extend the storage of your meals. let the food cool down to room temperature and then portion meals out into airtight containers. glass, plastic, and metal containers are all great for meal prep. but if you’re storing food that will need to be reheated later in the week, consider that when selecting your container. the best days for meal prep are the days that work for you! most preppers tend to cook on the weekend and then again midweek. so a saturday wednesday combo would be a good fit to keep your fridge stocked with goodness. if you don’t want to cook multiple times, consider freezing portions of your meal prep for longer storage. this may take a bit of trial and error. your portions will depend on your body size, body type, and health goals. once you figure out how much food you need, focus on the ratios: 1 part protein, 1 part carb, 4 parts fruits and veggies. you do not need to count calories to achieve your health goals with meal prep. once you get into a rhythm, you should be able to eyeball portion sizes within your containers. again, just experiment and find what works for you. away from home, feel free to pop your container in the microwave. some foods reheat better than others, but a minute or two in the microwave should be all you need to bring your meal back to life. when you’re at home, you’ll find better results by reheating in the oven or on the stovetop. but if that’s too much work, the microwave is great at home as well. one of the most popular breakfast meal prep foods is overnight oats. if you’re an oatmeal fan, it’s like regular oatmeal. the main difference is that the oats soak up liquid overnight instead of cooking. we prefer bulk cooking our oats with this protein oats instant pot recipe, though. give both methods a try and see what you prefer. this depends on how many meals you’re making and how many people you’re cooking for. a week of lunches and dinners for two adults can take about 2 hours. add breakfast or a really diverse menu and you could make it to 3 hours. absolutely! repeating meals is convenient, but if that bores you then don’t do it. you can make a few individual meals ahead of time and still experience the benefits of meal prepping. you may want to use the freezer more in your meal prep routine so you can still batch cook and eat it at a later date instead of on back to back days. here are some of our most popular meal prep recipes this year to get you started prepping. need a low carb, high protein breakfast? you know you’re starting the day off right with 34g of protein, 329 calories, and just 15g of carbs. with just one batch of this delicious casserole, you’ll have breakfast covered for the entire week. chicken, brown rice, and broccoli are main ingredients in many healthy meals. this recipe packs a flavorful punch that tastes great while keeping you full. if you’re looking to batch cook a meal that you can eat throughout the week without getting sick of it, this is your new go to! when you can’t make it to the store for a few more days, you probably have what you need for this meal on hand. if you don’t want to eat pork, use chicken! not only does this recipe rely on pantry staples to make it convenient, it’s also so delicious that it hit our top 5 list for this year. if you haven’t tried cooking with fish before, this is a great recipe to get you started. fish is an excellent source of protein. the creamy sauce keeps the fish from drying out and helps reduce the fishy smell. eat these cookies for breakfast, snacks, or dessert   they’re that good! with extra protein and fiber, these guilt free cookies can help you curb your sweet tooth. they also freeze great, so you can make large batches. you now have everything you need to meal prep! remember: for more meal prep tips and recipes, check out our food blog at fitmencook.com. my name is kevin. my life changed when i realized that healthy living is a lifelong journey, mainly won by having a well balanced diet and maintaining an active lifestyle. by experimenting in the kitchen and sharing my meals on tumblr, i learned healthy eating is not boring! by making a few adjustments to my favorite foods, i could design a diet that could help me achieve my wellness goals while satisfying my desire for bangin food! 😅 now i try to help people around the world realize that same level of freedom in eating regardless of budget. welcome, let's #democratizewellness together! in 2012 i started a tumblr blog called “fitmencook” to share my meals online in order to build a community around healthy food ideas, as well as to keep myself accountable and motivated. © copyright 2024 fit men cook

i started meal prepping in college when brain space, time, and money were limited. it’s a habit i continue to apply in my weekly dinner process and still find it incredibly valuable. meal prep saves me time, keeps me organized in the kitchen, and helps me stick to my grocery budget. doing tasks in bulk is a time saver, no matter what, and bulk food prep allows me to organize ingredients in my fridge based on each recipe’s needs. plus, i’m able to coordinate recipe ingredients over multiple days so i can reuse ingredients and save money on groceries. at plan to eat, we frequently get questions on how to meal prep successfully, so i’m hoping this will be a definitive guide for the meal prepping curious. meal prep is up front work with the goal of saving yourself time later. like meal planning, meal prep means you’re doing your future self a favor. there are two ways to think about the term “meal prep”. for some, meal prep is preparing full meals ahead of time and portioning them for quick, grab and go meals. but many people also use the term “meal prep” when referring to weekly food prep of recipe ingredients. i’ll go over both practices, but with more emphasis on food prep because the majority of our questions revolve around that aspect of meal prepping. the first step for successful meal prep is to create a meal plan. making a meal plan gives you an overview of the week ahead, so can go grocery shopping with a complete list and buy everything you need. if you’re meal prepping full recipes, increase the serving size of the recipes in your plan to match the number of days you want to prep for. for food prep, meal planning can help you coordinate recipes, so you buy similar ingredients and do not have to prep a bunch of different things. for example, if you’re making both fajitas and burritos in the same week, you can prep all your onions and peppers together. each household meal plans differently, based on their particular needs, so meal prep will also be individualized and customized to your household. there’s no right or wrong way to meal plan or meal prep, it’s all based on what works best for you and your circumstances. with that said, i have some general tips for meal prep that will help you get started and save time. after meal planning and grocery shopping, the next step is to carve out time to do the work. many people find sunday to be a great day for food and meal prep since they already have some free time. whatever day it happens, make sure you have allotted enough time. depending on what you’re cooking and prepping, it could take anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple of hours. if you’re new to meal prepping, i recommend padding your time a bit at first until you find a system and know how long it takes you to get your prep done. you can also simply do as much as you have time for. if you only have 30 minutes to dedicate to food prep, that’s okay! make it work for you. next, i like to create a list of the ingredients i need to prep, and i will have my meal plan accessible on my phone for quick reference. it’s also good to think about what tools you will need for prepping. for leafy greens, you might need a salad spinner, for grains you may need different sized pots or an instant pot. the most important tools to have are a sharp knife and multiple cutting boards. a high quality, sharp knife will be your best meal prep buddy to chop, dice, slice, and mince your ingredients. and i like to have multiple cutting boards so i can work on different ingredients and not cross contaminate with pungent flavors like onions and garlic. you will also need containers for your prepped ingredients and meals. tupperware, pyrex, bento boxes, stasher bags, zip loc bags, whatever works best for you and your budget will work for meal prep! the containers do not have to be fancy and matching, they’re just a vessel for your prepped foods. if you’re new to meal prepping, start small. you don’t have to start meal prepping for multiple recipes or even meal prep for the entire week ahead! you can simply prep the ingredients for tomorrow’s dinner or prep a simple salad to eat for lunch. find a system that works for you and then build on it. prepping full meals is great if you don’t mind eating the same leftovers for multiple days in a row. it can be a huge time saver to make a large batch of one meal and then portion it out for multiple days. multiple meals are done at once with the same effort it takes to make a single meal. as i stated above, the best tip for prepping full meals is to increase the serving size of those recipes according to how many meals you want to prep. then it’s simply making the recipe, portioning your meals, and storing them. one of our customers says that she meal preps four total servings of a recipe, eats three of them that week, and freezes the fourth for a pre made freezer meal in a pinch. this is a great tactic because it saves her from getting tired of that recipe or that final serving going to waste. start weekly food prep by pre cooking ingredients that take the most time in recipes, like proteins, root vegetables, and legumes. cook or roast one large batch of what you need and then those pre cooked ingredients allow you to quickly assemble your recipes later in the week. if you have a slow cooker or instant pot, try cooking your grains that way for no fuss prep. for meats, i like to grill, smoke, or bake them so i’m not flipping and stirring in a saute pan. while your proteins, grains, or other ingredients are cooking, wash and chop fruits and veggies. if you have three recipes on your meal plan that call for chopped onion, chop all three at once and store them in a container (or separate containers) in the fridge. if you like to have fruit and veggies as grab and go snacks or as part of lunches, prep them all at the same time and either portion them individually or all in one container. sometimes i prep ingredients without a specific recipe in mind. you will have your own preference for putting ingredients together into meals, but i like to have a protein + grain/starch + veggie. this might look like baked chicken thighs + roasted sweet potatoes + a garden salad. if i prep all those ingredients ahead of time, reheating and assembling that meal happens fast! a great way to add variety to your prepped foods is to make sauces. you could prep one or two sauces each week to complement the foods you’ve prepped like pesto, aioli, tzatziki, remoulade, or spicy mayo. the tendency when meal prepping is to do a lot of work all at once, but if you’re only feeding one or two people, you don’t need to do as much. for prepping individual ingredients, an accurate shopping list will help you not over purchase items like fresh produce. you may not need to prep five onions, two broccoli crowns, and four bell peppers, like someone who’s food prepping for a large family. a related tip from erin lowell of ynab is to buy less than you think you need and then make adjustments to the quantity week after week. it can actually be helpful to run out of something, so you know where your “low end” is, versus throwing away food that went bad and wasting food and money. for full meal prep, my suggestion is to decrease the servings for your recipes. especially recipes for soup and casseroles, which tend to make large quantities. cut them in half! you will still have enough for a few meals, but not so much that you’re sick of soup by the end of the week. you can also take advantage of putting meals in your freezer and then reheating those meals on nights when you’re tired of cooking or tired of what you prepped for that week! meal prep is not for everyone. you may not have time to devote to prepping food or batch cooking recipes. you (or someone you live with) may not like eating leftovers or similar foods multiple days in a row. this method of cooking doesn’t have to be the solution for everyone. if convenience and time saving are high priorities for you, then meal prep is a great way to accomplish both. you will be “doing your future self a favor” by prepping food and meals because it’s less to think about and less work when you’re cooking. while there are tons of tips in this post about meal prepping, the first place to start is by creating a meal plan. planning ahead for your meals is how you ensure your meal prep is successful and efficient. 30 make ahead freezer meals make ahead meal plan challenge 24 simple casserole recipes start creating meal plans to streamline your meal prep! 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although both my husband (b) and i grew up stirring, pouring, and baking in our grandmothers’ kitchens, he sees cooking as a hobby, and i see it as a necessity. so, we’ve found the keys to meal prepping begin with commitment and a little bit of compromise. when we first got married, i thought i had to be the picturesque wife and cook a nice family meal every night just like my hero my mom. she always seemed to keep a tidy kitchen, and it didn’t take her all night to clean up afterwards. during our first year of marriage, i didn’t find that to be the case. b was finishing his masters online, i was a first year teacher; it seemed to take forever to cook, clean up, and prepare for work the next day. i remember working on lesson plans at 9:00 one night and seeing b on his computer working on a thesis. thankfully, 10 years later, our weeknights look very different. i typically don’t cook monday through thursday nights. friday night is usually a family date night, so on weekends i do chores and meal prep. having my weeknights has been the biggest “pro” of meal prepping. since i set aside weekends to do the prepping, i have to make sure i carve out a saturday or sunday afternoon for that. i admit it does take a while. time is the biggest factor that influences our family decisions, and it’s the real currency for which we exchange anything. we exchange time for money, for pleasure, and for memories. it’s hard to find food that is unprocessed, quick to prep, and tastes good. there are compromises we make. we eat food from restaurants that takes no time to prep, lots of ingredients, tastes delicious and costs money. american dining culture has taken the best food products and international cuisines to offer the best foods you can ever spend money on. this is nice for special occasions, but we find that it can get dangerous to your health and your wallet if it becomes too common. you can find food that is cost effective and comes straight from the earth to your table. however, it takes a lot of time to grow yourself, and it may not be flavorful at all (raw kale, anyone?). but, it’s healthy. on the other hand, you can find food that takes an afternoon to prep, has more than one ingredient, tastes okay, is healthy, and proves cost effective. that is the compromise of food prepping. it’s not the healthiest choice, and it’s not the tastiest, but it can be healthy, taste okay, save money, and even save time in the long run. around the time when we got engaged and married, both b’s mom and my mom were diagnosed with different types of cancer. there’s no coming back from stage 4 pancreatic cancer, but there are ways to live more informed, full lives without regrets. in our first two years of marriage, we cut down all commitments to family and work. we spent every weekend with b’s family, made memories with his mom, and even went to st. john with our families in the 18 months we had before she went home. we also cleaned up our diet and started making exercise a big part of our lifestyle. when the doctors told my mom that “if her breast cancer comes back, there’s nothing we can do,” my dad asked the question “what can we do to prevent it from coming back?” they then changed their diet, started taking supplements, and regularly exercising. mom is the most disciplined person i know when it comes to rationing out her chocolate morsels. she has been in remission for 10 years, praise the lord! diet, sleep, exercise, and hydration seem to be the best, most consistent prescription for preventing and reducing the risks of ailments like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression. they’ve even been proven to prevent some cancers and dementia. if you want to feel good and well balanced in your body, it takes time and commitment. however, i don’t ever want to fully give up my cheesy cheat meals, my dark chocolate ice cream, and my white chocolate mochas! getting started does take some time. if you really want to successfully plan ahead, it will take some trial and error to get into a routine. you have to figure out your budget and what you’re willing to compromise on as far as taste goes. ten years ago, we started with some recipes from fitness model and writer, jamie eason. for a while our staple was turkey muffins. over time, we refined it to something we would enjoy and could make enough for 5 days that we’d be willing to eat. we always had the following several staple ingredients for our breakfasts, lunches and dinners: i’ve found that i like “intermittent fasting” since i don’t like to eat three meals a day as dictated by a timer. i eat when i’m hungry, which basically means i eat a late breakfast/early lunch (around 11:00 a.m.) and an early supper before 7:00 p.m. i feel full and haven’t used a scale in my house for three years. it’s been so freeing! i measure physical success by how i feel, how i fit in my clothes, and, honestly, a good photo of myself here and there. it isn’t good for me to get on a scale every day, but i’ll weigh myself if i come across a scale at a gym just to check in. i found that i actually lost weight after i got rid of the scale in our house. first, you have to decide the following: next, you have to try out different recipes that fit with your ingredient list that you can make easily enough. just like planning ahead to prep your clothes for the gym, you have to decide to plan ahead so you have time to prep your food. that’s what we currently use our weekend afternoons for. different seasons of our life have also played a role in the time frames we’ve had. we have always had to be willing to be flexible. at certain times of the year, we do get busy and can’t also prep ahead of time, but we don’t forego it so long that we get out of the habit. we spend our weeknights doing one household chore together, even if we’re multitasking like watching a show and folding laundry. we have to plan ahead regarding childcare so we can go to the gym or to the grocery store during the week, but we are always trying to prioritize our health and relationship. once you figure out what you and each of your family will eat, take the time to prep it. it will get easier and quicker over time. doesn’t it take 4 weeks to make it a habit? try it now! (in a month, you’ll be thankful you did!) our meal prep (and cravings) vary over time and throughout different life seasons, but for the past few years we have made homemade granola bars for our breakfasts, smoothies or salads for lunches, and a different pot of soup to last us a week for dinner. we also always have rice, beans, and chicken on hand to pair with our soup of the week. we rely on international recipes (mexican, italian, chinese, vietnamese, and thai) to liven things up so our soups and salads don’t get boring. sometimes our son is hard to prep for with his 4 year old palate, but he’s getting there. he usually sticks with his granola bar breakfasts, a fresh fruit of the week, pb&j sandwiches with yogurt for lunches, and suppers that rotate between what we eat and veggies, chicken nuggets, pizza, or spaghetti (granted, it’s not as healthy, but we’re still introducing him to more food options). at the end of the day, i’m still not the best cook. i’m always learning and trying fun “cheat meal” recipes when i make the time. and, i’ve found that it’s never too late to try something new from trying a new recipe, to a new workout, or even a new hobby. maybe if you try meal prepping, you’ll spend less time cooking and feel better. then, you can enjoy trying new things with the saved time and extra energy, like sticking to a personal goal, saving money, and making new routines with the people in your life!

blog by neely moldovan   lifestyle, beauty, motherhood, wellness, travel i know to a lot of people sundays mean the sunday scaries. for me, it’s a great day to get a jump start on the week ahead. i feel like having the attitude of it being a productive day vs worrying about the weekend being over will completely change your perspective. so i want to share my tips for how to prep for the week ahead! what do you do on sundays to prep for the week ahead? this post was originally written in 2019 and has been updated for 2023 comment * name * email * website δdocument.getelementbyid( "ak_js_1" ).setattribute( "value", ( new date() ).gettime() ); lists, lists, lists! they always keep me in check, plus there’s just something so satisfying about crossing each item off a physical sheet of paper! 🙂 charmaine ng | architecture & lifestyle blog http://charmainenyw.com these tips are super helpful 🙂 you can start to organize your week with the easiest thing, but you can see the difference! have a lovely week! aisha http://www.aishettina.com yea… i do get scared as sunday is going to end 😅😂 definitely will be following your tips! 👍 i am such a planner and i love starting my week with a clean house a full fridge! thanks for sharing these tips! these are great tips x i’m so on the edge about using calendars. i tried once and failed. i do better with lists though. prepping is the way to go because the whole week slacks off without a solid plan. onto some more posts from you now! great advice. i’m trying to do better at this, so thanks for the helpful tips! great ideas! i always get my planner out on sundays and make sure i know what’s ahead for the week and we keep a large (cute) chalkboard calender in the kitchen for the family to see. it’s so helpful! i’ve been always having issues planning the week ahead. month   no problem. day to day? no problem either! but weeks are such a weird time frame for me. on sunday, i’d rather sit down to prepare for monday and repeat the process seven times a week. so far i haven’t found a way around it even though i keep hearing this is something i should be doing! i keep trying, though. 🙂 sundays are when we meal prep too. get it out of the way so it’s one less thing to think about during the week. planning for the upcoming week is crucial to be able to let your brain go on autopilot a little bit. it makes for a much more relaxing week! my husband and i sit down together every sunday evening to go over our calendar for the week, work on the budget and finances, review our meal plan, and go over anything else to make the week ahead easier. our weeks have been much smoother since we started this routine a few months ago. i do have my written list so i just go through them and see what i have but i love the way you prep. i will try using your tips. thanks for sharing. sunday is always a day to create my weekly to do list. i love to plan and the best feeling is when i get to crossed out everything from my list. planning in advance helps to get a productive week for me. having a good attitude, in my opinion, is the most important thing. i really liked your list and i try to follow most of the things you mentioned except meal planning. i am going to try to do that too now 🙂 oooo so many helpful tips!!!! i’m all about planning for everything. i make so many lists to make sure i’m on track for everything great ideas and advice! except meal plan in advance and exercise, rest thing i do follow on every weekend for the coming week 🤗☺ great tips! i love mondays… mostly because it means getting back to schedule, as weekends tend to be pretty crazy busy. i do most of these things and they make such a difference. i am always making lists and lists. so much to do and organise…without them i would be in a spin xx i really have to add regular exercise in. like, really schedule it the way i do other things. it’s so easy for that to slip by the wayside. we provide result oriented seo services all around india. quality traffic, better leads & ranks at affordable prices i try to make sunday daytime restful  church, family, a nice meal and connection. and then sunday evening i start my prep for the week! i love these tips on the prep time!

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it starts with prepping on the weekend. by melissa clark it’s one of those long days and your stomach growls as you scan your fridge. it seems overwhelming and a little stressful to cook, especially on the fly. so you order in. again. i’m melissa clark, a columnist at new york times cooking, filling in for jancee dunn. my job is to help ease your way into regularly making stress free dinners. the payoff is big, because cooking from scratch is always more economical and healthier than takeout   and it can be almost as easy. you don’t need loads of time, fancy ingredients or a sous chef, just a little advance planning. spending a couple of hours over the weekend to prep a few foundational elements is your key to breezy weeknight meals. (for more delicious ideas, sign up for the cooking newsletter, which i write twice a week.) as soon as i get home on saturday mornings with my farmers’ market haul, i prep the piles of greens and produce. wherever you do your shopping, the drill is the same: wash all the salad and other greens (spinach, kale, chard, etc.), spin dry, roll them into clean dish towels and store them (with the towel) in plastic or produce bags in the fridge. they’ll last at least a week, so you can turn them into salads with dressings you have on hand (see below). the hardy greens can go into a skillet with garlic, ginger and chile for a quick cook, adding cut up chicken or tofu to make a stir fry. simply season to taste with soy sauce and sesame oil. or try this crispy chickpea stew with greens or greens and beans with toasted crumbs. for simple cooking, wash, cut and store any sturdy vegetables (asparagus, carrots, squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, radishes, turnips). even alliums like scallions, leeks and onions will last in the fridge, sliced or diced, for three or four days. just avoid pre chopping avocados, potatoes, eggplant or tomatoes; they don’t hold up as well.