Meal prepping is the practice of preparing meals or ingredients in advance. By deciding what you’ll eat ahead of time, you’re more likely to make healthier food choices throughout the week.
It’s popular among people with busy schedules for good reason—having meals ready to go saves significant time on hectic weekdays. Research shows that meal planning skills are strongly associated with preparing more evening meals at home, which tends to result in better diet quality overall.1
When you have prepped meals waiting in your fridge, you’re far less likely to reach for fast food or ultra-processed options when you’re tired or pressed for time. And that matters: studies consistently link eating meals prepared away from home to poorer diet quality and higher body weight, especially among women.2
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Available on the App StoreThe good news? Meal prepping doesn’t require spending your entire Sunday in the kitchen. You can adapt it to fit your lifestyle and schedule.
In this article
Various approaches to meal prepping
There’s no single “right” way to meal prep. Different methods work for different lifestyles, and you might find that a combination suits you best.
Make-ahead meals are complete dishes you cook in advance, store in the fridge, and reheat at mealtime. This works particularly well for dinners when you want something ready to eat after a long day.
Batch cooking involves preparing a large quantity of one recipe—like a big pot of chili or a tray of roasted chicken—then dividing it into individual portions. Freeze what you won’t eat within a few days for future meals. This method pairs well with a balanced diet approach since you can prepare different nutritious dishes on rotation.
Portioned meals means assembling complete meals into individual containers that you grab and go. Think lunch boxes with protein, grains, and vegetables already measured out. This is ideal if you want grab-and-go lunches or need to control portion sizes.
Pre-cut ingredients is the lightest form of meal prep. You wash and chop vegetables, marinate proteins, or cook grains so that actual cooking becomes faster during the week.
Suggested read: 16 Healthy Lunch Ideas for Weight Loss | Nutritious & Easy Meals
For hectic mornings, consider make-ahead breakfasts like overnight oats or egg muffins. If evenings are your crunch time, batch-cooked meals in the freezer can be a lifesaver.
Start with whichever method appeals most to you. Many people combine approaches—batch cooking proteins while also prepping fresh ingredients for salads.
Summary: Meal prepping can be tailored to fit your lifestyle, whether you prefer make-ahead meals, batch cooking, individually portioned meals, or pre-cut ingredients.
Choosing the right amount and variety of dishes
Deciding how many meals to prepare can feel overwhelming at first. Start by looking at your weekly schedule.
Count up how many breakfasts, lunches, and dinners you’ll actually eat at home. Subtract any meals out—work lunches, dinner plans with friends, or dates. What’s left is your target number for meal prep.
If you’re new to this, don’t try to prepare every single meal for the week. Start with just lunches, or just dinners. You can expand once you’ve got the hang of it.
Variety matters both for enjoyment and nutrition. Eating the same dish five days straight gets boring fast, and it won’t provide the full range of nutrients your body needs. Aim for at least two or three different main dishes per week. This gives you options while keeping prep manageable.
Build your meals around different protein sources (chicken, fish, beans, tofu), various vegetables, and complex carbohydrates like brown rice, quinoa, or sweet potatoes. For specific ideas on eating well while managing portions, check out guides on healthy diets or low-calorie foods that keep you satisfied.
Summary: The number of meals you prep depends on your schedule and dining-out plans. Variety is crucial for both nutrition and avoiding meal fatigue.
How to spend less time in the kitchen
The whole point of meal prepping is saving time during the week. Here’s how to make your prep sessions efficient.
Stick to a consistent schedule
Pick a regular day and time for meal prep—Sunday afternoon is popular, but any day that works for your schedule is fine. Consistency removes the mental effort of deciding when to prep and makes it a habit rather than a chore.
Choose recipes that use different cooking methods
If every dish needs the oven, you’ll spend hours waiting. Instead, plan for variety: one oven dish, one or two stovetop recipes, and a no-cook option like a salad or wrap.
While your baked chicken is in the oven, you can sauté vegetables on the stove and prepare a cold grain salad on the counter. This parallel approach dramatically cuts total prep time.
Plan your cooking sequence
Start with whatever takes longest. If you’re making a soup that simmers for 40 minutes, get that going first. While it cooks, prep other dishes.
Look at all your recipes before starting. Multiple dishes might need chopped onions or diced peppers—do all your chopping at once instead of cleaning the cutting board between each recipe.
Leave no-cook items like salads or sandwiches for last. These can be assembled while your cooked dishes cool down.
Create an organized shopping list
Group items by store section—produce, dairy, meat, pantry staples. This prevents backtracking through aisles you’ve already visited.
If possible, stick to one grocery trip per week. Consider grocery delivery services if they’re available in your area—the time saved often outweighs the delivery fee.
Summary: To make meal prep efficient, maintain a steady schedule, choose recipes that use different cooking methods, plan your cooking sequence strategically, and organize your shopping list by store section.
Smart storage strategies
The right containers make a real difference in how long your prepped food stays fresh and appetizing.
Airtight containers keep prepped ingredients fresh longer. Chopped vegetables, marinated proteins, and cooked grains all benefit from being sealed away from air. Reusable silicone bags or stainless steel containers work well for this.
BPA-free and microwave-safe options matter if you’ll be reheating at work or home. Glass containers (like Pyrex) are safe for microwave use and don’t absorb odors or stains from foods. Collapsible silicone containers save space when not in use.
Freezer-safe containers minimize freezer burn and help food maintain its quality. Wide-mouth mason jars work well for soups and stews—just leave about an inch of headspace for expansion as the liquid freezes.
Compartmentalized containers (bento-style boxes) keep wet and dry ingredients separate until you’re ready to eat. This is essential for salads with dressing or any meal where you want components to stay distinct.
Stackable containers of similar sizes make better use of fridge and freezer space. Consider investing in a matching set rather than a random collection of different containers.
Summary: The right storage containers significantly affect how long your prepped meals last and how good they taste. Choose containers based on what you’re storing—airtight for freshness, freezer-safe for batch cooking, compartmentalized for meals with separate components.
Food safety essentials
Proper food handling isn’t just about quality—it’s about preventing foodborne illness. According to FDA guidelines, following these practices keeps your prepped meals safe to eat.3
Refrigerator and freezer temperatures: Keep your fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below and your freezer at 0°F (-18°C) or below. Use a thermometer to verify—don’t rely on the built-in dial.
Cool food quickly: Place cooked meals in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking. If your kitchen is warm (above 90°F/32°C), reduce that window to one hour. Shallow containers cool faster than deep ones.
Suggested read: How to Eat Healthy on a Budget: 19 Tips
Cook to safe temperatures: Different foods require different internal temperatures to kill harmful bacteria:
- Poultry (chicken, turkey): 165°F (74°C)
- Ground meat: 160°F (71°C)
- Beef, pork, lamb (steaks, chops, roasts): 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest
- Fish: 145°F (63°C) or until flesh is opaque
Use a food thermometer—you can’t tell doneness by appearance alone.
Store raw meats properly: Fresh poultry and fish should be cooked within two days of purchase. Red meat keeps slightly longer (3-5 days). Store raw meats on the bottom shelf to prevent drips from contaminating other foods.
Thaw safely: Always thaw frozen food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. For faster thawing, submerge sealed packages in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes.
Label and date everything: Mark containers with the date you prepped them. Refrigerated meals should be eaten within 3-4 days. Frozen meals maintain quality for 3-6 months.
Reheat thoroughly: Heat leftovers to 165°F (74°C) throughout. Only reheat thawed food once—repeated heating and cooling creates conditions where bacteria can multiply.4
Summary: Following food safety guidelines protects you from foodborne illness. Key points: maintain proper fridge/freezer temperatures, cool food quickly, cook to safe internal temperatures, and consume refrigerated meals within 3-4 days.
Step-by-step guide to weekly meal prep
Here’s a straightforward process for prepping your weekly meals:
Choose your method. Pick one or combine several approaches—make-ahead meals, batch cooking, portioned meals, or prepped ingredients. Match the method to your goals and schedule.
Set a consistent day. Block off time each week for planning, shopping, and cooking. Treat it like any other appointment.
Plan your meals. Review your calendar for the week ahead. Account for any meals you’ll eat out. Decide what you’ll prep based on what’s realistic.
Select familiar recipes. When starting out, stick to dishes you’ve made before. Save experimentation for non-prep days. Aim for variety in proteins, vegetables, and cooking methods.
Suggested read: The Ketogenic Diet: A Detailed Beginner's Guide to Keto
Create your shopping list. Organize it by store section. Check what you already have at home to avoid buying duplicates.
Prep strategically. Start with the longest-cooking items. Work on other tasks while those cook. Batch similar prep tasks (all the chopping, all the measuring) together.
Store properly. Let hot food cool slightly before refrigerating (but get it in within two hours). Label everything with the date. Put meals you’ll eat within 3-4 days in the fridge; freeze the rest.
If you’re also tracking nutrition—whether for weight loss, muscle building, or a specific eating pattern like intermittent fasting—meal prepping makes counting calories or macros significantly easier since you know exactly what’s in each container.
Summary: Follow a consistent weekly process: plan, shop, prep strategically, and store safely. Start simple and build complexity as meal prepping becomes routine.
Meal prepping for special diets
Meal prepping works well for virtually any eating pattern. Here’s how to adapt it for common dietary needs.
Vegan or vegetarian
Focus on plant-based proteins: tofu, tempeh, lentils, chickpeas, and black beans all prep and store well. Batch cook grains and legumes at the start of the week as building blocks for different meals. Include nutrient-dense foods like leafy greens, berries, nuts, and seeds to ensure you’re getting essential vitamins and minerals.
Gluten-free
Prepare gluten-free foods separately from those containing gluten to prevent cross-contamination. Good base starches include quinoa, rice, and certified gluten-free oats. Many batch-cooked proteins and roasted vegetables are naturally gluten-free, making meal prep straightforward.
Low-carb or keto
If you’re following a ketogenic diet or other low-carb approach, prioritize higher-fat proteins like salmon, ground beef, or chicken thighs. Prep plenty of low-carb vegetables—zucchini, spinach, cauliflower, and bell peppers work well. Cauliflower rice can be batch prepped as a grain substitute.
Suggested read: Can You Freeze Milk? Guidelines for Different Types
High-protein
For those focused on protein intake, prep lean proteins like chicken breast, turkey, fish, or egg whites in bulk. Greek yogurt and cottage cheese make excellent high-protein snacks and can be portioned into containers. Check out healthy high-protein snacks for more ideas.
Diabetic-friendly
Choose foods with a low glycemic index: whole grains, legumes, non-starchy vegetables, and lean proteins. Balance each prepped meal with protein, healthy fats, and fiber to help maintain stable blood sugar levels. The Mediterranean diet offers a useful template for diabetic-friendly meal planning.
Summary: Meal prepping adapts to any dietary pattern. Plan your prep around the foods that fit your nutritional needs, and batch cook the ingredients that form the foundation of your meals.
Summary
Meal prepping is a practical strategy for eating better while saving time. Research consistently shows that planning meals and cooking at home leads to higher diet quality and better health outcomes—people who eat fewer meals prepared away from home tend to consume more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while taking in less saturated fat and added sugar.2
A meta-analysis of family meal research found that several factors contribute to healthier eating: turning off the TV during meals, having family members involved in food preparation, and taking time to eat together.5 While that study focused on children, the principles apply broadly—thoughtful preparation and mindful eating support better nutrition at any age.
You don’t need to overhaul your entire routine. Start small: prep just your lunches for the week, or just your breakfasts. Once that becomes routine, expand. The method that works is the one you’ll actually stick with.
Choose an approach that fits your lifestyle. Set aside regular time for planning and cooking. Select a variety of nutritious foods. Store everything safely. That’s the foundation of successful meal prepping—and the first step toward a healthier, more organized relationship with food.
Horning ML, Friend S, Lee J, Flattum C, Fulkerson JA. Family Characteristics Associated with Preparing and Eating More Family Evening Meals at Home. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2022;122(1):121-128. PubMed ↩︎
Nagao-Sato S, Reicks M. Food Away from Home Frequency, Diet Quality, and Health: Cross-Sectional Analysis of NHANES Data 2011-2018. Nutrients. 2022;14(16):3386. PubMed ↩︎ ↩︎
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Safe Food Handling. FDA.gov ↩︎
Brown LG, Ebrahim-Zadeh SD, Hoover ER, et al. Restaurant Date-Marking Practices Concerning Ready-to-Eat Food Requiring Time and Temperature Control for Safety. Foodborne Pathog Dis. 2021;18(11):798-804. PubMed ↩︎
Dallacker M, Hertwig R, Mata J. Quality matters: A meta-analysis on components of healthy family meals. Health Psychol. 2019;38(12):1137-1149. PubMed ↩︎
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