Last Updated on January 17, 2022 by TheMealPrepNinja
A Comprehensive Overview of Meal Prep 101
Meal preparation – meal prep 101, also commonly known as meal prep, is the concept of planning and preparing whole meals ahead of schedule. The practice is gaining popularity among people with busy schedules as it helps them save so much time. Besides saving time, having pre-prepared meals on hand can go a long way to help you reach your nutrition goals effortlessly.
Meal prepping is one of the only ways to sustainably meet all of your nutrition goals. It is the fitness and nutrition industry’s secret weapon.
Meal prepping is an extensive field that can range from making simple breakfast meals to cooking complete dinners for the upcoming days, weeks or even months. You do not have to spend an entire day meal prepping, 30 minutes could be enough to plan and prep an entire week’s meals.
Why Meal Prep?
There are many benefits to meal prep
Before jumping into the steps of meal prep 101, it would be helpful if you get to know the advantages of embracing this concept of planning and preparing meals in advance. So, below are some of the ways meal prepping will benefit both you and your family.
- It Saves Money
Most people assume that they have to spend loads of money for them to eat healthy, which is not true. Meal prepping allows you to buy cooking ingredients in bulk and preserve them in your freezer where they can stay for the longest time without going stale. Cooking your own food is also a great way of saving money as opposed to take-outs. Grilled chicken, rice, and veggies is a great example of an inexpensive meal.
2. Saves Time
With meal prepping, you set a few hours, probably on Sunday to plan, shop, cook and store your meals. That way, you will have enough food in your freezer to pull out throughout the week. Cooking in bulk saves time and money. You will also end up spending less time at the grocery store.
3. Easy Portion Control
It is important to observe the ratio of calories in and calories out, especially when you are trying to lose some weight or gain muscles. Preparing meals in advance is a sure way of knowing what you are consuming. It also helps you to eat the right food portions.
4. Prevents Food Wastage
A survey conducted by the American Chemistry Council revealed that an average household in the US throws away food worth $640 every year. Meal prepping helps you to get the right proportion of food, reducing the chances of getting any waste.
Where to Start with Meal Prep
Start with easy methods first
The benefits of meal prepping can go on and on. Clearly, it is something worth a try if you are interested in less hectic mealtime, saving time or eating healthier. If you are interested in all that, below is a step by step guide to help you get started with meal planning and prepping easily.
Step 1: Determine the Prep Method that Works for You
Your ideal prep method should be determined by factors such as the meals you would like to prep ahead, your schedule and cooking style. Below are meal prep methods to choose from:
Make-ahead meal: This method involved cooking complete meals in advance. So, you will only be required to preheat during meal times. Make-ahead meal is ideal for people with very tight schedules. Lunch meals are a great place to get started with meal prepping. Our Chipotle Chicken recipe is a great example of a make-ahead meal.
Batch Cooking/Freezing: The method entails cooking multiples batches of a recipe, proportioning, and freezing them for meals in the days or weeks to come. Slow cooker recipes are a great example of recipes that you can freeze.
Individually portioned meals: This method is suitable for people trying to reach certain health goals. The method involves preparing meals and dividing them into individual servings. For instance, overnight oats portioned into single containers; each container should be intended for a single serving.
Ready-to-cook ingredients: Consider this method if you prefer cooking your meals right before serving. The method entails preparing ingredients in advance to cut down on kitchen time. A great example of this is cooking chicken in the slow cooker and having it ready when needed. You will be able to make everything from wraps, quesadillas, salads, and or bowls.
Step 2: Make a Plan
Once you have decided on the meal prep method to go with, the next thing will be to come with a small plan to keep you organized. The following are some of the things to consider when making your meal prep plan:
Decide on the meal to prep: Think about what you are trying to streamline. Could it be your morning routine? If so, preparing smoothie packs in advance, for instance, would help to cut on the time spent on breakfast.
Write your menu: Rely on the recipes that you have tried before successfully to come up with a menu. Keeping things simple will help you to save on time. Start with 2 to 3 servings, simple recipes with ingredients you love,
Schedule your prep: Set aside some time to prep your meals. This should be done on the same day you shop your ingredients and make the meal prep plan.
Step 3: Take stock and go shopping
At this point, you have a planned menu. What you need is the ingredients required. However, you should make a shopping list and take inventory of your kitchen before leaving for the grocery store. Here are some free meal prep grocery list templates and Pinterest. This will help you to identify the essentials that your kitchen could be lacking. While at the store, do not forget to get some storage containers.
Step 4: Prep and Store
Now, this is the most fun part of the meal prep. You can finally begin prepping your meals. However, it is crucial to have the following things in mind before jumping into the chopping task.
Make the most out of the time in your hands. Have a plan on how to do as much prep as you can in a little limited time. Start with foods that take the longest cooking time. For example, slow cooker recipes.
Store the prepared food the right way. Different types of food will require special storage methods. Have that in mind to ensure optimum storage life.
Freeze what you can. Frozen foods should be consumed within 3 to 6 months. Label and date your containers to consume the foods before that time. I normally try to eat my frozen meals within a month.
Step 5: Enjoy the pre-prepared meals
Meal prep will benefit you greatly regardless of the method you choose to go with. There is nothing as sweet as having ready meals in your freezers only waiting to be preheated. Now that is what you call fast food.
How Long Should You Meal Prep?
Now that you are much familiar with the concept of meal prep 101, you could be wondering how long the prepped food should last in your fridge or freezer. Well, that’s a valid concern when it comes to meal prepping. Ideally, meal prepping aims at eating healthy, and thus it is only good if you get to know how long the prep food would be safe for eating. I also write a blog post on Freeze or refrigerate.
Start small with meal prep
Properly cooked food should be safe for eating within 7 days. However, the meals might get tasteless by the 5th day. Note that different types of foods will last for a different amount of time. For instance, overnight oats will last for about 3 days, while green salads can make it up to 4 days. Let Google be your friend whenever you are not sure how long certain foods can last in the fridge.
What Do You Need to Meal Prep?
You will need certain essential kitchen tools to go about your meal prep successfully. These tools include the following:
- High-quality knives: Almost every method of meal prep will require some chopping. Look for a set of knives that will give you an easy chopping time without the risk of cutting your fingers.
- Measuring cups and spoons: You will be required to measure the sizes of the servings, especially if you are on a weight loss journey. These measuring equipment will also help you to measure your ingredients right.
- Food scale: You can do away with the measuring cups and spoons, but not with a digital food scale. Otherwise, how will you measure your proteins and maybe calories?
- Meal prep containers: You will need a place to enclose the meals you prep before storing them in your freezer. Meal prep containers will come in handy here.
What Can You Prep?
The best meals to meal prep are those that can last for at least 4 days in the fridge. Well, below are some of the common foods that you can prep and tips on how to keep them in good condition during the storage period.
- Chicken
Bake your chicken and divide it in desired proportions. Store each proportion in an airtight container before storing it in your freezer. Chicken breasts are the leanest, but thighs are the best when it comes to meal prep. Here are some of my favorite chicken recipes.
- Rice
There are so many different types of rice that you can meal prep. White, brown, and even cauliflower rice are great for meal prep. Rice can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I don’t like to freeze my rice because it gets hard after you defrost it. Here is one of my favorite rice recipes, Teriyaki Chicken with white rice.
- Kale
Remove the thick stem of the kales, wash them and then let them dry. Store them in a plastic container. Place a towel in the plastic container to soak up any moisture in case the kale didn’t dry out well. Dressing the kales will prevent them from wilting while in the fridge.
A Beginners Guide to Meal Prep 101
There are so many ways to meal prep. Start small and find out which foods you love and can eat often. You will find recipes that you love to eat and others that are just not cutting it. That is why it is important to find recipes that you love before cooking 5 meals and having to throw it away. Start with meal prepping for 2 to 3 lunch meals.
On this website, we have created many recipes that you can follow step by step or use them as inspiration to create your own recipes. The secret to meal prep is to make your food taste better than any other option you have.
Almost every food that you can think of is suitable for prepping. However, you can always do some research on the internet whenever you are in doubt about prepping certain foods.
There is no perfect way to meal prep. Find ways you enjoy to do it!
We hoped you found this Meal Prep 101 guide for beginners helpful!
Jim Lopez, the founder and editor of The Meal Prep Ninja, shares his journey from a passionate bodybuilder and fitness enthusiast to a certified nutrition coach. Certified by Precision Nutrition, Jim aims to empower others with knowledge on meal prep and nutrition, offering resources for busy individuals to enjoy low-calorie, tasty foods. His blog is a community for sharing healthy eating habits and meal prep recipes
