This isn’t your typical beginner’s guide full of textbook definitions or “why you should meal prep” fluff. You already know you want to do this (and if you’re still on the fence, check out my meal prep myths debunked post, it might just change your mind 😉).
Instead, I’m going to give you 10 real-life, actionable tips to make meal prepping feel way more doable, and even (dare I say it?) fun. These are the things I wish someone had told me when I first started.
Let’s be real, meal prepping can feel so overwhelming when you’re just getting started. Between the endless Pinterest inspo, complicated hacks, and pressure to have perfectly portioned fridge pics… it’s easy to feel stuck before you’ve even begun.
But hey, if you’re here, it means you’re ready to make your life a little easier, eat a little better, and feel a little more on top of things. So let's Let’s get into it! 💪✨
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Start small!
The hardest part is probably making time and getting started (spoiler: it still is after 10+ years). But “starting” doesn’t mean you need to do a 2-hour meal prep session the first time around. You can (and I actually recommend you) start small.
It can be as simple as:
- A salad dressing. If you think about it, the probability that you’ll actually make a salad during the week if the dressing is already waiting for you in the fridge is about 50% higher.
- Overnight oats (or baked oats if you’re not a gooey oats person).
- Oven-roasted vegetables and cooked rice for grain bowls.
- Freezer-friendly burritos.
Find your ride-or-die recipes
I think we all agree that we’re rarely looking at all the recipes we saved on Instagram when writing a meal plan for the week. That’s why everyone needs a good old binder with printed versions of their favorite meal prep recipes.
To find good recipes, check out your favorite blogs and scroll through Pinterest with keywords like “meal prep”, “make ahead” or “freezer friendly”. If you've used meal delivery services (e.g., Hello Fresh, Home Chef) before, this might be the time to dig out those recipe cards.
Create your meal prep binder
- Only add recipes you have previously tested.
- Only add meal prep-friendly recipes that will last 3+ days in the fridge.
- Preferably print recipes with step-by-step pictures.
- Choose a mix of healthy, comforting, and familiar recipes that you’ll wanna make even on the days you don’t feel like meal prepping.
Find your meal prep formula
Are you a Sunday prepper or a multi-day prepper? Do you prefer to mix and match or prepare full reheatable meals?
There are many ways to meal prep, which is why I highly encourage you to find your style. If you’ve been struggling to stay consistent with meal prep, maybe you just haven't found the system that works for you.
Multi-task!
The most important rule is to start with the dish that has the longest cooking time and finish with the quickest easiest things (a salad dressing, a pasta salad, overnight oats). Towards the end, we're less focused and can’t wait to be done.
For more insights into my meal prep sessions, make sure to read my detailed 8-step rundown.
Use pre-chopped and frozen ingredients
I've fallen for the trap of thinking that meal prepping means making everything from scratch and that I "cannot" use shortcuts. Don't make the same mistake!
Using pre-shredded carrots, pre-sliced mushrooms, or pre-washed greens can be a great way to save chopping time and move quicker through your meal prep (especially if you have littles running around).
If you're not planning to freeze your meal-prepped meals, think of using frozen sliced veggies, frozen chopped onions, frozen garlic and herbs, too.
Use a food chopper!
It is great for mincing onions, crushing nuts, or preparing an onion-carrot-celery base that is required for most saucy dishes (e.g., vegan ragù, quinoa chili).
A food chopper with a 2-cup capacity is usually enough for most recipes. Plus, it's easy to rinse and store after usage.
Use uniform storage containers
My biggest tip is to start by purging your Tupperware drawer and only keep those with a matching lid.
If needed get a new set of containers that all have the same shape, size, and lid to make storage super easy. Three different sizes should be enough to get started!
If you wanna know which ones I use and recommend, check out my favorite glass containers for meal prep.
Plan more than 1 serving idea
One of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to meal prep, is that you have to eat the same meal 4 days in a row. But if you plan and prep different serving ideas, you can eat the same dish without it feeling repetitive.
For example, you can serve chili:
- With brown rice and (plant-based) sour cream
- With tortilla chips and avocado
- On taco shells with pickled red cabbage.
I'm not saying you need 3 different options for every meal. But simply swapping out the dressing of a grain bowl, or changing the side of a stew adds more variety to your diet.
Storage tips
- Store sauces and dressings separately to help meals last longer and prevent salads from getting soggy.
- Refrigerate your meals no longer than 2 hours after cooking to prevent bacterial growth. But wait until they’re cooled to put them in the fridge, or your fridge temperature will rise and the compressor will have to work harder to cool it back down.
- Place melas that need to be eaten first at eyesight (not at the back) of your refrigerator.
General defrosting rules
Unlike what many people think, there is one best way to defrost a meal. That’s putting it in the fridge the night before you want to eat it so that it can defrost very slowly without temperature shock.
But let’s be real, most times we defrost something because we’re in a rush, don't wanna cook, or forgot to buy something. In that case, the best way to defrost a meal is over low heat on the stove or by using your microwave’s defrost function.
P.S. I’ve introduced freezer Sundays in our house and every Sunday we eat a meal from the freezer. This routine helps me remember to take a meal out of the freezer the day before and let it defrost overnight. Plus, we have a good rotation of new meals that get frozen and frozen meals that get eaten.
FAQ
The general rule of thumb is that prepped meals with meat or dairy will only last up to 3 days in the fridge, while plant-based food will last up to 4-5 days. That’s very good news since this site is fully plant-based.
You don't need any specific equipment to get started. A good set of pots and pans, and some storage containers is truly all you need.
But a food chopper is very handy, a sharp knife is game-changing in my opinion, and a blender (stick blender or a personal blender like a Nutribullet are great). For specific recipes like energy balls, veggie burgers, or falafel a food processor can be amazing. And if you're worried about food safety, you might wanna look into vacuum-seal meal prep containers.
In that case, I recommend splitting your meal prep into 2 shorter sessions that you can do throughout the week or maybe on Sunday evening.
Freezer batching, where you cook for a full day and stock up your freezer might also be a great option for you.
First, let me reassure you that you'll most likely be cooking recipes you like and I'm confident that you'll want to eat them 😊
Second, there's nothing wrong with making pasta for dinner even if you still have meal-prepped food in the fridge. You don't need to prep every single meal from Monday through Friday.
I usually prep for 3-4 days to still have the flexibility to go out with friends, order my favorite takeout, or make a quick pasta.
Top 6 beginner-approved recipes
These are the 6 recipes I'd pick that even my boyfriend could make (if you didn’t guess already, I’m the cook in our house) 😄
Let me know what your favorite tip was in the comments and make sure to read my 15 meal prep tips I wish I'd known when I started if you’re serious about starting meal prep.
Join the live program!
I understand that meal prepping alone isn't always easy
That's why I created Meal Prep With Elo, a 5-week group program where I guide you through a meal prep session every Sunday live on Zoom to help you be more confident and stay consistent with meal prep!
Did you like this recipe? Let me know!