When you do it correctly, meal prep can save you a ton of time. You’ll be able to have homecooked meals on the table in no time at all, even on busy nights! If you have ever been too afraid to try it or just don’t know where to start, these tips are for you!
Meal Prep Help – Your Questions Answered
Learn everything you need to know about how to spend just one day prepping for your meals for the entire week. You really can save a lot of time and money with these tips.
Let’s go through all the most frequently asked questions about meal prep. If you still have questions, leave them in the comments. We are happy to answer them too.
What is Meal Prepping?
The most basic question should be answered first. When we talk about meal prep, we are talking about literally preparing food for meals ahead of time.
This can include:
- Chopping vegetables
- Cutting meat
- Putting meals in containers
- Pre-making marinades and dressings
You are doing a lot of the time-consuming work ahead of time. That way on busy nights all you have to do is grab a bag of ingredients and cook them.
How long do foods last when meal prepping?
If you store the food in an airtight bag or container, the food you prep will last about a week, maybe a little more in the refrigerator.
If you freeze meal ingredients, they will last about 2-3 months.
Is meal prepping good for weight loss?
Yes, meal prepping can help you stay on track with your eating plans. When you don’t have a meal plan, it’s easier to go off-plan and either grab unhealthy foods from restaurants or snack on junk that doesn’t take long to cook.
In fact, we have a clean eating meal plan you can purchase. It will give you everything you need to eat clean, whole foods, every day of the week.
Do you meal prep every meal?
It is possible to meal prep every meal. But whether you choose to is entirely up to you and your schedule. Most people meal prep lunches and dinners. But if you want, you can create overnight oats ahead of time or even pre-mix some omelet ingredients.
Do you put your meal prep in the fridge or freezer?
Whether you save your meal prep foods in the fridge or freezer depends on when you will cook them. There is something called once-a-month cooking where you literally make enough dinners for the entire month and then freeze them.
If you are just prepping for the meals that you will eat that same week, keep them in the fridge.
How do beginners meal prep for a week?
If it is your first time, don’t be overwhelmed. This is actually going to be super simple and you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it this way all along!
First, this post is a really fantastic place to start. It introduces you to our meal prep system. When you sign up, we send you the grocery list, the menu, and instructions showing you how to prep everything.
All you need is a clean place to work, a sharp knife, and a small amount of time.
How do you plan meals for a week?
Sometimes coming up with a menu for the week takes just as long as actually cooking it! It’s stressful and you probably have tons of Pinterest boards with recipes but still don’t know where to start.
That’s why our meal-planning service is such a fantastic deal! For less than the cost of a single meal, you will get menus, grocery lists, and meal-prep tips for an entire month.
How can I make food prep easier?
Here are a few things you can do to make the food prep experience a lot easier:
- Do it all at once – get your menu and do all your food prep at once. Then, it’ll be done for the entire week.
- Put all the ingredients for a meal together – make it easier to find your ingredients by keeping them all together in one bag or area.
- Use the right tools – If your knife is dull or you don’t have a large enough cutting board, invest in them. It will save you a lot of time and frustration.
- Use a bowl as a trash can – As you meal prep, you will be amazed at how much time you waste just putting vegetable peels and such into the trash. Use a bowl and dump it at the end.
What tools do I need to meal prep?
The tools you use to meal prep will make a huge difference in how easy it is and how much you enjoy it. These are the basic things you’ll need:
- Sharp knife
- Large cutting board
- Trash bucket/bowl
- Zippered Freezer Bags
- Permanent Marker for Labeling bags
- Measuring cups/spoons
- Foil
- Cookie Sheet (to place over the sink to give you more space if you need it)
Meal Prep Will Save You Money
There you have it! All your meal prep questions answered. If you still have a question, please let us know. We are happy to help you learn the joy of saving money by just prepping your meals ahead of time.
More Kitchen Tips
Now that you are ready to get into your kitchen and begin meal prepping, here are some more tips and tricks that you’ll really appreciate too.
Instant Pot Pizza Pasta