100 Best Meal Prep Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are best foods for meal prepping? ›

On your meal prep day, focus first on foods that take the longest to cook: proteins like chicken and fish; whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and farro; dried beans and legumes; and, roasted vegetables.

Soups, stews, and chili are the ideal meal prep because they last a little longer than most meals (up to five or six days) AND they're extremely freezer-friendly. If you're new to meal prep and are nervous about how foods taste after a few days, I recommend starting with a soup, stew, or chili.

You can store meal prep food in the fridge for up to four days. Or, you can store prepped food in the freezer for a longer period of time.

Yes, you can absolutely save money with meal prep. It can take some trial and error to master the process, but meal prepping is one of the best ways to save cash and fit healthy habits into your busy lifestyle.

Meal prep is important because it allows you to more consistently eat a healthy, nutrient-dense, well-balanced diet in order to attain better health, have fewer illnesses, and have more energy and feel better throughout the day. Better nutrition also helps you sleep better throughout the night.

The Rule of 3's is made up specifically of these guidelines: Eat at least three meals and up to three snacks a day (you might think of this as a breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal plan) Eat at least three food groups per meal (and two per snack) Allow no more than three hours between eating.

For meat, account for about 25% cooking loss. For example, 4 oz. of cooked chicken x 3 servings = 12 oz. cooked chicken, so plan to purchase about 16 oz.

Stock your pantry with these top 10 survival foods for maximum nutrition and convenience in any emergency: whole grains, canned goods, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and lean meats. Ensure your preparedness by having the necessary supplies on hand.

Can I meal prep pasta for a week? ›

You can store pasta in the fridge for 3–5 days and in the freezer for up to 1 month, but it should be stored properly so that it does not go bad. Following are some key tricks that'll help you keep your pasta safe and healthy during storage. Use an airtight container or zip-lock bag to store pasta for meal prep.

The only food which comes close to being something you could survive on long term as a sole ingredient is the potato. The fact that the potato has Vitamin C means that scurvy is not a risk like it would be with almost any other food source lacking in this nutrient.

Yeah, absolutely. I cook stuff ahead of time all the time. Just make sure you package and store them well, whether it's in the fridge or the freezer. The best part is that you can eat them either cold OR hot once you're ready.

Your body will respond better when it is introduced to new and different foods.” Though not discouraging meal prep and repeating meals for a couple days (who doesn't love leftovers!), Eboli recommends switching meals every three to four days because not all dishes are created equal.

It can be time consuming. You have to figure out what you're going to make, go grocery shopping, and then actually cook the food. Another reason meal planning is so hard is that it can be difficult to stick to a plan when life gets busy. It can also be expensive.