The Ultimate Meal Prep Guide
I’m in my Winn-Dixie bag this week.
Ok, so I don’t know if this is a meal prep guide anymore, so much as it’s a “make the most of your groceries” guide. I first wrote this in 2018, but my knowledge of food and health has expanded tenfold since then. These days, I’m more focused on lessening food waste and saving money than using meal prepping as a means for weight loss. And I wanted to share an updated version since my praxis for this work has shifted for the better.
Let’s get into it, shall we?
So, there are quite a few myths about meal prepping:
The cooking takes all day.
You have to eat the same thing all week.
Because it’s impossible to cook a variety of meals that taste good.
Nutritious food isn’t filling.
Thankfully none of this is true! Sure, some people eat the same meals all week, and the cooking can take all day. But my fix for that is cooking two nights a week, choosing a few recipes, and making about 2-3 servings of each. (My calculus is this: I eat 14 meals a week, not including breakfast or snacks. So I choose 6 recipes, make two servings of it—I do not like eating the same thing more than twice, lol—and then eat out twice.)
People believe that healthy food isn’t filling because nutrition is a white-dominated space. And we’re taught that “healthy” food is chicken breast, a plain vegetable, and rice with no sauce, no seasoning, no swag. That isn’t true. If you’re a baddie of color, you can eat your cultural foods. Period.
Before I get into the nitty-gritty of meal prepping, I want to explain why I advocate for it.
I love saving money, and takeout is expensive!
It’s convenient and saves a lot of time throughout the week so that you can focus on a variety of other things.
If you have a physical goal—whether it be body recomposition, fat loss, or muscle gain—meal prepping is a tool to help you get there safely. Meal planning and prep is an opportunity to focus on solidifying a lifestyle change versus a short-term, potentially dangerous fix like calorie counting. (Don’t count calories. Please.)
It’s an excellent way to eat more fruits and vegetables.
Now that my TED talk is over let’s get into the particulars.
One key to successful meal prepping is having a well-stocked pantry and kitchen. The more stuff you have on hand, the less money you will spend in the long run. For your pantry, stock up on these things as you can:
Seasonings you like and frequently use (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, adobo, etc.) And you can buy them cheap. I’ve never been able to tell the difference between Frontier and Badia anyway.
At least one good cooking oil (olive, avocado, grapeseed, etc.)
At least one vinegar (apple cider, white, white wine, rice, balsamic, etc.)
Canned or frozen vegetables you like
Canned and frozen vegetables are just as good as fresh. And they last longer, so they’re more cost-effective. For canned veggies, make sure the sodium content is low if blood pressure is a concern for you.
Grains you like (rice, farro, oats, etc.)
At least one sweetener (honey, agave, maple syrup, brown sugar, etc.)
Beans you like (lentils, black beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, green beans, etc.)
Sauces you like (tomato, tahini, etc.)
Baking items (vanilla extract, baking soda, and powder, flour, etc.)
Protein powder
Nut butter (almond, peanut, etc.)
You probably won’t use these things every time you cook, but you’ll have them on hand for at least six months. You can also find them at reasonable prices. As you cook more, you’ll accumulate the basics and specialty items, like chia seeds or nutritional yeast. It would be costly to stock your pantry with a variety of these foods from jump. Give yourself time to stockpile and make sure to stagger your recipes so that you’re only spending on one or two specialty pantry items a week.
You’re also going to want a well-stocked kitchen. Here’s a list of kitchen supplies worth investing in as soon as you can — if you don’t own them already (with links to products I own and find incredibly useful):
Food storage containers with a well-sealed lid
These containers are more leak-proof than most others, but it’s not 100%. I like to store soups and curries in mason jars.
Some type of blender. (I have a Vitamix now. But when I first wrote this, I had a Nutribullet 900, and I loved it. I also made it work with this Ninja food chopper back in 2017.)
A food processor that can handle decent sized batches
Mason jars for pantry storage
This isn't necessary, but it helps keep your pantry organized and keeps the food longer. Plus, I love the aesthetic.
Baking sheets
Parchment paper for most things, aluminum foil for anything cooked at over 400 degrees.
Yeah, that’s why your parchment paper burns. Don’t believe me? Read the box.
Durable cooking utensils
Now, I’m going to explain how to effectively prepare your meals based on my meal plan for this week.
PLAN YOUR MEALS!
You got to figure out what you wanna eat. I usually mull it over passively throughout the week. If I see a recipe on TikTok, I’ll text it to myself. If I see someone tweet a meal they liked, I’ll bookmark it. Etcetera. I reference that “Recipes I Luv” list when I’m not feeling adventurous.
I enjoy trying new things, but not liking it is a financial risk. It's one most people can't afford to take. In the interest of saving money, it’s best to cook simple meals that creatively include things you know you like. Slowly loop in new things. Add one veggie and one fruit to your meal plan each week to help keep the cost down. When you do venture out, remember that most vegetables are a blank slate, and you can prepare them in various ways.
To avoid a shortage of inspiration, make a list of veggies, grains, beans, and proteins you like. Then pick two veggies, one grain, one bean, and a protein per meal. Season them differently, add a sauce, or throw them into soups, salads, or bowls. It really is as simple as putting things you are excited to eat on a plate.
Be intentional with your planning and choose foods you can repurpose
So, back to my plan. There is a method behind why I chose these meals. The ingredients can be easily repurposed if I change my mind about any of the recipes, which is common, and I can use them up. I’ll use the kale in the salad and the chicken wraps—which initially called for lettuce.
I also have most ingredients in my pantry or the freezer, which is the most significant influence. If I need more than 50% of what the recipe calls for and it isn’t time for a restock? It’s not worth it to me. I’ll find something else to cook.
And be sure to look at how many servings a recipe yields. If it makes six servings, and you know you can’t freeze it or that you don’t want that much, cut it in half using a recipe divider.
Determine what takes the longest to cook and make that first
I’ll roast my chicken on Saturday and prepare the mushroom larb. I need the chicken throughout the week, and mushrooms don’t stay fresh for as long. I’ll make about three servings of the sweet potato hash for breakfast on Saturday and eat it for a few days. I’ll also make my salad since that will keep until Wednesday in a mason jar, though. Usually, I eat them right away. I’ll probably do the smoothie packs too. (I hate taking out all the ingredients every time I make a smoothie.)
On Wednesday, I’ll get into everything else since those veggies will be fine for a couple of days.
And just like that, you only in the kitchen for 90 minutes twice a week.