Meal prep is the best way to eat healthy. It helps you save money and avoid waste. At first, it may seem like a difficult task, however, once you apply simple strategies, this will soon become part of your regular routine. There are tons of ideas about how to do meal prep. The most important thing is that you do what works for you, add your own taste and personality. Here are some of the tips that I suggest using for great meal prep, especially when you have a busy lifestyle.

Plan ahead of time

Planning is key when it comes to prepping at home. Don’t forget to include all the details involved: the utensils for cooking, making and storing. Organize the kitchen, set a space with all the necessaries needed. This is a big life saver when it comes to saving time and working more efficiently. That way, you won’t have to worry about getting back to the same tasks during the week.

Have a calendar or planner handy to make meal prepping easier.  This is the clue to organizing the time needed to do all the kitchen stuff. Pick a day of the week to dedicate to meal prepping. Set a specific schedule or time of the day to have your essentials ready to go. You may want to consider doing meal preps on Sunday, as it is almost at the beginning of the week, and when usually we do the grocery shopping.

I’ve prepared a meal prep planner that you can download here.

Set your budget

Budgeting is also crucial when it comes to meal planning and prepping. Having a budget set for you daily eating lifestyle creates a healthy financial habit. It also helps you get organized for the types of foods you will consume and to get on track for saving money. If you learn how to do it correctly, you won’t have to worry about being limited or in a hassle for eating. For me, this is essential for avoiding overspending or buying unnecessary expensive food. You may refer back to the tips on budgeting and healthy eating here.

Create menus

Here comes the fun part! It is the time when I recommend sitting down to plan your menus for the week. This is basically for people who prep their meals at home. If you are into home cooking, I advise that you set some time to get creative and think of the menus of foods for the week. This is very easy! This method works wonders:

• Breakfast

Depending on your eating lifestyle, your breakfast can be made of cooked foods, like eggs, or ready made cereals, like oats and milk, for example. Whatever the breakfast style you may choose, you must not miss this meal on planning. This is the most important one of the day, so you want to make sure that you have all the essentials on stock. Usually, breakfasts are quick and easy to make, but since they are the first meal, you still want to ensure you have all the necessary items available.

Did you know that a good cup of coffee full of adaptogens can also boost your energy? I’ve had Krios Coffee Brilliance Blend. This is my top choice, since it boosts your energy without the negative side effects of caffeine. Also, I recommend this coffee because it’s infused with vitamins and adaptogens (natural superfood blends), which enhance your focus and memory. Other benefits include:

• Stress and anxiety relief
• Immune system boosters
• No jitters no energy crash

• Main dishes

This goes mainly for lunch and dinner. Make sure to include these foods in your item first. Meat, fish, chicken, etc. According to the ADA, you should consume less red meat and more of poultry and seafood (3-4 times a week)  If you are vegetarian, sort between the grains and dairy products.

• Side dishes

Here are the foods you should add to lunch and dinner. This includes the vegetables and grains.

• Fruits

I usually use these as snacks, so I get sufficient for in between meals, smoothies, juices or salads.

• Other Snacks

Nuts and cereals? These fall into this category. Make sure to include them whenever you plan your menus.

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“Smart” meal prep 

• Main course

What about foods like chicken, meat, or fish? As you know, these examples require some time for preparation. I usually get all the main courses ready on the meal prep day. Make sure you clean and season these items. Once they have their seasoning, you can either cook right away or store them in the freezer until when you are ready to cook them.

• Vegetables and fruits

An easy way of meal prepping these types of foods is by choosing the ones you’ll have for the week and putting them in different containers in your fridge. Remember to properly wash, disinfect, clean leafy greens and vegetables. Cut them into consuming sizes and store.

• Grains

Foods like beans or lentils usually require more time cooking. Make sure you wash them beforehand. One great tip I use is to leave them soaking for some time before I cook them, especially for red and black beans. Once they are ready, cook accordingly and you can freeze them. If stored correctly, cooked grains can last for more than 3 days in your refrigerator.

Use appropriate packaging

Packaging is very important when it comes to meal preps. This ensures that the food maintains it’s quality taste and nutritious value. Another great aspect is that we minimize waste.

What kind of packaging do I recommend?

Plastic containers work fine for pre-cooked meals, like lunch or dinner. Seasoned meats should be kept in containers and kept frozen. Bear in mind that perishable foods like “greens” usually last less than a week. It is proven that freezing veggies can lead to losing nutrients. A best practice is to keep them in the vegetable compartment of the fridge. If you have access to tight-air bags, you can use these to store green leafs and cut vegetables.

My final advice…

Keep it simple, fun and healthy! Meal prep doesn’t have to be complicated. It just requires some planning, scheduling and making proper food choices. By following good cooking and storing practices, you are increasing the chances to eat healthier. This is a result of preserving nutritious value, great food taste, saving money and avoiding waste! Let me know your thoughts, comment, and share these ideas with your friends. Don’t forget to download the meal prep guide here.

Stay healthy!

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.