5 Tips for Making Food Prep Happen

I used to spend hours meal prepping every Sunday, and while it was extremely helpful, it also ate up so much of my weekend. At a certain point, I just wasn’t interested in the huge time commitment, despite how helpful it was.

That said, my diet is so much better when I plan ahead, versus winging it every day. Any time I don’t prep anything (or make sure we have some easy, healthy options) I tend to revert to more processed foods throughout the week, because I’m either unmotivated to do the extra work or simply don’t have time. Some weeks are busy, while others aren’t. I can’t always predict what will come up, so I’ve learned it’s better to at least do a little bit to prepare ahead of time.

Even if I’m not spending my whole Sunday stocking my fridge with colorful stacks of prepped food, I’ve found a happy medium with doing a little bit on Sundays and a little bit during the week, as well.

So when I want to stay on track with this healthy eating thing, meal prep is crucial for me. Whether I’m making full-on snack boxes or just cutting up carrots, getting these little things out of the way so I don’t 1. have to do them later or 2. end up revertting to less healthy alternatives makes such a difference.

If you could use some more inspiration for eating nutritious meals and snacks during the week, check out five little food prep tips I’ve found to make the most difference.

1. Plan your meals for the week.

I only plan dinners for us, but I know some other people who plan every meal of their week. Meal planning only takes me about 15 to 30 minutes every weekend, and it sets the tone for my whole week of eating. I can get what I need from the store up-front and plan my time accordingly based on how my week looks. I recommend incorporating some easy meals that don’t take a long time to cook. Bonus if you figure out a way to re-invent leftovers into something new for minimal prep. And when you can’t make the meal plan happen, that’s when my hack of making a master list of go-to meals really comes in handy.

2. Prepare components of planned meals for faster cooking mid-week.

This is something I’ve been trying to do more lately. I can have my meals planned for the week, but if I still have all the prep work to do when I get home from work, it can be way too time-consuming. Chop the veggies for a stir-fry; broil chicken for the chicken salad; assemble the Italian meatballs and put them in the fridge so you can pop them in the oven tomorrow; and so on and so forth. While it depends on the recipe(s) you’re making, there are usually a few steps you can do ahead of time to save some time and energy later.

3. Make quick, simple snacks to grab when you’re busy.

Snacking is an aspect of healthy eating that I find more difficult. That’s why my first stop for food prep is cutting up fresh fruit and/or veggies. Also, making a batch of my creamy garlic hummus (or just buying some at the store) is an easy way to make snacking on carrots/celery/etc. more exciting (and filling). While my snack prep varies from week to week, I’ve found fresh veggies and other items like hard-boiled eggs and healthy muffins to be a great start.

4. Prepare multi-purpose ingredients.

It’s pretty satisfying to prepare one ingredient to be used for several purposes. The most practical version of this for me is just cutting up veggies (are you starting to see a trend?), but when I’m especially motivated, I’ll sometimes bake oatmeal, cook a batch of rice, or cook and shred some chicken to use in different ways. Even if you don’t have your meals planned, having these ingredients can help you find quick and easy meals last-minute, if it comes down to it.

5. Get a bunch of food storage containers.

I learned this lesson a long time ago: it’s hard to meal prep if you don’t have anything to store the food in. Groundbreaking, I know. I used to only use glass storage containers, but I caved and bought a few stacks of plastic reusable containers, because 1. they’re a great, affordable alternative to relying on plastic bags so much and 2. I needed more options for conveniently holding prepped food. Some people prepare their entire week of lunches on Sunday, but if you don’t have the capacity to store those meals, you’re limiting your ability to prepare.

When it comes down to it, everyone preps food differently. Whatever helps you make better food decisions (and is reasonable in your lifestyle) is ultimately your best option. If you have exactly 0 motivation to eat nutritious meals during the week, try spending a little extra time preparing when you’re willing and able. If your free time is precious and you can make some prep happen throughout the week, maybe it makes more sense to sprinkle it every few days. The above tips are just what work best for me.

And while I swear by food prep, I know I won’t always have the time to dedicate to it. If it works better to buy the prepped ingredients and food, simply planning what you need ahead of time might be all you need.

Do you spend a lot of time on food prep? Or do you more so live cook in the moment?

Any tips you’d like to add to my list?

The original version of this post was published in November 2015.