Meal prep saves the budgets and diets of many people at a time when no one is able to stand in the kitchen every day and prepare several different meals. Meal prep is an abbreviation that comes from meal preparation, but the term is most often used in the context of preparing meals in advance. Once a week (or more often) you find the time to do something in the kitchen, during which you cook and prepare ingredients and meal bases for the whole week. This saves you both time and money, you throw away less food, and it gives you peace of mind to no longer have to think about “what's for lunch” during an eventful week. Mealprepping is simple and quite intuitive. However, you need to remember a few important rules so that the food maintains its nutritional and taste properties.
Meal prep in practice – what does it involve?
The main purpose of meal prep is to relieve you from the burden of cooking during the week. Instead, you pick any (usually weekend) day and prepare food in bulk for the next week. Meal prep is not only about cooking, but also about preparing the products you will use to make meals throughout the week. Meal prep includes, for example:
- cutting vegetables, fruit and herbs;
- preparing sauces and soups as well as pasteurising them;
- freezing of ready meals;
- portioning bread, tortillas and other side dishes;
- preparing mixes such as oatmeal or yoghurt mix;
- cooking meals for several days;
- preparing semi-finished products to quickly make a fresh meal.
Meal prep step by step
Before you get down to mealprepping, you need to have a clear understanding of the principles to follow. Here are the top 7 tips you need to consider to be able to meal prep successfully.
- Plan:
- what you’re going to meal prep,
- how you are going to store the food,
- when to eat the mealprepped products.
- Do shopping and find time to meal prep. On a separate shopping list, include the products that are better to buy fresh during the week.
- Prepare containers and dishes for the products you will prepare. Make sure they are clean and preferably scalded, then the food will not spoil prematurely.
- Review the plan of the products you will be preparing and determine the right order of preparation for you. In general, it is better to start cooking with the dishes or semi-finished products that take the longest to prepare.
- Package and store the prepared food well. You can freeze the products that are suitable for this purpose, whereas others should be stored in the refrigerator or outside of it.
- Mind the proper storage time for food products, consistent with food safety. Here’s a table that may be helpful:
| Product | Refrigerator storage time | Freezer storage time |
| Boiled rice and potatoes | approx. 2 days | 4-8 weeks |
| Cooked groats or pasta | up to 4 days | 4-8 weeks |
| Soups and sauces | approx. 3 days | a few weeks |
| Sandwich spreads | approx. 3-4 days | several weeks (but not all freeze well) |
| Boiled egg | up to 4 days | - |
| Canned corn and legumes | up to 4 days | a few weeks |
| Bread | 3-4 days | a few weeks |
| Dressings and marinades | up to 7 days | - |
Hint: If your time for meal preparation is really limited, make cooking easier by opting for semi-finished and ready-made products: pre-cooked beetroots (available in all supermarkets), canned and jarred legumes, instant oat flakes, instant-cooked legume pasta...
Sample meal prep plan for 7 days
Here is a sample meal plan that you can prepare according to the meal prep concept. In addition to your main meals, you can eat other snacks each day (such as for second breakfast and afternoon snacks). Adjust the calorie content and serving size to your daily requirements.
On the meal prep day you will prepare:
- roasted vegetables – for salads, hummus, breakfasts and burgers,
- home-made hummus with roasted beetroot: 2 servings,
- plant-based pumpkin and tofu burgers – to be frozen: 3 servings,
- chili con carne – to eat fresh and freeze: 3.5 servings,
- krupnik soup with pearl groats – to eat fresh (for 3 days): 2 servings,
- pancakes – for freezing: 3 servings,
- muesli mix: 3 servings.
Useful recipes from the sample plan:
Roasted vegetables
Ingredients:
- 800 g of fresh pumpkin,
- a spoonful of olive oil,
- 3 beets.
Preparation:
- Wash the vegetables and put them on a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the vegetables with olive oil.
- Bake at 190 degrees until tender (about 35 minutes).
Meal prep: once cooled, put the vegetables to a resealable container and place in the refrigerator.
Home-made hummus with roasted beetroot
Ingredients:
- 200 g of chickpeas in marinade,
- juice of half a lemon,
- 3 spoonfuls of olive oil,
- 2 spoonfuls of sesame,
- roasted beetroot,
- salt, pepper, cumin.
Preparation:
- Blend the chickpeas, oil, sesame and beetroot.
- Season with lemon juice and any spices.
Meal prep: put the hummus into a jar, pour olive oil over the top and place on a high shelf in the refrigerator.
Plant-based pumpkin and tofu burgers
Ingredients:
- 300 g of roasted pumpkin,
- a block of smoked tofu,
- 40 g of oat flakes,
- 3 cloves of garlic,
- 2 spoonfuls of olive oil,
- spices: soy sauce, yeast flakes, sweet paprika, cinnamon.
Preparation:
- Thoroughly mash the roasted pumpkin with a fork.
- Crumble the smoked tofu into small pieces.
- Blend half of the oat flakes into flour.
- Mix pumpkin, tofu, oat flakes, pressed garlic and spices.
- Form chops and brush them with olive oil.
- Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- Bake the chops at 180 degrees for about 35 minutes.
Meal prep: once cooled, put the chops in a plastic container and place in the freezer.
Dressing for salads
Ingredients for several servings:
- 4 spoonfuls of olive oil,
- 2 spoonfuls of lemon juice,
- 2 spoonfuls of honey,
- 2 spoonfuls of mustard.
Preparation:
- Put the ingredients into a small jar (for example, after tomato paste).
- Mix them and set them aside in the refrigerator.
Meal prep: store the dressing in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Chili con carne
Ingredients:
- 500 g of lean ground beef,
- a spoonful of olive oil,
- onion,
- a tin of tomatoes,
- pepper,
- a can of red beans,
- 3 dried tomatoes,
- a teaspoon of sweet pepper powder,
- a pinch of chili,
- ½ teaspoon of cumin,
- a pinch of cocoa.
Preparation:
- In a large frying pan, heat the oil, fry the onion and add the spices.
- Add the meat and fry it for a while. Add chopped peppers and dried tomatoes.
- Add the tomatoes and stew for about 20 minutes.
- Towards the end of stewing, add beans.
Meal prep: set aside one portion to eat fresh, put the rest in bags and freeze.
Krupnik soup with pearl groats
Ingredients:
- frozen vegetable mix for soup,
- turkey wing,
- 2 potatoes,
- 100 g of pearl groats,
- any spices you like.
Preparation:
- Cook the soup with the frozen vegetables and turkey wing.
- 20 minutes before the end of cooking, add peeled potatoes and groats.
- Season the soup according to your preferences.
Meal prep: put the cooled soup into the refrigerator. You will use it in the first days.
Pancakes
Ingredients:
- 100 g of flour,
- 100 g of wholemeal wheat flour,
- 2 large eggs,
- 250 ml of milk,
- 100 g of natural yoghurt,
- half a teaspoon of baking soda,
- a spoonful of oil.
Preparation:
- In a bowl, beat eggs with a mixer.
- Add oil, flour, baking soda, milk, flour and yoghurt.
- Mix for a while until the ingredients are combined.
- Set the dough aside for about 10 minutes.
- Fry without oil in a non-stick pan.
Meal prep: after cooling, place each pancake on a piece of baking paper. Covering each pancake with paper, put them in a container and then in the freezer. They can be stored for several weeks.
Muesli mix:
Ingredients:
- 100 g of oat flakes,
- 20 g of dark chocolate,
- 50 g of any nuts,
- 20 g of dried raisins,
- a teaspoon of cinnamon.
Preparation:
- Crumble the chocolate and nuts.
- Mix all the ingredients.
Meal prep: seal the muesli mix in an airtight container.
MENU – this is how you will use the prepared meals and products
Day 1:
- Breakfast: pumpkin spice oatmeal with roasted pumpkin (oat flakes, honey, milk, 150 g of roasted pumpkin, spices).
- Lunch: a serving of fresh chili con carne + basmati rice + fresh coriander.
- Dinner: a serving of krupnik soup.
Day 2:
- Breakfast: pink smoothie bowl (blended roasted beetroot + buttermilk + banana) + muesli mix.
- Lunch: lentil pasta with tomato sauce (half a serving of chili con carne + tomato passata).
- Dinner: wrap – plant-based burger with pumpkin and tofu (defrosted) + tortilla + any fresh vegetables + beetroot hummus.
Day 3:
- Breakfast: sandwiches with beetroot hummus and fresh vegetables.
- Lunch: salad with roasted pumpkin (350 g), beetroot, feta and freshly cooked quinoa + dressing with tahini and lemon juice.
- Dinner: a serving of krupnik soup.
Day 4:
- Breakfast: pancakes (defrosted) with cinnamon, apple and natural yoghurt.
- Lunch: plant-based pumpkin and tofu burger (defrosted) + freshly cooked parboiled rice + arugula and cherry tomatoes with salad dressing.
- Dinner: sandwiches with egg paste made of boiled egg, natural yoghurt and chives + greens.
Day 5:
- Breakfast: pancakes (defrosted) with strawberry sauce (buttermilk + frozen strawberries).
- Lunch: chili con carne (defrosted) + wholemeal bread toasts.
- Dinner: natural yoghurt with muesli mix and fresh pear.
Day 6:
- Breakfast: quick scrambled eggs with fresh tomato salad with dressing + sandwiches with cheese or ham.
- Lunch: plant-based pumpkin and tofu burger (defrosted) + freshly cooked buckwheat groats + pickled cucumber salad.
- Dinner: banana and peanut butter shake based on buttermilk + rice waffles + muesli mix.
Day 7:
- Breakfast: pancakes (defrosted) with fresh banana and peanut butter.
- Lunch: burrito with chili con carne (defrosted) in a tortilla.
- Dinner: cottage cheese + fresh vegetables + wholemeal bread.
Have a tasty week!