How to Meal Prep for the Week: A Beginner’s Guide

I’ve being doing meal prep for over 7 years now and it has been life-changing. In this post, I’m showing you how to meal prep for the week. You’ll learn what it is, how it can save time & stress during the week, and a beginner-friendly step-by-step guide on how to get started!

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Sunday night meal prep – groan! Just another thing to fit into an already crazy busy week.

That’s what I used to think before I finally meal prepped for the first time like 7 years ago. But believe me when I tell you that it is literally life-changing, especially as someone who works 50+ hours per week.

Before I started meal prepping, I used to get takeout or eat a bunch of boxed/frozen dinners most days of the week. As you can imagine, it got pretty expensive (and unhealthy) pretty fast!

I think I started meal prepping around 2017 after my first year of residency. It was kind of chaotic at first. But like with most things in life, the more you do it the better you get!

The good news is that you don’t need a lot of time or money to make meal prep work. All you need is a couple hours, a few food storage containers, and some smart strategies.

This beginner-friendly step by step guide will walk you through how to meal prep for the week. Whether you’re a busy mom, college student, or just trying to get dinner ASAP on the table on busy weeknights, you’ll find some helpful tips and tricks in this post!

Here’s a FREE meal plan that you can use to get started! All of the recipes are made with 5 ingredients or less!

Get the FREE meal plan sent to your inbox!

​Join my email list and I’ll send you the FREE 5-Day Meal Plan! As a bonus, you’ll also receive my monthly newsletter which includes a FREE brand new meal plan every month, plus exclusive access to all my free printables! 💖

What Is Meal Prep?

I know that phrase gets thrown around a lot, but what exactly is meal prep? There’s no one perfect answer to this question since meal prep can look different for everyone.

But in a nutshell, it’s the process of preparing food ahead of time to make mealtimes faster and easier during the week.

🥦 Meal prepping for the week can look like:

• Chopping veggies and proteins to use in quick meals throughout the week
• Assembling bento box lunches for the week
• Making wraps or sandwiches for the week
• Prepping snack boxes or bags to throw in your bag before work or school
• Freezing grab-and-go breakfasts
• Making a recipe and splitting it into individual portions to use as grab & go lunches or dinners for the week

Not saying that you have to do all of these things, but these are just a few examples. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! There’s endless ways you can meal prep, depending on what works best for you and your schedule.

The Benefits of Meal Prep

Once you get into a groove, meal prepping becomes a huge time-saver. There’s a reason why it’s become such a big fad over the past few years! It can be a little chaotic at the beginning, but practice makes perfect.

⏱ Saves time

In the long run, meal prep ends up saving me so much time during the week. Instead of spending 1-2 hours cooking every day, I spend maybe 3 hours total each week to plan, shop, and cook meals that will last me the whole week (or more!)

💸 Saves money

Meal planning ahead of time means fewer impulse buys and way less takeout (which adds up fast!). You also avoid wasting money on ingredients you already have, which is another bonus!

😌 Lowers stress

It’s nice to have pre-chopped ingredients or a whole meal ready to go after a busy day at work!

🥗 Helps you eat healthier

Cooking at home is much healthier than constantly getting takeout or eating TV dinners. Plus, you’re more likely to eat more balanced meals if you plan ahead.

♻️ Reduces waste

This has been a huge win for me! Planning my meals ahead of time lets me use up leftovers in the fridge so I’m not wasting perishable items or pantry food that’s about to expire.

Step-By-Step: How to Meal Prep for the Week

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Step 1: Create a Schedule

First things first, we have to create a system for meal prepping. This is going to look different for everyone, so do what works best for you!

• Pick one day for meal planning: I usually do this on Friday night. This is when you will be planning out what to eat for each meal during the week. When you’re starting out, I highly recommend using a meal planning worksheet as a visual guide.
  
  
• Pick one day for grocery shopping: I usually do this Saturday morning. I recommend grocery shopping 1-2 days before you cook so your ingredients stay fresh. Go during the mornings when the store is fully stocked and there’s less crowds!
  
  
• Pick one day for cooking & meal prepping: Pick a day where you have a few hours to spare. Sunday afternoons are my preferred time to meal prep, but go with whatever day works best for your family and schedule!
  
  

Step 2: Plan Your Meals for the Week

On your meal planning day, sit down in a quiet space with your tablet, computer, or a notebook.

Research and write down recipes you want to make for the week. My favorite places to find recipes are Pinterest and cookbooks. Feel free to browse my recipe box for inspiration!

During this time, I like to plan out every single meal I’ll be eating for the week – breakfast, lunch, dinner, and sometimes I’ll even write down snacks I want to buy or make that week. It can help to have a meal planning worksheet or calendar while you’re doing this.

Here’s a FREE sample meal plan that you can use to get started!

Get the FREE meal plan sent to your inbox!

​Join my email list and I’ll send you the FREE 5-Day Meal Plan! As a bonus, you’ll also receive my monthly newsletter which includes a FREE brand new meal plan every month, plus exclusive access to all my free printables! 💖

💡Top Tips for Meal Planning

• Start with what you already have: Before you start researching recipes, take a quick peek in your fridge, freezer, and pantry. Using up what’s on hand first saves money and cuts down on food waste.
  
  
• Mix and match ingredients: Plan meals throughout the week that use the same staple ingredients (like peppers, chicken, or rice). This will save you a lot of money and time! Here’s some ideas to get you started!
  
  
• Repeat meals during the week: This is my biggest advice when it comes to meal prep! Repeat, repeat, repeat. Make double batches of 2-3 recipes on Sunday that you rotate for dinners this week. Eat the same breakfast every day during the week. Pre-make sandwiches or wraps for grab and go lunches. That way, you’re not cooking 15 different meals!
  
  
• Make your meal plan simple: The goal here is to minimize time and stress. Plan quick & easy recipes whenever you can. I like to stick with quick breakfasts (usually avocado toast) that I can throw together quickly before work. I usually meal prep a big batch of 2-3 recipes on Sunday that I portion out for quick lunches and dinners during the week.
  
  
• Keep a running list of your family’s favorite recipes: That way, you’ll have a whole list of ideas waiting for you next time you’re stumped on what to make for dinner!
  
  
• Double a recipe whenever possible: For tried & true recipes (like my cheesy taco pasta), I’ll make a double batch and freeze the extras in individual portions. This way, I have a stash of grab & go meals that I can quickly reheat & eat on my laziest days.
  
  
• Get creative with themed nights: Yes, maybe it’s super basic of me but I love doing Meatless Mondays, Taco Tuesdays, and Leftover Thursdays!
  
  
• Don’t forget the nights you won’t cook: Kids’ activities, date nights, brunch with the girls, work events, takeout nights…make sure to meal plan around them!
  
  
• Reuse your meal plan: If you had an easy week where everything on your meal plan worked perfectly, save that plan! Recycle it next month and boom—half your job is done.
  
  
• Use a meal planning template: A simple meal planning worksheet makes it easier to see the full week at a glance, and makes meal planning a lot easier!
  
  

Step 3: Grocery Shopping

Once you’ve got your weekly meal plan figured out, it’s time to make a grocery list!

Write down all of the ingredients you’ll need for each recipe you’re planning to make for the week ahead. Make sure to check your fridge or freezer before you go shopping to see if you already have some of the ingredients on hand.

I usually go grocery shopping 1-2 days before I cook and prepare the recipes so that my perishable ingredients don’t go bad. Make sure to check grocery store flyers for the best deals!

🤑💸 TIP: Save money on groceries! The best part of making recipes with 5 ingredients or less is that you can save sooo much money! I have many recipes under $5 and recipes under $10 on this blog. And that’s the cost per recipe, not per serving!

Step 4: Cook & Meal Prep

Take a look at your meal plan and see what recipes or ingredients you can prep ahead of time.

On the day you’re actually cooking the food, make sure you set aside a few hours so you can meal prep without rushing. I like to put on a TV show or listen to music while cooking. It’s a whole Sunday afternoon vibe for me!

🥦 Ingredient Prep

Prep and chop all the ingredients you’ll be using for your recipes. Store any extras or leftover ingredients in glass storage containers.

This is also a good time to prep ingredients that you’ll be using in quick meals for the week. For example, if your weekly meal plan includes omelettes or stir fry for dinner, this is a good time to chop up and onions, bell peppers, and other veggies you’ll be using. Here’s some other ideas!

🥘 Get Cookin’

I like to make multiple recipes at the same time and combine tasks when possible. Here are some examples:

• Use large sheet pans to roast veggies and proteins at the same time
• Use muffin tins to bake multiple meals/snacks at once
• Make the pasta sauce while the pasta is cooking

Step 5: Store + Label

Congrats – you survived meal prep! Now it’s time to store, label, and relax.

I like to use Pyrex glassware containers to store large quantities of food or full meals. If you’re dividing your dish up into individual portions, I recommend using plastic meal prep containers with lids.

You can even buy food storage containers from The Dollar Tree if you’re on a tight budget! I do recommend investing in more sturdy meal prep containers that will last longer, but the pieces from the dollar store are a great place to start.

My favorite places to buy food storage supplies are Walmart, Amazon, and Costco. I prefer buying food storage sets from Costco, but Walmart & Amazon are affordable places to find individual pieces.

Here are some of my favorite food storage solutions for meal prep!

Plastic Containers with Lids

I love using plastic meal prep containers for storing individual portions of meals. They’re usually freezer-friendly, dishwasher-safe, and microwave-safe.

I usually store grab & go breakfasts and lunches in these plastic containers. You can also use these to store leftovers from dinner.

Glass Containers with Lids

Glass storage containers are my favorite for storing chopped ingredients, leftovers, or multiple servings of one recipe.

You can save money by buying a set of glass containers which come in different shapes and sizes. My favorite is the Pyrex glassware set. I’ve linked the one from Amazon, but look for them at your local Costco as well!

Other Meal Prep Containers

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I hope you found this post on how to meal prep for the week helpful! I know it can be a little overwhelming at the beginning, but practicing truly does make perfect.