Meal Prep Done Right: 4 Tips and Tricks to Get You Started

Meal planning and meal prepping don't need to be difficult or complicated. Check out our 4 tips for meal planning success.

There are loads of advantages to meal prepping, like saving time and money. But most importantly, meal planning ensures that you get a variety of healthy foods every day. Some of us can plan our dinners a month in advance with wonderfully labeled ziplock bags full of their cooking-light diet meals laid out in the freezer. But if you’re like most of us, staying engaged in healthy meal planning can be a challenge. How do you keep putting home-cooked meals on the table without getting bored? Let’s explore these four tips to get you started meal prepping the right way.

1. Get Techie with Your Healthy-Meal Planning

There are a variety of healthy meal plans available at the swipe of your fingertip. Choose healthy meal recipes and plans with Lifesum’s convenient app. From the low-carb energizer, the mood-boosting Mediterranean or the whole-and-healthy clean-eating plan, Lifesum’s meal plans feature natural ingredients and foods that are rich in omega3s and antioxidants. Keeping a journal of your diet meal plans is an excellent way to remind yourself of favorite dishes.  It’s simple and convenient to switch plans if you’re not getting the results you’re looking for or if you’d like to try some new menu options.

2. Make Your Meals an Expression of Creativity

Get inspired so you look forward to cooking, and it might end up being quite enjoyable. Spend time each week looking at new recipes and find a simple place to store your favorites, whether it’s with Lifesum’s app or just bookmarking your favorite cooking blog.  Ask your family and friends what they like to eat. Making a meal for someone close to you is a great way to inspire healthy cooking.

3. Choose a Grocery Day and Make a List

Make a plan before you hit the grocery store. Decide on what you’re going to eat for every meal and include snacks, too. Check your local ads for fresh ingredients that are on sale, and always stick to your list. Don’t let the bakery clearance basket sway you from your goals.

You don’t have to get bogged down by the expectation to make everything from scratch. Look for meal-prepping shortcuts like precut veggies and a rotisserie chicken, and save your lists and recipes for another week to streamline the process. Frozen foods are a great choice, too. Flash-frozen at harvest time, they retain their freshness without being covered in sugar or preservatives.

4. Use the Right Storage 

It goes without saying that you must have tons of storage on hand when you’re prepping five or 10 meals at a time. Choose containers that are BPA free, and can go from heating to freezing without cracking. They must be leakproof, so they travel, and they should stack and store neatly. Plastic storage containers, or glass Pyrex and Mason jars are all excellent choices. Just imagine how accomplished you’ll feel when you step back and peruse all your hard work.

These easy-to-implement meal prep tips will have you working the kitchen like a pro in no time.

All of the content and media on Lifesum is created and published for information purposes only. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Users should always consult with a doctor or other health care professional for medical advice. If you have or think you are at risk of developing an eating disorder, do not use the Lifesum app and seek immediate medical help.