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I know if you’ve never meal prepped before, the task can seem daunting. Who wants to spend their whole day off cooking? But meal prepping, when done right, doesn’t need to be a laborious affair. I’ve been meal prepping for years now and I’ve simplified and streamlined the process. These are my 7 Easy Meal Prep Tips for Beginners. I usually tackle one big meal prep recipe or idea that I want to try and then incorporate these ideas to round out my prep.
7 Easy Meal Prep Tips for Beginners
1. Plan First!
- Make a menu for the week.
- Plan your grocery list based on the recipes you plan to meal prep. That way you are sure to have everything you need before you start your meal prep.
- Check out my post for meal planning tips.
2. Cooked Quinoa
- I always cook a batch of quinoa on meal prep day. Quinoa is a great source of fibre and protein. It cooks up similar to rice and then can be kept in a container in the fridge.
- This can become a quick side dish for dinner. Serve it like rice, toss it with some dressing, add cooked chopped vegetables or fresh herbs.
- It can be a base for a lunch bowl. Similar to a pasta salad, you can add vegetables and dressing. Try it with a thai peanut dressing!
- It can make a quick hot cereal for breakfast. Check out my Coconut Cranberry Hot Quinoa Cereal Recipe here.
3. Boiled Eggs
- I will boil a few eggs on meal prep day to have on hand in the fridge during the week.
- They make great quick snacks.
- Once you have boiled eggs it’s easy to whip up a batch of egg salad for lunch.
- Or try packing a bistro lunch with boiled egg, cut up veggies with dip, some nuts, cheese slices and fruit.
- Another great idea is making breakfast sandwiches with them. Simply cut an egg in half lengthwise, stuff with cheese and ham, bacon or sausage rounds. Check out my homemade sausage patties here.
4. Ready Made Breakfast
- I always plan and prep a quick take and go breakfast item.
- I often cook up a batch of pancakes or waffles and freeze them individually then simply reheat in the toaster.
- Or I might make a big batch of overnight oats (my recipe here) and keep them in a container in the fridge and everyone can help themselves.
- Another family favorite breakfast food is my meal prep breakfast burritos found here.
5. Baked Goods
- We plan a couple of items that make good lunch box fillers.
- Muffins are a quick item to meal prep. Here’s my favorite gluten free banana chocolate chip muffin recipe.
- Sometimes we might make some DIY granola bars.
- Energy bites are a quick no bake healthy snack for lunches.
6. Low Cost Protein
- I add cooked lentils or beans to a lot of my meals. They add great protein and keep my costs low.
- Add them to tacos or sloppy joes, stir them into a prepared pasta sauce, add them to salads and casseroles.
- Add a scoop of protein to your favorite smoothie recipe for a quick snack or meal on the go.
- Quinoa flakes make a great “instant breakfast” cereal and are high in protein.
- (Other thrifty meal extender ideas here).
7. Main Course Slow Cooker Meal
- On meal prep day the slow cooker is put into use. We always plan one big batch item that can keep and reheat during the week.
- Plan a curry, homemade soup, chili or meatsauce.
- I look for recipes that make a ton and reheat well for quick weeknight meals.
The benefits of meal prepping totally make it worthwhile. It helps us to save money. We eat at home more and eat healthier overall. It saves so much time during the week and allows me to fit in my gym sessions and have a full work schedule. It definitely makes my weekdays less harried! These 7 Easy Meal Prep Tips for Beginners can do the same for you.
Need advice on the best appliances for meal prepping? Check out my post on appliances that do double duty here.