Meal Prep for Beginners: Start Simple

Posted by on March 14, 2025

Meal prepping might sound like an advanced kitchen skill or a habit reserved for food bloggers. It’s not advanced and doesn’t have to be complicated. Meal prepping is a great way to save time during the week, stick to a budget and take the stress out of dinnertime decisions. And if you’re new to the concept, you might be wondering, how do I even begin?

Here are a few tips to help you get started.

  1. Start Simple

When you’re just getting started with meal prep, the key is to keep things simple. You don’t need elaborate recipes or gourmet meals. Choose a few basic dishes you enjoy and focus on those. For example, grilled chicken, roasted vegetables and quinoa or rice can be a great base of ingredients you can build upon.

Try this Savory Grilled Chicken
Savory Grilled Chicken
Image of someone Cutting & Preparing Foods

  1. Prep Ingredients Instead of Full Meals

If preparing entire meals sounds overwhelming, try prepping ingredients instead. This could mean chopping veggies, cooking grains like rice or quinoa, or grilling a large batch of protein. When it’s time to eat, you can throw things together quickly without spending much time in the kitchen. For example, prep a batch of cooked chicken, roasted sweet potatoes and chopped veggies. Then, each day, you can assemble different meals by mixing these components in various ways (wraps, salads, bowls, etc.) and use different seasonings to flavor your meal.

  1. Prep Using Ingredients You Love

If you plan and prep meals with ingredients you actually like, you’ll be more likely to prep more regularly. Focus on the foods you know you can eat throughout the week without getting bored. Don’t be afraid to get creative; try a variety of things, and of course, mix flavors up with different seasonings, marinades, dressings, and sauces.

Try these Eat the Rainbow Veggie Kabobs
Eat the Rainbow Veggie Kabobs

  1. Start with a Few Days, Not the Whole Week

As a beginner, you don’t need to meal prep for seven days straight right away. Start with prepping for 2-3 days at a time. This will allow you to test out how long your meals stay fresh, how much food you actually need, and if you enjoy eating the same thing a few days in a row.

You can increase the number of days you prep as you get more comfortable. And remember, you can always mix and match your meals to avoid getting bored. Try starting with one of these recipes:

Try this Sausage & Tortellini Stir-Fry
Sausage & Tortellini Stir-Fry
Try this Everything Bagel Egg Bake
Everything Bagel Egg Bake
Try this Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Examples of meal prep storage containers

  1. Choose Your Meal Prep Containers Wisely

Containers make all the difference in meal prep. They should be sturdy, leak-proof and microwave-friendly. Glass containers are great for durability and easy reheating, and plastic containers can be lighter, more portable and more freezer-friendly.

If you like to keep your ingredients separate, use containers with dividers. If you like to grab and go, transparent containers make it easy to see what’s inside at a quick glance.

  1. Embrace Batch Cooking

Cooking in bulk can save you tons of time. Set aside an hour or two on a weekend or evening to cook large portions of your favorite meals. Once cooked, divide them into individual portions and store them in your meal prep containers. This way, you have several days’ worth of food ready to go.

Consider making large batches of:

These meals can be stored in the fridge for up to a few days or frozen for longer-term storage.

Try this Makin' Magic Chicken
Makin' Magic Chicken
Try this Everything Bagel Hummus
Everything Bagel Hummus

  1. Don’t Forget the Snacks

Meal prep isn’t just about lunch and dinner. Don’t forget to plan your snacks! Prepping snacks ahead of time means you’ll have healthier options on hand when hunger strikes.

Some easy snack prep ideas include:

  1. Season & Flavor Your Meals

Meal prep doesn’t have to be bland. Season your food well so it tastes great even after a few days in the fridge. Spice up your meals with different herbs, spices and marinades. You can even use different sauces or dressings to change the flavor profile of your meals. A few of our favorite products to use include:

  1. Label and Date Your Meals

When prepping meals ahead of time, make sure to label your containers with the meal name and the date they were made. This helps you keep track of freshness and ensures that you don’t eat meals that have been sitting in the fridge for too long.

Meal prepping is meant to make your life easier, not add stress. Be flexible and don’t be too hard on yourself if things don’t go exactly as planned. If you get bored of a certain dish, switch it up. If life gets busy, it’s always okay to fall back on simple meals like salads or sandwiches.

The goal is to create a routine that fits your lifestyle. Over time, you’ll find what works best for you, and meal prep will become a much easier habit to maintain.

Happy prepping!