How I Prep Real Food for the Week: My Favorite Meal Prep Tips
First, I have a confession.
I haven’t always been good at meal prepping for the week. As a kitchen creative, I do really enjoy making things on the fly that sound good, however, that’s not always entirely supportive to my grocery planning or schedule 😅
This year, I’ve really leaned into making Sundays my “getting-ready-for-the-week” day, to include as much food prep as I can! And while that can look different week to week based on item availability, capacity, etc., there are a handful of prep strategies I find myself coming back to again and again to save time, money, and stress!
Why I Love Batch Prepping for the Week
The weeks where I take time to thoughtfully prepare feel so much more smooth! It also helps me better use the ingredients I have on hand and plan my grocery needs in a streamlined way.
Ultimately, batch prepping has helped me:
Not waste so many groceries (produce, especially!)
Reduce decision fatigue on what to make for dinner (why do the people need to eat so many times in a day)
Rely much more on homemade versions of ingredients and meals
& be more intentional about getting in the nutrient needs and desires I have for myself and my family each week!
(I outline these nutritional goals in my Nourish cookbook!)
My Favorite Things to Batch Prep Each Week
After trial and error on what’s the easiest to come back to each week, these are the items I find myself prepping consistently!
Homemade Bone Broth
About every week, I save our chicken bones and veggie scraps and make super easy bone broth in my instant pot (it literally takes 2 hours!).
I love having nutrient-dense bone broth on hand for soups and stews, to cook rice in - I use it in SO many ways!
You can see my blog here on how I do each step!
Cooked chicken for easy meals
I grab a three pack of organic chicken thighs at Costco and pre-cook them with simple seasonings - salt, garlic powder, paprika, etc., shred or chop it, and keep it in the fridge for an easy, ready-made protein for soups, stew, casseroles, etc!
My favorite recipes to use pre-cooked chicken in are my homemade enchiladas, my chicken pot pie casserole, and my lentil and pumpkin soup - ALL of these recipes are in my Batch cookbook!
I also love pre-cooked chicken for my green chicken enchilada soup, which you can find in my 5 Real Food Family Dinners Download!
PS - Did you know I literally created a whole cookbook called Batch?! With all my favorite make-ahead friendly meals, recipes, and tips!
Mashed potatoes
This is one of my very favorite, more unconventional meal prep strategies! It cuts the time for a good ol’ shepherd’s pie in half (I’ve got your new favorite variation in my Batch Cookbook - parmesan and red wine make it SO unique and flavorful), and can also be used as an easy dinner side when you’re pinched for time!
The secret to reheating? Lots of bone broth and butter, low and slow over the stove 😉 I typically make either the herby mashed potatoes in Nourish or the sour cream mashed potatoes in my Tots Cookbook!
Chopped garlic
Another under-the-radar tip from my own kitchen - I buy the MASSIVE bags of pre-peeled organic garlic at Costco and keep it in the freezer. Each week, I’ll blitz about a half cup in my food processor and keep in a glass tupperware in the fridge and measure out ungodly amounts for each recipe 😉 (There is no such thing as too much garlic, in my humble opinion…)
Soaked and/or sprouted legumes
Don’t let soaking and sprouting overwhelm you - it takes a little forethought, but not much effort! This is admittedly a practice I do throughout the week, but I also try to pick one legume (black beans are a go-to) to start soaking on Sunday, to use the next day!
I have more details on soaking and sprouting in my Batch Cookbook, as well as an AMAZING black bean and sweet potato bowl that you’ll love!
Jammy eggs
The perfect boiled eggs do exist, and you can make them in the instant pot in minutes.
One of my favorite pre-prep proteins ever; just insert the trivet, add a layer of water, add the eggs, and select the “egg" function for 3 minutes. Quick release and transfer the eggs to an ice bath. Peeling is super easy with this method as well!
I love these jammy eggs for ramen nights, easy snacks, and even breakfast!
Rice
I love a good pre-prepped starch (why are sides the hardest part of meals?!), and rice is a great choice - I rotate between jasmine, brown, black, wild, etc.
It’s great to have on hand for Greek bowls, fried rice, etc!
You can find my favorite Greek meatballs and bowl-building tips in my 5 Real Food Family Dinners Download!
Baked goods for breakfast
I love a good muffin moment at breakfast. It makes the rest of breakfast prep feel so much easier!
I love to prep either the blueberry muffins in Batch, the pumpkin muffins in Nourish, or the sour cream coffee cake in Batch!
Pre-chopped veggies
A super simple strategy that can go a long way - pre-dicing onions, carrots, celery, etc. can eventually make a very literally thrown-together dinner turn out delicious and nutrient-dense!
This is a great prep option for soups, stews, and casseroles!
Homemade jam
I promise this is easier than you think! I get the large frozen organic fruit bags at Costco and make a ton at one time - blueberry, strawberry, whatever sounds good!
I use the recipe in my Nourish Cookbook that is completely naturally sweetened, SO easy to make, and perfect for using on toast or in a yogurt bowl!
Cooked apples (especially when in season!)
Cooked apples are a great concentrated source of pectin, which is a type of fiber that is released more strongly from apples when they are cooked and has numerous health benefits, including supporting overall gut health and digestion.
I typically get several bags when they are in season and more affordable, wash and dice them, and cook a ton to store in the fridge for the week. From there, they’re easy to reheat as a side or to put on top of yogurt, oats, etc!
My Favorite Kitchen Tools for Efficient Bulk Prepping
Instant Pot
No surprise considering I referenced this about 52 times above - this thing gets USED in my home. I promise they’re not as scary as you might think!
Food Processor
This non-toxic and stainless steel food processor is simple, easily washed, and works great for pre-prepping!
The Batch Cookbook
This cookbook is a gold-mine for make-ahead and bulk-prep friendly recipes! Over 60 recipes that are nourishing, simple, and SO comforting.
Glass Storage Containers
I keep a plastic-free kitchen as much as possible, and this is a great set of multi-size glass food storage!
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
These stack easily, wash super well, and are a great non-toxic set with secure lids for all your prep needs! These are great for storing pre-chopped veggies, in particular!
Want to Make Batch Cooking Even Easier? Meet Batch, The Cookbook!
What I DON’T want for my own kitchen (or yours, friend), is meal prep that solely revolves around plain chicken breast and broccoli and rice. We need FLAVOR and fun and excitement, but still need a way to eliminate some hassle and stress.
That’s exactly why I created my best-selling cookbook, Batch!
It has 60+ real food, gluten-free (if needed!), simple, and delicious recipes that are created heavily around bulk-prep and make-ahead strategies!
Meals that are perfect for stocking the freezer, making ahead for the week, and even for taking to a friend (meal trains, postpartum, etc!).
It’s designed around healing and nourishing ingredients, without losing a single bit of flavor or comfort.
It’s conveniently available in both digital and physical form, so you can pick what fits your needs best!
