14 Genius Food Prep Ideas
1. Meal Prep Pad
When it comes to food preparation, planning is half the battle. Keep organized and on task with this Weekly Magnetic Meal Planner Notepad, complete with 52 meal planning sheets and grocery store lists to last each week of the year!
2. Pack Freezer Smoothies
Sometimes sipping on a nutrient-packed smoothie on the way to work is exactly what you need to get the morning going! Seize the day with greater efficiency by packing these DIY freezer pack smoothie recipes to get you started. Whereas the flavors of very berry and tropical bliss, feel free to tweak ingredients and flavors to accommodate personal preferences.
3. And Blend the Smoothie To-Go
No, really… This Epica Personal Blender with Take-Along Bottle is one of the most genius pieces of food preparation equipment, allowing you to blend your smoothie on-the-go with no cord needed to blend up all the flavors and nutrients!
4. Prepare Individual Egg Muffins
Prepping food for breakfast can be and is much more than a sippable smoothie on-the-go and this eggcellent food prep idea cracks just that! These make-ahead healthy egg muffins grant a protein-packed breakfast without the need to wake up with the chickens.
5. Hard Boil Your Eggs Without the Water
Speaking of a muffin tin… Did you know you can hard boil eggs without the process of whipping out the biggest pot, waiting for the water to boil, timing the boiling process, and waiting some more, all in hopes to produce a properly cooked inside with an easy-to-peel shell? If you didn’t know, you do now and here is how to do it: Simply heat your oven to 325°F, place eggs in the muffin tin, cook for 30 minutes, then place in a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes. Peel and store in the fridge for an on-the-go snack, salad topper, or other preferred uses.
6. Pack A Snack
Rather than munching down the chip bag whenever that gnawing hunger pang calls, snack sensibly and simply by portioning out nutritious nuts, veggies, fruits, and other favorites into plastic baggies or portable containers. These 2-in-1 snack cups from the Container Store features a freezer gel built into the leak-resistant top and a bottom base to keep snacks fresh and cool. (Hello cold milk for cereal and fresh yogurt and berries!) Mass-producing these no-bake protein energy balls also makes a nutritious and convenient snack option!
7. Salad Kit Containers
Instead of going for that drab drive thru salad, pack a nutritious salad at home that is loaded with fresh nutrients and pack in a salad kit container. There a number of budget-friendly containers to choose from, including this OXO Good Grips Leakproof On-the-Go Salad Container or SmartPlanet Eco Collapsible Salad Bowl Deluxe Meal Kit. Nonetheless, each features separate compartments for topping and dressing so it doesn’t get soggy throughout the day!
8. Mason Jar Salads
Whereas the above salad kit is a convenient, you can also reuse a mason jar to conveniently store and pack a healthy salad. So dust off that mason jar found atop your cabinet and bite into mason jar salad recipes, complete with a how-to-guide and 15 flavor combos!
9. Mason Jar Instant Soup Cups
Rather than resorting to a sodium-laden can of soup when in a time crunch, prepare these mason jar instant noodle soup cups! Not only are they an ingenious on-the-go food prep idea, but packed with nutrients from a plethora of veggies, rice noodles, and chicken.
10. Prepare Kabobs
To keep meat portions and servings moderated, heat up the grill and cook a batch of kabobs for the week, including this citrus-marinated shish kabobs recipe. Though dependent of the chosen meat, four ounce servings supplies an average of 30 to 35 grams of protein. Another pro tip: If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water before use so they do not catch fire.
11. Multiple Flavors, One Pan
Tired of bland chicken and streamed broccoli? Break away from the typical and divide the pan in segments and sprinkle various seasonings on top. For instance, if tired of those chicken breasts you have been preparing weekly, divvy up the chicken and season segments with various sauces, herbs, and spice, including buffalo, BBQ, and pesto chicken variations!
12. Load Up for the Entire Day or Family
Have a full day ahead? What about packing for the whole family? Keep a plethora of meals and snacks fresh all all day thanks to this Prep Natural’s Meal Prep Bag, featuring an insulated lining, the perfect organization from compartments and pockets, and 10 plastic bento boxes with 3 compartments and portion control, 2 small meal prep containers for fruit salads and desserts, 2 ice pack, and one high-quality water bottle with tray!
13. Cut Corners
The beauty of meal prepping is that really are no rules and you can cut corners as will! Earn yourself some time by purchased prepared product, including precut and frozen veggies and fruits.
14. Or Cut ALL the Corners
Did you know you do not always have to tackle all of the work? Cut all the corners of prepping food and stock up on freezer meals prepared by Balance by bistroMD. Balance is a convenient, better way to eat without the hassle of grocery shopping and meal prepping when those extra busy weeks hit! And with meals including caramelized mushroom and onion frittata, cranberry orange multigrain cereal with ham, bacon cheeseburger meatloaf with yucca fries, blackened chicken with creamy smoked paprika sauce, shrimp toffee with cheese grits, southwest bison meatloaf with smoky tomato glaze (need we say more…?), your taste buds will never tire!
