By Everything Lifestyle Staff

Organized eating

7 Dinner Meal Prep Tips to Make Life Easier

Jan 13, 2025 | 6:05 AM

A healthy dinner waiting for you at the end of the day is worth the time it takes to meal prep.

If you’re looking for easy ways to get a home-cooked meal on the table after a busy day, meal prep is the way to go. By doing some preparation and cooking when you have the time, you can be rewarded with meals throughout the week that are ready to eat. All you’ll need to do is reheat them or cook them if you only prepped the ingredients.

There are many benefits to meal prepping dinners. For one, it’s a huge timesaver when you walk in the door at the end of the day. Rather than having to figure out what to make, followed by prepping and cooking, you can simply take your dinner out of the fridge, reheat and eat. Preparing meals in advance allows you to enjoy healthier meals that you make at home instead of having to turn to take-out, which can be high in fat, sodium and calories. You’ll also save lots of money by not having to buy ready-made or restaurant meals when you’re too tired to cook.

Here are some tips to make meal prep easier:

1. Plan meals in advance – Think about what you want to make for the week and shop for all ingredients at once.
2. Use similar ingredients – Get creative about using the same ingredients for multiple meals to save prep and cooking time. For example, grill a big batch of chicken and then make Chicken Fajitas, Chicken Tacos and a Chicken Caesar Salad.
3. Find ways to save money – Many people meal prep to save money and find they can lower food costs by planning meals around what’s on sale each week. Other cost-saving measures include using in-season produce, buying family-size packages and using store brands.
4. Make a list of family favorites – Sometimes the hardest part of making dinner is deciding what to eat. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep a list of your favorite healthy dinners that are easy to prep, along with the ingredients you need to make them.
5. Set aside time – Plan a designated time each week for meal prep. Many people like to do this on Sunday, when they have more free time, but whenever you choose to do it is fine.
6. Prep ingredients even if you don’t cook – All meal prep doesn’t have to result in a fully cooked meal. Some foods taste best when they’re cooked right before eaten. For those meals, prep by washing, cutting and portioning out ingredients so they’re ready to cook quickly. Other meals may be fully cooked so you just have to warm them up or can eat them cold.
7. Stick to easy meals – It can be overwhelming to prepare long, complicated recipes, especially if you’re cooking multiple meals at once. That’s why it’s best to keep things as simple as possible.

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Once you master the art of meal prep, you’ll be rewarded with homemade meals that don’t require much effort when you don’t have time or energy. This allows you to eat healthier, save money and stress less!

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_{Medical Review: Jane Schwartz, RDN, CLT}