Meal Prep for Beginners: Three Ways to Get Started

Megan Lee, Registered Dietician, April 2025

Meal prepping doesn’t have to be a one-size-fits-all approach. If the idea of cooking an entire week’s worth of meals feels overwhelming, don’t worry—there are different ways to tackle meal prep depending on your lifestyle and preferences. Here are three simple methods to help you get started.

1. Cook Extra Portions for Leftovers

One of the easiest ways to meal prep is simply cooking more than you need for dinner. This way, you’ll have leftovers that can be eaten for lunch or dinner over the next few days, saving time and reducing food waste. Generally, leftovers can safely be eaten for 3 days :)

How to Make It Work:

When making dinner, double the recipe so you have extra portions.
Store leftovers in portioned containers for easy grab-and-go meals.
Choose meals that reheat well, like curries, stews, stir-fries, soups and pasta dishes.

2. Prep Individual Ingredients for Mix-and-Match Meals

If the idea of eating the same meal for a few days does not appeal, prepping individual, universal ingredients can help you create different meals throughout the week. By preparing a few universal ingredients, you can mix and match ingredients to suit your preference on the day.

How to Make It Work:

Choose staple ingredients that work in multiple dishes
Cook a batch of grains, roast some vegetables, chopped salad ingredients and prepare a protein source.
Store each ingredient separately so you can build meals on demand.
Add variety with different sauces, herbs, and spices.

Great Ingredients to Prep:

Grains: Brown rice, quinoa, pasta, wholewheat couscous, bulgur wheat
Proteins: Grilled/roast shredded chicken, tofu, canned chickpeas, canned tuna, cheese, boiled eggs, meatballs
Vegetables: Roasted a batch of different veggies e.g. butternut, bell peppers, zucchini, onion
Salad: Diced cucumber, tomato, grated carrot, sugar snap peas
Extras: Hummus, guacamole, pesto, tzatziki, nuts & seeds

Meal Ideas Using Prepped Ingredients:

Grain bowl: Brown rice + roasted veggies + chicken + tahini dressing
Wrap: Whole wheat tortilla + hummus + veggies/salad + tuna/chicken
Pasta salad: Cooked wholewheat pasta + cherry tomatoes + chopped cucumber + feta + chickpeas + olive oil + herbs
Stir-fry: Sautéed veggies + tofu or chicken + soy sauce + rice

3. Dedicated Meal Prep Session

For those who like to plan ahead, setting aside a few hours on the weekend to prep multiple meals can save a lot of time during the week. This method ensures you have a variety of ready-made meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

How to Make It Work:

Plan Your Meals – Choose 2-3 recipes you enjoy eating throughout the week.
Take Stock – Check your pantry and fridge to see what ingredients you already have.
Make a Grocery List – Shop for the remaining ingredients.
Dedicate 2-3 Hours to Cooking – Batch-cook meals and portion them out into containers for grab-and-go meals.

Meal Prep-Friendly Meal Ideas

Here are some simple meal prep ideas that work well across different meal prep styles to help get you going!

Breakfast:
- Overnight oats with chia seeds and mashed banana/grated apple
- Baked oatmeal with nuts/nut butters and berries
- Yoghurt and fruit parfait, topped with granola
- Egg and cheese breakfast muffins with tomato, spinach and mushrooms

Lunch/Dinner:
- Grilled chicken with quinoa and roasted vegetables
- Pasta salad with pesto, chickpeas, feta, tomatoes and cucumber
- Stir-fry vegetables with and rice and tofu/egg/chicken
- Chilli con carne with brown rice or tacos and salsa

Conclusion

Meal prepping doesn’t have to be complicated! Whether you cook extra portions for leftovers, prep ingredients for mix-and-match meals, or dedicate a few hours to prepping meals ahead of time, you can find a method that works for you. Start small with prepping one meal a week, and build on from there.

For personalised guidance on finding a more positive relationship with food, exercise, and your body, book a consultation here: https://www.gabimeltzerdietician.com/book-online.