Every evening, my husband and I ask each other: What do you want to eat? Sometimes, we plan ahead, but more often than not, it’s a chore to figure out what will be on the dinner table. And when it comes to lunch, it’s more of a ”let’s go to the fridge and see what we can snack on” situation.
American couples spend more than 132 hours every year deciding what to eat, and the average adult thinks about it for just under 40 hours per year. But meal prepping can ease the pain of this seemingly endless debate.
What is meal prep?
Meal prep means planning meals in advance, often in bulk, so they’re easy to heat and eat later. You can cook entire meals and then divide them into containers to grab from the fridge throughout the week. Or you can assemble key ingredients ahead of time, which makes cooking the day of easier.
“By dedicating two hours of your time one day, you gain back an hour of saved time each day throughout the week,” says Tatiana De Mattos Souza, long-time meal prepper and Quality Improvement senior business analyst at HMSA.
To keep the meals as fresh as possible, put them in air-tight containers and store them in the refrigerator or freezer.
What are the benefits of meal prepping?
Meal prepping can save time and money and reduce food waste. When you meal prep, you only buy ingredients you plan to use and eat, which cuts down on the risk of fresh produce or meat going bad.
Preparing food ahead of time may also help you make healthier decisions. Instead of rummaging through the pantry for processed foods, you can think through recipes and cook balanced meals. De Mattos Souza shares her four tips for meal prep success.
1. Plan the menu
De Mattos Souza and her family like having a variety of foods throughout the week, so they make extra each night and have leftovers for lunch. Once you figure out what kind of meal prep works best for you, pick a day to dedicate to creating the menu and grocery list.
“Choose a day where you have more time,” she says. “I get together with my husband on Saturday or Sunday, and we decide what we want to eat. I like to use recipe books or ask family and friends what they’re cooking. I get inspiration from them.”
A typical dinner for the De Mattos Souza household includes a protein, carbohydrate, and vegetable like beef stew with rice and steamed broccoli.
On the left: a simple dinner with ground beef, rice, and broccoli; on the right: leftovers for lunch.
“I don’t want to complicate my meals because it’s hard to stick to it,” she says. She suggests recipes that use fewer ingredients and take less than 30 minutes to make.
2. Grocery shopping
Before you head to the grocery store, check the cupboards and refrigerator to ensure you don’t buy more than what you need.
“What I like about planning is that I go with the shopping list,” De Mattos Souza says. “Because if I go without the list, I’d buy the whole store!”
She uses her phone’s notes app for her list, but you can use other apps or even just paper and pen. Once you get to the store, it can help to have a game plan so you don’t stray from the list.
A sample of De Mattos Souza's grocery cart.
“I always start with fresh produce, and then I go to the meat section,” says De Mattos Souza. “If I need anything from the middle section, I go there last because that’s usually processed foods.”
Her biggest tip when it comes to shopping: Don’t go to the grocery store hungry!
3. Prep time
When you first start meal prepping, it can be overwhelming. De Mattos Souza recommends starting small.
“It’s supposed to be fun and helpful,” she says. “Maybe you don’t plan the whole week. Just do it three times a week. Start simple and build from there.”
Since De Mattos Souza likes having different meals throughout the week, she doesn’t have to do too much prep on Sunday. But she’ll wash, chop, and portion produce to make it easier when it comes time to cook.
4. Enjoy!
This one is self-explanatory: After all your hard work, remember to take time to sit down and enjoy the meal!
Finding your inspiration
Sometimes, it can be easy to lose sight of the big picture. If meal prep becomes too stressful or tiring, De Mattos Souza recommends focusing on your motivation.
“Get connected to cooking homemade meals,” she says. “I had to remember my grandmother cooking meals, how fun it was, and how much I enjoyed that.”
De Mattos Souza's grandmother.
De Mattos Souza was born and raised in Brazil, where food was a big part of family gatherings. They rarely went to restaurants, and ordering takeout wasn’t even an option.
“We always cooked homemade meals, which is why food holds a special place in my heart,” she explains.
She credits her culinary wisdom to her grandma. Because she lived across the street from her, she was her little sous-chef.
“I grew up going to my grandma’s house every Sunday, and we spent hours there cooking and talking,” she says. “She was always an amazing chef, turning simple ingredients into amazing meals, and she’s a huge inspiration for my cooking.”
But when De Mattos Souza moved to the U.S. for college, she lost sight of home cooking because she discovered fast food, pizza, and burgers, which were cheap and accessible. But years of unhealthy eating led to serious stomach pain. After several visits to the doctor, De Mattos Souza realized she needed to return to her roots.
“I knew I had to reverse back to what I always did with my grandma in the kitchen,” she says. “Home cooking!”
Nom nom nom
Ready to cook up a storm? Here are some recipes that are great for meal prep:
roasted salmon and brussels sprouts
Simple yet tasty with easy cleanup since it requires just two baking sheets.
shrimp and edamame salad
A salad that’s light and refreshing, and perfect for lunch!
vinha d’alhos
This traditional Portuguese dish filled with pork, potatoes, and carrots is a local favorite during the holidays.
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Photos courtesy Tatiana De Mattos Souza
