Meal prepping is a great way to save some extra cash, and I know many of us are looking for more ways to cut costs. Living expenses are through the roof and times are hard right now. Learn how I meal prep to save money, time, and stress.
Not only does meal prepping save me money, but it also makes eating throughout the week much easier. Having breakfast ready to go is a must for me. Pulling a breakfast burrito out of the freezer and popping it in the microwave makes my mornings stress-free.
Meal prepping also supports healthier eating habits. Instead of heading to the drive-through or eating out for lunch, prepare meals in advance to eat throughout the week. Try opting for energizing breakfasts and well-balanced lunches that keep you full.
Does meal prep really save money?
Yes!! Meal prepping definitely helps you save money on groceries every month! By planning and making meals ahead of time, you are less likely to order takeout and/or pay for those ridiculous delivery fees.
Because meal prepping inevitably makes you a master planner when it comes to your food, you’re more likely to buy in bulk which will save you some cash in the long run. Always stock up on things that you know will get used. Purchasing more of something usually makes the cost per unit cheaper.
Plus with all that planning you’re probably doing, you might as well browse your store’s weekly ad while you’re at it! Shop deals and plan meals! If you’re into saving money then you might wanna read this post on 10 ways to save on groceries next.
Benefits of meal prepping
While saving money might be the biggest benefit to meal prepping, there are certainly other nice perks. The second most important thing besides money is time. By planning your meals, you avoid scrabbling around to eat breakfast in the morning or ordering takeout for lunch.
Save time making dinner by prepping as much as you can beforehand. Chopping vegetables can be a real time-sucker after a long day at work, so try chopping them up the weekend before.
Or try prepping a salad that you can pull out of the fridge for an easy side.
Meal prepping also supports healthier eating habits. By planning out meals you’re able to make sure what you’re eating includes a good amount of nutrients. Having a balanced lunch prepared has helped me to feel better throughout the day and avoid the afternoon crash.
Another perk of meal prepping is that you’re less likely to eat takeout or delivery throughout the month. Have you noticed the delivery fees lately?? Yikes. That monthly eating-out bill can get out of control before you even realize it.
The last benefit, and I’m talking to the women out there, is that meal prepping is great for taking away some of the mental load throughout the week. The “What should I make for breakfast?”, “Do I have the right ingredients for this lunch” type of shit. Y’all know what I’m talking about, and it can be EXHAUSTING sometimes.
It requires careful planning and more work upfront, but meal prepping is great for your wallet and your health.
Meal prepping 101
Okay, I’ve convinced you to start meal prepping, but you have no idea where to start. No worries, I’ve got your back.
But first, some housekeeping… START SMALL! I cannot express how important this one is. I know it can be exciting, but if you run into it planning on doing all the things, it will be damn near impossible to remain consistent.
Just pick one thing, like breakfast burritos, or one of my favorites, adult lunchables, which are great for snacks. Then, as you get used to setting the time aside for meal prepping, add more things into the mix. Please don’t overwhelm yourself.
Step 1:
Think about where you could benefit from some meal prepping, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, whatever. Then, decide on your recipes. Make sure whatever you decide to prepare is good for keeping in the fridge for a couple of days. The last thing you want is to spend all that time making lunch to end up with soggy gross pinwheels two days later (yeah, real story).
Step 2:
After you have decided on your recipes, check what you already have and get a list of all the ingredients you will need. This would be a great time to check if you have any coupons or if any sales are going on. Once you have a list together, it’s time to head to the grocery store!
Step 3:
Cook and prepare your meals. After you’re done cooking, make sure to store your meals properly. Don’t be deceived by the influencers on Instagram, you really don’t need anything fancy for your meal-prepping storage. Any good ol’ reliable tupperware will do.
If you’re in the market for some, then I think divided containers are great to have on hand. They’re cheap, you get a lot, and they’re dishwasher-safe. I use these reusable ziploc bags a lot too. They’re perfect for sandwiches, homemade trail mix, and even storing chopped vegetables like zucchini, cucumber, celery, etc.
Step 4:
Tweak and repeat. You’re not going to save money on meal prepping if you’re unable to stay consistent with it and find a way to make it work for you.
If you’re trying to meal prep on Thursdays after work, but you find you are simply too exhausted, then try switching to Sunday mornings. If you discover you didn’t end up eating the boring salad you prepped, then try a different recipe.
It’s okay to fail and not get it right the first or even fifth time. The important thing is getting back at it again and finding what works for you.
If you want a more in-depth breakdown of my meal planning process, then check out my blog post on how I save money every week with meal prep.
Tips on meal prepping
No need to overcomplicate meal prepping, just find what works for you and your family, but here are some tips I want to share for anyone just getting started.
Don’t go overboard at first. This will cause overwhelm, chaos, and a messy ass kitchen, and it might keep you from ever wanting to hear the words meal prepping again. When you’re trying to add a new habit into your schedule it’s best to start small and don’t overcomplicate it.
Pick the right recipes. Opt for meals you know you will like and be okay eating three or four days in a row. Be sure to keep in mind how long what you’re making will stay good in the fridge too. The last thing you want for lunch is soggy, mushy bread.
I also don’t recommend making the same recipes every week. This will just lead you to not eating what you prepared and ordering takeout instead. Just speaking from personal experience 🫠
Start with a clean slate. Don’t start meal prepping until your kitchen is clean… or at least clean-ish. Make sure you have clean dishes, an empty dishwasher, and free countertop space. Have your storage containers clean and ready to go before you even start so you’re not rushing and fed up by the end of the process.
Most importantly, have fun with it! Meal prepping can take anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours and plan on doing it at least weekly. Find a way to enjoy the process as much as possible. Put on your favorite movie, listen to a podcast, dance along to some music, or whatever floats your boat. Lately, I’ve been enjoying listening to documentary-style YouTube videos while I’m meal-prepping.
FAQs
Any container you have on hand. Don’t get caught up in thinking you need the fancy glass, matching containers that you see all over Instagram. I’ve used mason jars for salads and fruit, reusable bags for sandwiches, and good ol’ tupperware for anything else. For me, the most important question I ask myself is “Will it fit in the lunchbox?”
If you’re looking for some recommendations I think it’s good to have a couple of things on-hand. First is glass jars. Instead of buying jars, I wash the leftover pickle jars, pasta sauces, etc. afterward and use them for salads, overnight oats, berries, and more!
Divided containers are great for any lunches where it’s important to separate the food. Making adult lunchables is one of my favorite go-to healthy snacks! Reusable ziploc bags are perfect for sandwiches, nuts, cookies, or whatever you’d like to add to your lunchbox.
As often as necessary, but a good rule of thumb is to plan on time blocking some time for meal prepping at least once a week for a couple of hours. You can also split up your time meal prepping if that works for you too. Sometimes I’ll do this by prepping the small things, like overnight oats or snacks, while I’m making dinner throughout the week and bigger things, like full meals, on Sundays.
Depends on what you’re making, but I recommend setting aside about two hours, especially for your first couple of times. As you continue meal prepping every week you will start narrowing down how long it takes you to make certain things. If I’m trying a new recipe, I always plan on it taking me an extra 30 minutes because I know I’ll be double-checking ingredients and directions every 5 seconds.
Final thoughts
Meal prepping shouldn’t be a super stressful and overwhelming task. It’s meant to help you eat better and save time and money. It has been super great for me and my family and I don’t plan on going back any time soon.
As of today, I meal prep A LOT. But I’ve also been on this journey for many years. When I first got started the only thing I did was make breakfast sandwiches every couple of weeks, and even that helped me a bunch.
I never want to push anything onto anyone, but I do believe that if you’re trying to save money on food, then meal planning is step one. But go slow, you got this, and I’m rooting for you!
Talk again soon! –Annie