A list of my absolute fave meal prep equipment and resources that I use on a weekly basis to keep our fridge stocked!
Meal prep is awesome! Iโve loved it for years for many reasons, but even more so now that Iโm a busy mom. It saves you time, because youโre not messing about each evening chopping up veg and prepping what you need. It saves you money, because you can buy things in bulk and you end up wasting less. And it minimizes the chances of you ordering in takeout, because youโve already got delicious food prepped and ready to go in the fridge! If youโre considering jumping on the meal prep train (which I highly recommend!) here is a list of some of my favourite meal prep equipment and resources that will help you to get started.
Once youโre done here, be sure to check out all the delicious meal prep recipes I have on the site.
An obvious piece of equipment youโll need when meal prepping is somewhere to store your lovely prepped food! I love using these reusable silicone bags, which are plastic free and waste free. You can get them in a bunch of different sizes, and there are even some that stand up in your fridge or freezer, which makes it so much more convenient! I also love using mason jars for storing prepped food like granola.
One of the best things about meal prepping is the time it saves you, and you can save yourself even more time by using a food processor. They are especially great when you want to mince garlic or onions ready to add to your favourite meals, because it not only saves you the time but also the tears!
Say goodbye to rushing to pack boring old lunches every morning. By meal prepping, you can create some delicious and nutritious lunches that are good to go for the whole week. These bento boxes are eco-friendly and perfect for packed lunches because they have different compartments for each of your yummy foods. If youโre after packed lunch inspiration, check out my 5 easy bento box lunches.
Ever noticed how fresh herbs tend to wilt before youโve used them all up? A neat hack I do is to make DIY herb infused oil cubes in an ice cube tray. You can see how I do it, along with some other handy meal prep hacks, right here.ย
One of my favourite types of recipe to meal prep are sheet baked recipes like the chicken in my $100 Meal Prep Challenge. The reason theyโre so great for meal prep is because youโre only using one baking sheet, so it takes up less space in the oven and thereโs less clean up! You can pair your baking sheet with my silicone baking mats to eliminate the need for foil or parchment paper and make your meal prep even more eco-friendly. Win win!
If storage containers arenโt quite what you need and youโre looking to wrap up your food instead, donโt just opt for plastic wrap. These reusable organic cotton and beeswax wraps are a great eco-friendly alternative! Wrap your food, wash with cold water, and reuse. They might not look like much, but trust me they will change the game!
One of the big challenges food preppers come up against is when food starts to brown. This is a huge issue with apples and avocados, and can put a lot of people off trying to prep these foods for fear of them browning as soon as youโve prepped them. But did you know ceramic knives actually help to reduce food oxidation (AKA the thing that causes your food to go brown)? Opt for these knives as opposed to regular metal knives to keep your apples and avocados fresher for longer.
One of your greatest pieces of meal prep equipment is without a doubt a good bank of recipe inspiration! You can check out the recipes I have here on the blog for inspo, and Pinterest has some great ideas too. And, if you didnโt know, I have my own cookbook which is packed full of ideas for meal prep friendly recipes, so youโll never be short of ideas for what to cook!
To be an effective meal prepper, you need to be organized! Itโs super helpful to sit down each week and plan out what meals youโre going to prep, and what groceries youโll need. I designed this meal planning and grocery list bundle which you can print off and use to plan out your meals for the entire week!
Whatโs your favourite meal prep equipment and resources? Let me know in the comments below!ย
If you love meal prepping (or fancy trying it out) and youโre looking for more ideas, check out my Meal Prep Hacks and Meal Prep for Beginners Guide.
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This is such a good roundup!
Where are the class jars in that first pic from – with the bamboo lids?
Nikole have you ever used a cuisinart food processor? I have one but it’s a pain to use.