Meal Prep 101: Tips and Tricks

Americans spend an average of 37 minutes a day meal prepping, which means that four and a half hours every week is dedicated to meal prep alone. For those who have young children, the average increases to 62 minutes a day – an equivalent of seven hours a week! Instead of wasting your time on meal prep, here are three easy steps, along with some tips and tricks, for saving time in the kitchen.

Step 1: Build a Menu Around Your Eating Style

What is your eating style?

Knowing what and how you like to eat can help you create a meal prep strategy that best suits your needs. Personal preferences, time, and energy should all be taken into account. Do you like having full pre-planned meals ready to go, or would you prefer to prepare a variety of meal components you can mix and match throughout the week?

Your needs may shift from week to week, so don’t feel locked in to one approach. Asking yourself the following questions can help you build a plan that fits your lifestyle:

• Are you planning on making every meal? Are you having lunch out a few times a week? Asking yourself these and other questions will help narrow down how much you should prepare.
• What meals do you want to tackle first? Start simple. Make a large batch of overnight oats for ready-to-eat breakfasts or prepped veggies for a quick stir-fry.
• What are your go-to meals and snacks? Choose a simple recipe to start and scale up.

Step 2: Stock Up on Staple Ingredients and Cook

What are your favorite flavor profiles? Spices and seasonings can transform the same essential staple ingredients into a variety of delicious meals.

Easy prep work is also incredibly helpful. Tools like the magic bullet^® Kitchen Prep quickly chop, shred, and slice your favorite veggies so they’re ready to throw into grain bowls, salads, or pasta dishes. Check out the magic bullet^® Kitchen Prep FAQs to learn what ingredients work best with the machine’s time-saving capabilities.

Dressings and sauces are other easy components you can add to pep up any meal. Make multi-serving batches of your favorites – like our avocado-cilantro dressing or chimichurri sauce – and store them in the fridge so they’re ready to go when you’re ready to eat. Follow this simple chart, which helps you create quick and easy dishes using our Top 10 Pantry Staples.

Step 3: Storage

Whether you’ve prepared full meals or have batch-cooked mix-and-match ingredients, proper storage is essential to keep things fresh. If you’re making a large batch of food, be sure to use your freezer for extra space and shelf life. If you’re making ready-to-go meals, be sure to store your meals the way you want to heat them up. You may want to invest in freezer-safe stackable containers to maximize your space. Check out our tips and tricks for preparing, storing, and eating the food you make.

Be sure to try these exclusive magic bullet^® Kitchen Prep recipes to get you through the day!

• Veggie Frittata
• Eat the Rainbow Salad
• Hummus
• Veggie Burgers
• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites
• Mango Sorbet
• And more!