Meal prep doesn’t have to mean cooking all day. Learn how to start simple meal prep with just 2-3 meals per week. Includes a free printable meal prep guide.
Meal prep can be overwhelming.
Many people think that meal prep means cooking every meal for the week, putting everything in containers, and spending all Sunday in the kitchen.
This is not realistic for most people.
Especially for busy moms.
To me, meal prep is just about doing a few things ahead of time so meals are easier when life gets busy and you’re tired at the end of the day.
Meal preparation can be:
- Fruit washing
- Cutting vegetables
- Cooking rice or pasta
- Making hard boiled eggs
- Buy roast chicken
- Pack snacks in advance
- Cooking extra dinner for leftovers
Meal prep should make life easier, not harder.
Start with just 2–3 meals per week
If you’re new to meal prep, the biggest mistake people make is trying to do too much.
You do NOT need to prepare every food group and cook complete meals for the week.
Start with preparation only 2-3 meals each week.
That’s all. Now I know I tend to prepare a variety of fruits and vegetables in my weekly Produce Prep sessions, but that’s when I’m meal planning on a whim and just need some snacks that are easily accessible. [washed, trimmed, cubed, etc.].
Here are some examples:
- Rotisserie chicken + grapes
- Rice + roasted broccoli
- Hard boiled eggs + apples
- Taco meat + peppers
- Pasta + salad kit
- Yogurt + berries + granola
- Snack boxes for children
- Trail mix + fruit
A little preparation still makes a big difference during the week.
Once it looks easy, you can always add more. But starting small is how habits stick.
If you’re not sure what to pack, here are some easy ideas.
Proteins
- Grilled chicken
- Ground turkey
- Hard boiled eggs
- Meatballs
- Crockpot Chicken
- Greek yogurt
- cottage cheese
- Tuna packs
Carbohydrates
- Rice
- Pasta
- Potatoes
- Tortillas
- Bread
- Oatmeal
- Granola
- Beans
Fruits & Vegetables
- grapes
- Berries
- Apples
- cucumbers
- Peppers
- Baby carrots
- Broccoli
- Salad kit
- Spinach
- cherry tomatoes
You don’t need to prepare all this.
Just pick a few each week.
The goal of meal prep is not to eat the same meal every day.
The goal is to have ready meals so meals come together quickly.
You can use your ready meals [think my big batch of produce prep] to make:
When the ingredients are already cooked or cut, dinner becomes much easier.
Start small.
When preparing 2-3 meals is easy, you can start adding more over time.
Ultimately, a simple weekly prep might look like:
- 1 protein
- 1 carb
- 1 vegetable
- 1 fruit
- 1 snack
But you do NOT have to start there.
Here’s what construction meal prep might look like:
Week 1: Rotisserie chicken + grapes
Week 2: Rotisserie chicken + rice + cucumbers
Week 3: Chicken + rice + roasted broccoli + apples
Week 4: Chicken + rice + broccoli + apples + boiled eggs
Start small → build confidence → add more food.
Meal prep is a habit, not a one-time event.
Having snacks ready can make a big difference in energy, hunger and prevent overeating later.
Try pairing protein + fiber for filling snacks:
- Apple + peanut butter
- Cheese + crackers
- Yogurt + granola
- Trail mix
- Banana + almonds
- Hard boiled eggs + fruit
- cottage cheese + pineapple
- Hummus + crackers
- Turkey + pretzels
- Popcorn + nuts
When snacks are ready, it’s much easier to eat regularly and avoid being overly hungry.
Here is one of my favorite resources that talks about the importance of protein + fiber in snack combinations. Download and save for your next snack prep session.
Here are some of my favorite practical meal prep tips:
- You don’t have to prepare everything
- Frozen vegetables count
- Bagged salad kits come in handy
- Rotisserie chicken is meal prep
- Leftovers are meal prep
- Washed fruits are meal prep
- Cooking extra dinner is meal prep
- Start with just 2-3 foods
- Done is better than perfect
Remember – this is real life, not Instagram.
Before you go… I can’t be the only one who shops for ALL THINGS on Amazon, including some of my favorite meal prep foods. Click the link below to explore my meal prep gear, tools, you name it. The THINGS that help prepare simple meals:
Meal prep isn’t about being perfect.
Meal prepping is all about making your week easier.
Start small.
Prepare some food.
Build over time.
Small changes make a big difference.
I created a simple printable to help you get started with meal prep the easy way.
You can print it out and keep it in your kitchen or use it when planning your week.
Download the printable here:
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