Meal prep doesn’t have to mean cooking all day. Learn how to start simple meal prep with just 2–3 foods per week. Includes a free printable meal prep guide.
Meal prep can feel overwhelming.
A lot of people think meal prep means cooking every meal for the week, putting everything into containers, and spending their entire Sunday in the kitchen.
That is not realistic for most people.
Especially for busy moms.
For me, meal prep simply means 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 prep can be:
- Washing fruit
- Cutting vegetables
- Cooking rice or pasta
- Making hard boiled eggs
- Buying a rotisserie chicken
- Packing snacks ahead of time
- Cooking extra dinner for leftovers
Meal prep should make life easier, not harder.
Start With Just 2–3 Foods Per Week
If you are new to meal prep, the biggest mistake people make is trying to do too much.
You do NOT need to prep every food group and cook full meals for the week.
Start by prepping just 2–3 foods each week.
That’s it. Now I know I tend to prep a variety of fruits and vegetables in my weekly Produce Prep sessions, but that tends to be when I’m meal planning on a whim and just need some snacks that are easy to reach for [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 kids
- Trail mix + fruit
Small prep still makes a big difference during the week.
Once this feels easy, you can always add more. But starting small is how habits actually stick.
Easy Foods to Prep for the Week
If you’re not sure what to prep, here are some easy ideas.
Proteins
- Rotisserie chicken
- Ground turkey
- Hard boiled eggs
- Meatballs
- Crockpot chicken
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Tuna packets
Carbs
- Rice
- Pasta
- Potatoes
- Tortillas
- Bread
- Oatmeal
- Granola
- Beans
Fruits & Vegetables
- Grapes
- Berries
- Apples
- Cucumbers
- Peppers
- Baby carrots
- Broccoli
- Salad kits
- Spinach
- Cherry tomatoes
You don’t need to prep all of these.
Just pick a few each week.
Turn Prepped Foods Into Easy Meals
The goal of meal prep is not to eat the same meal every day.
The goal is to have foods ready so meals come together quickly.
You can use your prepped foods [think my big batch of produce prep] to make:
- Rice bowls
- Salads
- Wraps
- Tacos
- Pasta
- Sheet pan dinners
- Omelets
- Snack plates
- Lunch boxes
- Stir fry
- Loaded baked potatoes
- Quesadillas
When ingredients are already cooked or cut, dinner becomes much easier.
Build Your Meal Prep Over Time
Start small.
When prepping 2–3 foods feels easy, you can start adding more over time.
Eventually, 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 building 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 + hard boiled eggs
Start small → build confidence → add more foods.
Meal prep is a habit, not a one-time event.
Easy Snack Prep Ideas
Having snacks ready can make a big difference in energy, hunger, and preventing 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 getting overly hungry.
Here’s 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.
Meal Prep Tips for Real Life
Here are a few of my favorite realistic meal prep tips:
- You don’t have to prep everything
- Frozen vegetables count
- Bagged salad kits are helpful
- Rotisserie chicken is meal prep
- Leftovers are meal prep
- Washed fruit is 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.
Amazon Storefront and Shop Simple Meal Prep Essentials
Before you go… I can’t be the only one who shops for ALL THE THINGS on Amazon, including some of my favorite meal prep shenanigans. Click the link below to explore my meal prep gear, tools, you name it. The STUFF that helps make simple meal prep a thing:
Final Thoughts
Meal prep is not about being perfect.
Meal prep is about making your week easier.
Start small.
Prep a few foods.
Build over time.
Small changes make a big difference.
Download My Simple Meal Prep Printable
I created a simple printable to help you get started with meal prep the easy way.
You can print it and keep it in your kitchen or use it when planning your week.
Download the printable here:
