To the uninitiated, preparing meals ahead of time—commonly just called “meal prep” among the fit crowd—can be a little daunting. But trust us: It can save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run.
“Prepping meals ahead is a game changer when it comes to taking the stress out of eating well,” says Ellie Krieger, M.S., R.D., host of Ellie’s Real Good Food on American Public Television and author of You Have It Made: Delicious, Healthy, Do-Ahead Meals.
“Just try it for a week and I think you’ll be a convert: Make one dish on the weekend just to eat during the week or freeze, and for one weeknight meal, make a double batch—eat some and store some. If you keep it up, before you know it, you’ll have a library of healthy meals in the freezer.”
In You Have It Made, Krieger provides step-by-step instructions on how to store foods for the rest of the week in the refrigerator, or for longer, in the freezer, along with thawing instructions.
Here are 25 delicious and healthy recipes that are perfect for meal prepping ahead of time.
