Stress-free Meal Prepping for your Family

Meal Prepping will change your life!

When it comes to feeding your family, the idea of cooking every night from scratch can feel overwhelming. But what if you could make it easier? By dedicating just one day a week to meal prepping, you can save yourself time, energy, and stress throughout the week. With a little bit of planning and some simple routines, you can have delicious, healthy meals ready to go. Here’s how you can get started with meal prepping, even if you're new to it!

Start Small: Pick One Day a Week

The key to successful meal prep is consistency. Pick one day a week to focus on prepping, and don’t worry if you can only dedicate an hour at first. 60 minutes is all it takes to make a big impact—especially once you get into the rhythm! For me, Sunday works best. I’m at home, the kids are playing upstairs, and I can focus on getting things ready for the week ahead. You can choose a day that works for your family, whether it’s Saturday morning, Sunday afternoon, or any day that gives you a little downtime. The most important thing is to stick to it, even if it’s just for an hour.

Plan Ahead: Make Your Grocery List

One of the most important aspects of meal prepping is making a solid grocery list ahead of time. This allows you to shop once and be prepared for the week. Pick 3-4 meals you’d like to cook for the week, and make sure you have all the ingredients ready to go. Doing this the night before or the day before you prep will save you time and prevent those “oops, I forgot!” moments while you’re cooking.

What I Meal Prep in 90 Minutes

Here’s what I typically do during my 90-minute meal prep session to keep things simple but effective:

1. Make Some Versatile Base Ingredients: I always make a batch of quinoa, millet, or rice (or also pasta for the kids) at the start of the week. These grains can be used in a variety of dishes—bowls, frittatas, or as a base for soups and salads. They are perfect for quick lunches or dinners, and I can easily switch things up by changing the toppings or seasoning.

2. Prep Proteins for the Week: I usually cook extra chicken or beef during my meal prep session. For example, I’ll cook a batch of chicken fillets (I like to season them simply with herbs and olive oil) so I can use them the next day for a quick meal or toss them in a salad. My kids even love them cold in their lunchboxes!

3. Prepare Vegetables: I’m all about easy, no-fuss vegetable prep. I love to roast sweet potatoes or cut up carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, and zucchini, parsnip, onions, butter nut squash, celery root and stalks, for roasting later in the week. (and using them for school snacks, carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, celery sticks etc) I simply toss them in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake them. They are ready to eat in about 20 minutes and make a great addition to any meal. If I have the oven on, I’ll also throw in some chicken breasts or salmon—more for later in the week!

4. Cook a Big Pot of Soup: I love making quick soups that are easy to reheat throughout the week. My go-to is a simple chicken or veggie soup, which I can easily make using pre-chopped veggies and homemade veggie stock (recipe HERE). This makes a great, quick lunch or dinner option for myself or my husband when we’re busy.

5. Bake Something Sweet and Healthy: A good way to keep my family on track with healthy eating is by having a clean, homemade snack on hand. I love baking gluten-free banana bread (especially when I have bananas that are about to go bad!). It’s naturally sweetened and so fluffy—it’s a hit with the kids. Sometimes, my kids even make their own cupcakes during the prep session. You can freeze the batter for later use, or prep a big batch of pancakes and waffles for busy mornings.

   
   

Tools That Make a Big Difference

To make meal prep even easier, I highly recommend investing in a few kitchen appliances that will change the game. A good blender, stand mixer, and food processor are total time-savers when it comes to chopping, blending, and mixing. One of my absolute favorite kitchen tools is the rice cooker—it cooks perfect rice every time without me having to hover over it. Say goodbye to burnt or mushy rice! Find my favorite tools HERE!

Batch Cooking: Make Twice the Amount

One of the easiest tricks I’ve learned is to cook twice the amount you need and freeze the extras. This works for almost anything—like soups, sauces, cooked meats, or even grain bowls. That way, if you don’t feel like cooking one night, you’ve already got a meal waiting for you. It’s also great for those nights when you’re running late or need something quick.

Example of a Meal Plan for the Week

To give you an idea of what a simple meal plan might look like for a week, here’s mine:

1. Chicken fillet with cucumber salad, veggies, and roasted potatoes

2. Millet salad with roasted veggies and a homemade herb dip

3. Baked potato with herb dip and salmon

4. Chicken-veggie soup (with homemade veggie stock)

5. Banana bread (gluten-free) & 3 ingredient cookies

6. Salad with roasted chicken and veggies

7. Steak tacos with fresh toppings like shredded cabbage and salsa

   
   

The Key to Success: Take Little Steps

The biggest thing to remember is that meal prepping is a process, and you don’t have to be perfect right away. Starting small and keeping it manageable is the way to go. You can always adjust and expand as you get more comfortable with the routine.

Meal prepping will ultimately help you avoid the stress of cooking from scratch every day. It allows you to spend more time enjoying your meals with your family rather than rushing through dinner. By planning ahead, investing in the right tools, and batch cooking, you’ll set yourself up for success all week long plus being in full control what your little ones eat.

Happy prepping!

Mandy