Meal prep tips and recipes to help you eat well all week long

How to do meal prep: 4 tips

1. Plan. Plan. Plan. 

Want to meal prep like a pro? Or try it out for the first time? To start, you’ll need to make two plans: one for your menu, and one for the actual meal prepping.  

• List the menu: First, grab a seat, pull out a pen and paper, and write down what you want to eat this week. Then, list all the ingredients you need, head to the supermarket and stick to said list. 

• Schedule your meal preparation: Once you’ve pinned down your menu, set a time and day to prep your meals. Think about how much time you need to cut, cook and bake everything on your menu, and schedule it in. 

2. Go all out on your ingredients

On busy weeknights you don’t always have time to come up with new, exciting dishes to cook. But when you meal prep, you’re making time for it. It’s the perfect opportunity to get creative with your ingredients. Go ahead – experiment with different grains, proteins and vegetables. Play around with textures, colours and flavours. Your menu won’t just be exciting and diverse, it’ll be balanced as well. 

3. Cook in big batches

It’s simple. Your goal is to get multiple servings out of a single cooking session. So just double the amount of whatever it is you’re making. Or triple it even. Just take into account that this method works best for recipes that freeze and reheat well.

4. Store your meals in the right food containers

Now that you made the effort to meal prep, make sure you store your food properly too. The right food container makes all the difference. Look for glass or BPA-free plastic ones that are microwavable, freezer safe, and easy to clean. Do you enjoy salads or other dishes that are sensitive to moisture? Then compartment food containers are a must-have. They’ll keep your salads fresh and crisp. 

Meal prepper tools for easy meal preparation

Cooking in big batches comes with a lot more chopping, slicing and blending – but that doesn’t have to be a problem. The key to speed things up is having the right equipment. Just plug in the right tools to speed things up: 

• Blender: preparing multiple servings of well-blended soup can be done at ease.

• Food processor: chopping and slicing the mounds of vegetables will not take you hours to do so. KitchenAid food processor can be used to mince meat and knead dough.

• Stand mixer: mix a big batch of batters for cakes using a mixer - or process other types of ingredients using the correct attachments.

11 meal prep ideas for the week

Not sure where to start with your menu? Or looking to add some new dishes to your meal prep rotation? These eleven recipes tick all the meal prep boxes. Making a big batch of them is simple. Which means you’ll spend less time on daily cooking and cleaning too. They’re easy to portion and pack individually. And with some help from your KitchenAid appliances, you’ll speed things up significantly on meal prep day.  

Breakfast meal prep ideas

1. Granola recipes

The secret to a smooth morning routine? Having a large stash of this delicious nutty granola in your cupboard. Just pour some in a bowl, and top it with your favourite fruit and yoghurt. Change it up by adding different toppings on different days. 

2. Matcha pancakes

Pancakes on a weekday? Absolutely. With the right preparation, you can bring out these delightful green pancakes at a moment’s notice. Just make sure to store them properly on prep day. Let them cool off first, then place the pancakes side by side – don’t stack them – on a baking sheet, and pop them in the freezer. Once frozen, put them in an airtight container.  

3. Easy banana bread

It’s easy, wholesome, and nutritious. There’s a high chance you’ll want to enjoy this oat-packed banana bread every day of the week. And when it’s part of your meal prep menu, you can. But make sure to store it correctly. Slice it, wrap it in cling film, and place it in an airtight container in the fridge if you plan on eating it within a week. If not, freeze it straight away. When you’re ready to eat, you can reheat it in your KitchenAid Toaster. 

Lunch meal prep ideas

4. Roasted cauliflower and curry soup

Got a busy work week ahead? Make a large pot of this flavourful roasted cauliflower and curry soup, divide it into smaller portions and there you have it: lunch is sorted for the next couple of days, or longer if you freeze some. 

5. Colourful salad

Meal prepping doesn’t get any simpler than this. With your KitchenAid Food Processor Attachment, you can chop and slice all of the veggies that go into this crispy, colourful salad in no time. Afterwards, store them layered in an airtight container, or separately in a compartment container. Store the dressing separately too. 

6. Asparagus quiche

This delicious asparagus quiche is easy to portion and pack individually, and even easier to make if you plug in your Stand Mixer. Quiche and meal prep go perfectly together – just grab a slice in the morning before heading off, and pat yourself on the back at lunchtime. 

Snacks

7. Granola bars

Raise your snack game with these delicious granola bars. They’re sweet, wholesome, and have a long shelf life. Just store them in the fridge and grab one whenever you’re craving a quick snack.

8. Carrot balls

Need a little pick-me-up? These nutritious carrot balls will fill you up the healthy way. Make a batch of them in next to no time with your KitchenAid Food Processor. Perfect for taking to work, school, or a day out with the kids. 

Dinner meal prep ideas

9. Chilli con carne

As comforting as your grandma’s meal. But that’s not all. You can pair this flavourful chilli with rice, wrap it in flatbread, or load it onto a pile of tortilla chips. Same chilli. Different dishes. It’s a stellar meal prep dish. 

10. Multigrain beet and bean burgers

Dinner is a no-brainer when you can pull these nutritious veggie burgers out at your convenience. Just make sure you freeze them uncooked. Once frozen, you can store them there for up to 3 months. When it’s burger night, just cook them frozen in a frying pan with oil, or spray them with cooking oil and pop them in the oven for 30 minutes at 150 degrees Celsius.  

11. Potato, cauliflower, and green bean curry

We won’t deny it, it’s a lengthy ingredients list. But all the more reason to make a big batch of this satisfying curry in one go. Divide it into single servings and freeze it in airtight containers. In the mood for curry tonight? Just reheat it and eat it with sticky rice, naan or flatbread.