The 5 Main Tools You Need to Start Meal Prepping at Home

Meal prepping is an easy way to save time and money. By preparing meals ahead of time (say, on the weekends), busy home cooks can ensure that they have a tasty, healthy meal ready to eat every night of the week — all without needing to spend extra money on delivery or meal prep services. But knowing where to begin when it comes to meal prep can feel daunting. Don't despair! Starting to meal prep is as simple as setting aside some extra time and investing in a few key staples. Read on to learn all about everything you need to begin meal prepping at home.

Glass Containers

The key to successfully meal prepping is not just to make great food. It's also to store it in a high-quality container so that it tastes just as good later in the week as it does when you first cook it. A truly high-quality container should be able to protect food from bacteria and odors while it's in the fridge. And, it should be made of a material that can be used in the freezer, microwave, and dishwasher without losing its effectiveness or releasing harmful chemicals into your freshly cooked food.

This set of Pyrex Simply Store Meal Prep Glass Food Storage Containers fulfills all of these criteria and more. It's a perfect starter kit for any new meal prepper. These containers are reusable, airtight, and great for reheating. Their thick Pyrex glass is also perfect for protecting food from other odors that might be present in your fridge or freezer. Plus, the wide variety of container shapes and sizes ensures that you'll be able to prep and store mains, sides, and snacks that will stay fresh and delicious in the days to come. If you're just starting to meal prep, a high-quality set of Pyrex containers is a must-have.

Reusable Food Bags

Silicone food bags are simple and handy meal prep tools. Not only are these reusable bags dishwasher-safe and great for the environment, but they're also used for more than just storing prepared food. They can also be used to boil or sous vide a wide variety of foods, and they're microwave-safe, too. These slim bags are perfect for easily stacking next to each other in the fridge, thus helping you save room for more prepared meals. They have it all, as they're ideal for using during both prep and storage (i.e., boiling veggies and then transferring them directly to the fridge). These versatile bags are a great tool to any meal prepper's toolbox.

The Stasher Platinum Silicone Food Grade Reusable Storage Bag is a perfect choice for someone new to meal prepping. These bags come in a variety of sizes and colors, and they're stove top- and oven-safe. With these reusable bags, the sky's the limit when it comes to preparing, storing, and transporting your food.

Silicone Baking Cups

Sure, silicone baking cups are eco-friendly, highly effective tools for baking muffins that don't stick to their tins. But did you know they're also incredibly useful for meal prepping? Not only are they the perfect size for portioning out handfuls of snacks into pre-packed lunches, but they can also be used to hold ingredients you want to keep separate from the rest of your meal within a given storage container. No more worrying about whether a wet ingredient will make a salad soggy — now you can stash a baking cup full of specific ingredients in your salad container and add them when you're ready to eat.

These Reusable Silicone Baking Cups come in sets of 12 or 24, and they're convenient to use. These cups are freezer-, oven-, and microwave-safe, and they can be cleaned in the dishwasher. Whether you use them to prepare muffins for your upcoming week or you simply use them to separate and store ingredients, one thing is clear: silicone baking cups are a minor addition to your kitchen that can help make meal prep a major breeze.

Vacuum Sealer

If you take your meal prep seriously, or you want to prep your meals out far in advance, you may want to consider investing in a high-quality vacuum sealer. Vacuum sealers remove all the air from a bag of food, keeping your food fresh for longer. They also decrease the volume a given ingredient or meal takes up in the fridge or freezer. These tools may seem intimidating, but they're actually an easy way to free up space and keep food tasting great for longer.

The FoodSaver FM2000 Vacuum Sealer Starter System provides meal preppers with a way to remove oxygen, avoid freezer burn, and keep food tasting fresh for years in the freezer. It's easy to use and a simple way to make meal prepping feel less intimidating and more rewarding.

Meal Planner Notebook

Sometimes the hardest part about meal prepping is figuring out what to eat. That's where meal planner notebooks come in. These tools make it easy to plan menus and prep meals for 52 undated weeks. They generally have additional tools designed to help keep track of family favorites and provide guidance with coming up with meal ideas. They also contain notes about what produce is in season and pages to keep track of expenses. You can ensure that you can make the best food possible while still staying on-budget.

The Life & Apples Meal Planner Notebook provides all of this and more. It's considered a valuable tool for both beginning and experienced meal preppers alike. Purchasers can even get access to e-books and printable materials to supplement their meal prep journey. Committing to a meal planner notebook is a simple and easy way to get organized, stay focused, and make the most of meal prepping.

Key Takeaway

Meal prepping doesn't have to be hard — with the right tools and a little planning, it can even be fun. As long as you've stocked up on all the basics, from Pyrex containers to silicone baking cups, you're all ready to take the world of meal prepping by storm. Don't forget to check out ProductIQ for more great meal prep products, deals, discounts, and more!