If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I’m all about healthy meal prep. It’s been a game-changer for me when it comes to sticking to a healthy eating plan and keeping the pounds off. But let’s be real, meal prepping can be a lot of work, and sometimes it feels like we don’t even know where to start.
Don’t worry, fam, I got you! If you’re feeling overwhelmed with meal planning and prepping, I’ve rounded up my top meal prep tools for healthy meal preps. With these gadgets in your arsenal, meal prepping will be a breeze!
Trust me, it’s like trying to fix your car without a wrench – you need the right tools to get the job done right.
So, if you’re ready to take your meal prep game to the next level, keep reading. I’ve got all the tips and tools you need to make meal prep easy and stress-free. Let’s get cookin’!
Top 11 Must-Have Meal Prepping Tools for Saving Time and Energy
Let’s talk about meal prep tools. What exactly is a meal prep tool, you ask? Well, it’s anything that makes your life easier when you’re prepping your meals. It could be your trusty oven or your go-to cooking spatula. Basically, anything that helps you save time and get the job done is a meal prep tool.
Now, there are a ton of different tools and gadgets out there, which can make it hard to figure out which ones are worth investing in. But don’t stress. With my help, you’ll be able to navigate the sea of mediocre tools and find the ones that are truly helpful.
So, whether you’re a meal prep newbie or a seasoned pro, find your new favorite kitchen tool from this list of my must-haves.
INSTANT POT
If you’re looking for a kitchen gadget to save time and energy during meal prep, the Instant Pot is where it’s at. This multicooker does it all, from pressure cooking to steaming to slow cooking. It’s perfect for making staples like rice and quinoa. It also makes great soups, stews, and chili. Plus, with its ability to batch-cook items like beans and shredded chicken, you can meal prep for the week in no time. Don’t just take my word for it – there are over 100,000 5-star ratings for this gadget on Amazon. Give it a try and see for yourself why it’s been all the rage in the health world lately. If you’re needing a meal prep recipe to get started with pressure cookers, try one of these:
Instant Pot Fruit-On-The-Bottom Protein Oats Meal Prep
Instant Pot Green Chile Chicken Tortilla Soup
Instant Pot Impossible Vegan Chili
BBQ Pulled Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato (Instant Pot)
SLOW COOKER
One of the best things about a slow cooker is that it allows you to prepare meals in advance without needing to babysit the cooking process. So whether you’re prepping food in the morning for later that night or you’re making a week’s worth of food over the weekend, the slow cooker can have it ready to go in just a few unattended hours. Get ready to cook up a big pot of soup or chili, make a batch of pulled pork, or create a flavorful stew. And remember, you can set it and forget it, letting it do all the work while you focus on other things. Try some of these recipes to get started with your slow cooker:
Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos
Slow Cooker Italian Greens & Chicken Soup
Slow Cooker Marinara & Eggplant Parm
Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole
A GOOD SET OF KNIVES
Good, sharp knives are one of my absolute must-haves in the kitchen. Chopping veggies and prepping meat is a breeze when you have quality knives at your disposal. If you haven’t already, treat yourself to a set of knives that are up to the task. Put your knives and knife skills to the test with these recipes:
Sweet Pecan Chopped Salad – Fall Salad Recipe
Mediterranean Greek Chopped Salad (Wrap)
Hi Protein Abundance Bowl Meal Prep
Shirazi – Cucumber, Tomato & Herb Salad
CUTTING BOARD
Cutting boards are a meal prep essential. Not only do they protect your counters and knives from damage, but they also make chopping veggies and fruits a breeze. Plus, a flexible cutting board can be bent and curved to easily transfer ingredients into pots and pans. It’s also important to have separate cutting boards for meat and produce to avoid cross-contamination. Investing in a few quality cutting boards will make your meal prep experience so much smoother. Here are some recipes that will put your board to work:
Thai-Inspired Coconut & Peanut Chopped Salad
Red Chicken Curry Tacos, Salad & Peanut Sauce
Post-Workout Plantains With Maple Syrup
Spicy Wasabi Salmon Salad Wrap
SILICONE LINERS
As someone who loves to meal prep, I’m always on the lookout for kitchen tools that make my life easier. Some of my favorite kitchen gadgets for meal prep are silicone muffin cups and silicone baking liners. Not only are they insanely easy to clean (which is a huge plus in my book), but they’re also reusable and eco-friendly, so I’m reducing my waste footprint while also saving money. Another bonus is that they’re non-stick, so my egg cups, oat cups, and protein muffins pop right out without any hassle. Say goodbye to the frustration of scrubbing muffin tins and sheet pans and hello to convenient and hassle-free meal prep with silicone muffin cups and sheet pan liners. Enjoy these recipes without the headache of cleanup:
Oat, Turkey & Cheese Breakfast Muffins
Apple Cinnamon Ginger Coffee Cake Muffins
Double Chocolate Protein Muffins
Herb Roasted Spatchcock Chicken With Veggies
MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS
As a cook, you know how crucial it is to have accurate measurements for ingredients. That’s where measuring cups and spoons come in handy. You can easily portion out everything from flour to spices, ensuring consistent results every time you cook. I personally love using magnetic measuring cups and spoons, which stay together and are super easy to clean. And don’t forget about liquid measuring cups! They make it so much easier to measure and pour out liquids like oil and water with precision, helping you nail your recipes every time. If you’re serious about cooking, investing in these measuring tools is a must-have for your kitchen arsenal. And while I definitely cook without measuring… ALL. THE. TIME. (with a little of this and a little of that…) Baking is a different story. To make sure you get these baking recipes right, put your measuring tools to work:
Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Brownie Waffles
Oat, Turkey & Cheese Breakfast Muffins
Gluten-Free Walnut Zucchini Bread
FOOD KITCHEN SCALE
At first, you might think food scales are just for people who are really into baking, but hear me out. A digital food kitchen scale is actually super helpful for cooking in general. You can weigh out your ingredients for a recipe so you get everything just right. But, even beyond that, one of the greatest benefits of a food scale when it comes to healthy eating is for portion control. If you’re trying to eat healthy and maintain a balanced diet, using a food scale can be a huge help. You can weigh out your portions of protein, carbs, and veggies to make sure you’re getting the right amount of each. It takes the guesswork out of portioning and helps you stay on track with your goals. Here are a few recipes that benefit from a food scale, but also be sure to give portioning a try!
Cheesecake Factory Chocolate Cheesecake
4 Ingredient Low Carb Butter Biscuits
BLENDER
A high-quality blender is an essential kitchen tool for meal prep, especially for those who love smoothies. Investing in a high-powered blender is important because it can make a huge difference in the texture and consistency of your blends. Cheap blenders may leave your smoothies chunky or full of bits, but with a high-quality blender, you’ll get a creamy and smooth texture every time. It’s not just about making smoothies though, blenders are also great for pureeing soups, making homemade nut butter, and even mixing up pancake batter. So, whether you’re blending up your favorite smoothie recipe for breakfast or making a batch of creamy tomato soup for dinner, a high-quality blender will make meal prep a breeze. Try these recipes with a blender:
Cashew & Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells
Sesame Ginger Mango Dressing & Noodle Salad
Low Carb Salmon Nuggets & Cauliflower Chowder
SPIRALIZER
A spiralizer vegetable slicer is a great tool for a gluten-free or low-carb diet. Not only can you make delicious veggie noodles that are a healthy alternative to traditional pasta, but you can also spiralize other veggies like zucchini, sweet potato, and cucumber for salads or as a crunchy addition to wraps and sandwiches. Spiralizing veggies also allows them to cook faster, making meal prep a breeze. Plus, it’s a fun way to get creative with your cooking and try out new recipes. Whether you’re looking to cut down on carbs or just want to incorporate more veggies into your diet, a spiralizer is a game-changer. Try out your spiralizer on these recipes:
Shrimp Marinara Zucchini Pasta
5-Ingredient Salmon Alfredo Keto Recipe
SOUPER CUBES SILICONE FREEZING TRAYS
Silicone freezing trays are a total lifesaver when it comes to meal prep, especially for those of us who like to make smoothies or juices. These trays are so versatile, and you can use them to freeze pretty much anything you want – from pureed fruits and veggies to homemade bone broth or broth-based soups. The best part is that the flexible silicone material makes it easy to pop out individual portions once they’re frozen solid. Plus, they’re super easy to clean and take up minimal space in your freezer. Use these trays for perfect smoothie meal prep:
STORAGE CONTAINERS
Storage containers are a meal prepper’s best friend. They keep your meals fresh and ready to grab on the go. Glass containers are great because they don’t absorb food smells or stains and can be safely microwaved. Steel containers are durable and can keep your meals hot or cold for longer periods of time. Mason jars are a trendy option that can be used for salads or layered meals, and they’re easy to clean. Reusable food bags are also a great option for snacks or portioned meals, and they’re lightweight and easy to pack. No matter which type of container you prefer, make sure they’re leak-proof and easy to clean. You’ll be thanking yourself when you have a fridge full of meal prep containers ready to go at a moment’s notice.
If you’re looking for a great steel meal prep container, try mine!
FOOD PROCESSOR
Food processors can help you save so much time and energy in the kitchen. With a food processor, you can chop vegetables, shred cheese, make hummus, pesto, or nut butter, and even make your own energy balls or granola bars. It’s so much faster than doing all of these things by hand, and the results are often much smoother and more consistent. If you’re looking to streamline your meal prep process, investing in a food processor is definitely worth considering. I use my food processor on recipes like these:
Superfood Raw Energy Bars With Cacao
Easy Chickpea Blondies With Macadamia
Low Carb Zucchini Latke Waffles
Ultimately, there are many essential kitchen items to consider if you want to make healthy meal prep a regular part of your routine. But this list is a great place to start!
A sharp chef’s knife and a reliable cutting board are a must-have for preparing ingredients, while measuring cups and spoons, as well as a food scale, will ensure accurate portion sizes. Food processors and blenders can make quick work of chopping and pureeing ingredients for sauces and dips, and silicone freezing trays and storage containers will keep your prepped meals and ingredients fresh and organized.
With these essential tools on hand, you’ll be able to easily prep healthy meals for yourself and your family, even on busy days.
