Meal prep is a popular way of preparing meals in advance, saving time and effort during the week. And for some, like me, it helps ensure we actually eat food, instead of forgetting about it. Prepping can also help you eat healthier, and save money by avoiding avoid takeout. But another reason meal prepping can be really awesome is it’s a great way to reduce food waste and easily add some earth-friendliness to your life without trying too hard. By planning meals in advance and using ingredients effectively, we can reduce the amount of food we throw away, save money, and help the environment.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m NOT good at meal planning, and most weeks my idea of meal prep is make a quadruple batch of something like granola or making two lentil loafs instead of one. It’s always the hope to freeze the second loaf, but it never fucking happens. We end up eating all the food throughout the week, so it’s no real loss.
I, however, am the leftover queen. Show me any fridge and pantry and I can come up with some kind of nutritious meals. Maybe not any fridge, but ours is often empty (what can I say, I am really bad at the adulting stuff like grocery shopping) and the Boyfriend will lament he’s going to starve. But alas, I will whip up the most delicious meal made with winter veggies from our garden, some rice, and chickpeas and he is saved.
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Understanding Weekly Meal Prep
I think we all hear a lot about meal prep ideas in the health and fitness circles around us. At least I do. Back when I did BeachBody workouts, healthy meal prep recipes are the only way I was able to add some of the muscle I was working to gain. But meal preparation is for everyone who utilizes grocery lists:
- People trying to get through the work week without spending extra money on eating lunch out everyday
- Perfect for parents on busy weeknights when you’re shuffling kids from one after-school-activity to the next
- Those trying to incorporate more veggies and healthy recipes into their routine
- Busy humans who don’t want to cook and need grab and go food
- Those who like to keep it simple and have minimal dishes throughout the week
Benefits of Meal Prepping
Meal prep is basically making meals ahead of time, typically for the week ahead. This can include batch cooking food, portioning it out into meal prep containers, and storing it in the fridge or freezer. By doing this, we can save time during the week, eat healthier, and avoid the temptation to buy takeout or convenience foods.
This can save us all money, our sanity, and our health. But it also cuts back on plastic waste (from takeout and/or pre-packaged foods), and helps us to use the food we have at home first. Using all the food we purchase by creating make-ahead meals is the first step in reducing our food waste.
Consequences of Food Waste
Unfortunately, a lot of food gets thrown out everyday. From food that has gone bad, to leftovers that don’t get eaten, to something as simple as unsightly vegetables that no one wants to buy, a lot of it ends up in landfills, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental problems.
Food waste is a major problem globally, but especially in the United States. The United States discards more food than any other country in the world: nearly 120 billion pounds every year (latest ReFed reports show this has possibly increased to 155.2 billion pounds in 2022); this is estimated to between 30-40% of the entire food supply by the USDA and equates to over 200 pounds of waste per person (in 2010).
In fact, according to UNEP (UN Environment Programme): “Globally, if food waste could be represented as its own country, it would be the third largest greenhouse gas emitter, behind China and the United States.”
When food is thrown away, it ends up in landfills where it produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Methane is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide, making it a major contributor to climate change.
How Meal Prep for the Week Helps
Meal prep for the week is a great way to reduce food waste. By planning ahead and using up ingredients that might otherwise go to waste, we can reduce the amount of food we throw away. This is not only good for the environment, but it can also put money back in our pockets because we stop buying food we don’t need.
Using some fruits in veggies in a variety of recipes, actually can help them last longer. I don’t know why, but every time I buy sweet potatoes from Aldi, they go bad within a day or two. But I LOVE them, so I try to utilize them in some of my favorite recipes as soon as I bring them home before they have a chance to get moldy, but also to be able to eat the sweet potatoes (often with quinoa or veggies like broccoli) later in the week.
We can also plan our meals around what is in season, reducing the environmental impact of our food choice (gardening a good way to start for those new to meal prep—because no one wants to throw away food they worked THAT freaking hard to grow).
Using Meal Plans to Reduce Waste
To reduce food waste, we can take several steps. First, we can plan our meals carefully, only buying what we need. Second, we can store our food properly, making sure that it stays fresh for as long as possible. Finally, we can use up our leftovers, either by incorporating them into new meals or by freezing them for later use.
Basically, meal prepping is a great way to save time and reduce food waste. By planning our meals carefully and storing our food properly, we can make sure that we are doing our part to protect the environment.
Practical Tips for Reducing Food Waste
As we strive towards a more sustainable lifestyle, reducing food waste is an important step we can take. Not only does it help the environment, but it can also save us money. Here are some practical tips that we can follow to reduce food waste:
Using Proper Food Storage Containers
One of the most important things we can do to reduce food waste is to store our food properly. This helps to keep it fresh for longer and prevents spoilage. Here are some tips for proper food storage:
- Refrigerate perishable items: Make sure that perishable items like meat, dairy, and eggs are refrigerated promptly. This helps to slow down the growth of bacteria and extends their shelf life.
- Freeze items before they go bad: If you have food that is about to go bad, freeze it before it’s too late. This can help to preserve it for longer and prevent it from going to waste. I love our silicone souper cubes we got last year. They freeze soup (or anything) in a perfect portion to heat up for one meal!
- Use airtight containers: When storing food in the fridge or freezer, use airtight containers to prevent air from getting in. This helps to keep the food fresh for longer and prevents freezer burn. Honestly, I’ve found mason jars really are the best containers for this. We have a lot of different types of lids for them too, depending on use-case.
- Label and date items: When storing food in the fridge or freezer, label and date the containers. This helps you keep track of what you have and when it was stored.
Managing Leftovers Creatively
Another way to reduce food waste is to manage our leftovers creatively. Here are some tips for doing that:
- Plan meals around leftovers: When planning your meals, think about how you can use leftovers from previous meals. This can help you use up food before it goes bad.
- Repurpose leftovers: Instead of just reheating leftovers, try to repurpose them into new dishes. For example, leftover chicken can be turned into a chicken salad or added to a stir-fry.
- Make stock from scraps: Instead of throwing away vegetable scraps, use them to make stock. This can be used as a base for soups and stews.
- Donate excess food: If you have excess food that you can’t use, consider donating it to a local food bank or shelter. This can help to reduce food waste and help those in need.
- Composting everything else: this allows for less food waste to make it to the landfill.
Creating a Meal Prep Routine
When it comes to meal prepping, it’s important to consider the different meals you’ll be eating throughout the day.
Breakfast Ideas
Breakfast is often referred to as the most important meal of the day, and for good reason. It provides us with the energy we need to start our day and helps to regulate our metabolism. When meal prepping for breakfast, we recommend focusing on recipes that are easy to make in bulk and can be stored for a couple of days.
Some great options for breakfast meal prep include overnight oats or granola, egg muffins, and breakfast burritos. These recipes can be made ahead of time and stored in individual containers for easy grab-and-go breakfasts throughout the week.
Lunch Ideas
When we don’t have a plan for lunch, we’re more likely to grab something quick and unhealthy on the go (or raid our cupboards for something quick to eat if we’re at home). To avoid this, try meal prepping lunches that are both nutritious and satisfying.
Some meal ideas for lunch include salads, soups, and grain bowls. These meals are easy to make in bulk and can be customized to your liking. We recommend prepping a few different options each week so that you don’t get bored of eating the same thing every day.
Or you can just use your dinner leftovers as your lunch the next day; this is what we normally do. We make enough dinner every night to cover our lunches for the next day, ensuring one recipe can feed us twice. I like to think this helps prevent me from raiding the cupboards and wanting to make vegan chocolate chip cookies when I need a break from work.
Dinner Thoughts
Dinner is often the most time-consuming meal to prepare, which is why meal prepping can be especially helpful if your evenings are really busy. When meal prepping for dinner, try focusing on recipes that can be made in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer without changing their texture or taste too much.
We don’t meal prep dinner often, because the Boyfriend and I enjoy cooking together after work. But sometimes this bites us in the ass when we don’t want to cook, so we’re trying to get a little bit better. I can tell you the Instant Pot we got for Christmas (hand-me-down from the Boyfriend’s mom), has helped IMMENSELY.
Some great options for dinner meal prep include casseroles, stir-fries, and slow cooker meals. These recipes can be made ahead of time and stored in individual containers for easy reheating throughout the week.
Final Thoughts to Start Meal Prepping Sustainably
In conclusion, meal prep can have a positive impact on your sanity, health, and the environment by reducing food waste and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. Start small by adding one or two changes in your daily routine, especially if you’re new to meal prep, and you’ll be actively making a big difference in your life, and slowing climate change.
