13 Ways To Up Your Meal Prep Game

    Let's get organized!

    Jesse Szewczyk
    by Jesse Szewczyk

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Zoë Burnett / BuzzFeed

    Meal prepping can seem like lot of work and it's hard to know where to begin.

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    The planning, the shopping, the cooking — it's all a bit overwhelming.

    But in the end, it's a great way to save money, eat healthy, and save a lot of time throughout the week.

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    All you need are a few simple tricks to start meal prepping like a pro.

    1. Get off to a good start by investing in reusable meal prep containers...

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    Organize your fridge with containers for every day of the week. Line them up, get an assembly line going, and knock out your weekly lunches in no time. Get them here.

    2. And mason jars for your salads.

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    Mason jars are the perfect container for packing salads. Put your dressing on the bottom (to prevent your greens from wilting) and shake it up when you're ready to eat! Check out 18 recipes for mason jar salads here.

    3. Write a weekly grocery list and stick to it.

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    Take advantage of helpful templates online and do all of your grocery shopping for the week in one trip. Remember, most processed foods live near the center of the grocery store, so stick to the perimeter for a quick and temptation-free trip.

    4. Don't forget about frozen fruits and veggies...

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    Frozen fruits and vegetables are often harvested at peak ripeness (which = peak nutrient levels) and make meal prepping a breeze. See 13 recipes made with frozen vegetables here and integrate them into your weekly prep.

    5. ...or canned as well!

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    Chopping and cooking fresh veggies takes a lot of time. Use canned vegetables in recipes that cook for a long time (like chilis, stews, and braises) and you won't even tell the difference. Check out 29 genius ways use them here.

    6. Wash your produce as soon as you get home from the grocery store.

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    Before you put away your groceries, wash your produce all at once. Doing the hard work up front will save you precious time during prepping.

    7. Prep and cook your veggies all at once.

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    Instead of prepping your veggies every day, cook them all on Sunday afternoon and freeze any you plan to eat toward the end of the week (just heat and eat). Learn even more time-saving veggie hacks here.

    8. And your grains, too.

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    Just like veggies, cook your grains and lentils all at once so you can make healthy rice bowls and wholesome meals in a hurry. You can even freeze cooked lentils on a sheet tray and transfer them into baggies for later use.

    9. Cook several items on one sheet pan for easy cleanup.

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    Get strategic about your prep and group items that cook at the same temperature onto one sheet pan. Not only will it save you time, but it will make clean up a breeze. Check out 21 easy sheet pan recipes here.

    10. Use overlapping ingredients.

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    If you're using ground beef for a burger recipe, why not make meatballs or sloppy joes throughout the week with the same beef? Limiting the amount of ingredients you buy will save you time and money. Get creative and think of your meal prepping as a puzzle!

    11. Use rotisserie chicken as an easy protein shortcut.

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    http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-rotisserie-chicken-coconut-curry-soup-234428

    Rotisserie chicken is cheap, easy, and the perfect shortcut for speedy meal prepping. Get the recipe for rotisserie chicken coconut curry soup here, and check out seven other genius ways to use it here.

    12. Freeze individual portions of smoothie prep in plastic baggies for a quick dump-and-blend breakfast.

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    Prep these baggies on Sunday and have homemade smoothies every day of the week. Check out four recipes to get you started here.

    13. Freeze your extra prep for next week's meals.

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    www.instagram.com/carissa_valentina

    Instead of throwing away extra rice or roasted vegetables, freeze them for the following week to make your prep that much easier. See 27 meals you can cook and freeze here.

    Meal prepping takes commitment, but it's not impossible. What are your best meal prepping tips?

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