These foods can be prepared ahead and will keep in the fridge for a few days for quick grab-and-go snacks or ingredients for meals in minutes. Click here for a downloadable, printable version of this blog post!
1. Boil Eggs
These will keep (shells on!) in your fridge for up to a week. Keep them separate from raw eggs to avoid surprises.
2. Wash Lettuce & Other Greens
Keep them in an airtight container lined with paper towel, for quick and easy salads and vegetable dishes throughout the week.
3. Wash & Cut Fruit
Such as melons, apples, pineapple or oranges. To keep apples from browning, put them with the oranges or brush them with a bit of lemon juice. Use within 3 to 4 days.
4. Wash & Cut Veggies
Such as carrots, peppers and celery. Eat as snacks or cut them small for stir-fries and soups. Use within 3 to 4 days.
5. Roast Vegetables
Toss in olive or canola oil and roast at 400˚F for 30 – 40 minutes. You’ be surprised at what you can roast – root vegetables, squash, broccoli, cauliflower and even radishes!
6. Bake Sweet Potatoes or Potatoes
Prick with a fork, rub with oil and tuck into the oven whole for about an hour at 350˚F, depending on the size. You know they’re done when a fork pierces through them easily.
7. Cook Pulses & Legumes
Simmer pre-soaked beans, pre-soaked chickpeas or lentils on the stove while you cook other foods. If you’re not eating them right away, freeze them in 1 or 2 cup portions so they can be easily added to recipes. Or, keep canned ones in the pantry.
8. Cook Whole Grains
Simmer barley, quinoa, brown rice or wheat berries on the stove while you cook other foods. If you have a rice cooker, you can cook grains like barley and quinoa in it, which also use a 2:1 water-to-grain ratio.
9. Make Porridge
Meal prep isn’t just for dinner! Cook a big batch of oatmeal or other hot cereal, or prepare overnight oats to make mornings a breeze.
10. Make Homemade Salad Dressings
Shake these up in a mason jar to save yourself a few dishes.
11. Make Overnight Oats
Make-ahead breakfasts like overnight oats are essential for busy mornings.
