Skip to Content

7 Nutritionists Share the ONE Meal Prep Tip They Swear By

There’s a secret to making sure your food actually stays fresh all week.

by Ravelle Worthington
nutrition, healthy eating, meal preppinterest
shutterstock

Does meal prep often start at the top of your weekend to-do list, but come Sunday, it lands somewhere between cleaning out your inbox and organizing your workout clothes by color? No shame. Braving the grocery story on a Saturday is draining enough, so we don't blame you for calling it quits after putting your purchases away.

But here's the thing: Preparing healthy food for the week doesn’t have to be another dreaded chore, and it's def worth the effort. “It takes the guesswork out of eating, and more importantly, makes it easy to choose a nutritious meal when you're rushed, hungry, or exhausted,” says Marni Sumbal, R.D., owner of Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition.

Alright, back to the part about making it easy. We asked seven nutritionists to share their number one tip to ensure your weekend meal prep—and weekday eats—are as efficient as possible:

nutrition, healthy foods, meal prep
shutterstock

“Use what you already have in the fridge, freezer, and pantry to inspire your weekly meals and snacks, before making your grocery list. You'll save money, waste less food, and have a shorter shopping trip."—Rebecca Scritchfield, R.D., author of the upcoming book Body Kindness

RELATED: What 9 Nutritionists Eat for Lunch on the Reg

meal prep tips
Shutterstock/Alyssa Zolna

“Thinking about exactly what you’ll eat each day during the week gives you the chance to budget your meals. For example, if I bake some muffins and plan on pairing them with cottage cheese for breakfast, my lunch might look more like a salad with grilled chicken to balance out calories and nutrients like carbohydrates and sugar.” —Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N., creator of BetterThanDieting.com and author of Read It Before You Eat

RELATED: The 13 Best Things to Order at a Mexican Restaurant, According to Nutritionists

nutrition, healthy eating, meal prep
shutterstock

"I often cook enough tempeh or hard-boiled eggs to last throughout the week. Both are great for tossing into a salad or combining with roasted veggies for a filling and delicious meal. Other easy-to-prep proteins that you can make in large quantities include chicken breasts, ground beef, or ground turkey." —Marni Sumbal, R.D., owner of Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition.

RELATED: The 8 Best Things to Buy at Trader Joe's, According to Nutritionists

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
nutrition, healthy eating, meal prep
shutterstock

“If there’s one piece of healthy eating advice we can all benefit from, it’s eating more vegetables. The problem is, they can be time-consuming to prepare, which is why I take one hour over the weekend to clean, chop, and prep a variety of veggies, so they're easy to add to meals throughout the busy workweek. Veggies like squash, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts can be added to lunch or dinner as a side dish—just coat them with olive oil and seasoning, and roast them in the oven. And don’t shy away from convenience items that make it even easier to get your veggies, like prewashed lettuces, sliced mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, olives, dry coleslaw mixes, and pico de gallo.” —Rachel Begun, R.D.N., nutrition expert and strategist (Burn fat 24 hours a day with the secrets from Women's Health's The Body Clock Diet!) 

nutrition, healthy eating, meal prep
shutterstock

"Lining your food-storage containers with paper towel helps absorb moisture and keep your food fresher for longer. There’s nothing worse than putting in all of that legwork by washing and chopping your fruits and veggies, only to have them spoil prematurely." —Kimberly Gomer, R.D., L.D.N., the Director of Nutrition at Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa 

nutrition, healthy eating, meal prep
shutterstock

"Healthy starches like quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, and sweet potatoes are easy to cook and will last up to five days in the fridge, so making a big batch on the weekends is a smart time saver. They'll make for a nutritious and easily customizable base for any meal. Plus, you'll prevent what I call doing the ‘desperation drive-through,’ where you resort to eating fast food or take-out just because you've had a long day, you're hungry, you're tired, and you don't even want to think about cooking dinner.”—Sarah-Jane Bedwell, R.D., L.D.N., host of the Cooking with Sarah-Jane video series and blog

RELATED: The Best Carbs for Weight Loss

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
nutrition, healthy eating, meal prep
shutterstock

“Fresh produce and protein are important, but non-perishables can also fill out weeknight meals and save serious time. For example, pasta, tomato sauce, a can of beans, and your vegetable of choice is a quick, easy, healthy, and delicious meal that will take less than 30 minutes to whip up—as long as you have everything on hand!"—Jessica Fishman Levinson, R.D.N., culinary nutrition expert and healthy living blogger at Nutritioulicious

Watch Next
 
preview for Women's Health US Section - All Sections & Videos
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Food

dairy queen free cone day

Dairy Queen Giving Away Free Ice Cream This Month

starbucks luck of the matcha crème frappuccino

Starbucks Has A New St. Patrick's Day Drink

balance bowl vegan

Best Vegan Meal Delivery Services, Per Dietitians

selection of seafood
From Women's Health for Mowi Salmon

Go Green by Eating Blue

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Logo
tiktok
youtube
facebook
instagram
pinterest
Hearst Young Women's Group - A Part of Hearst Digital Media

A Part of Hearst Digital Media

We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back.

©2024 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy NoticeCA Notice at CollectionYour CA Privacy Rights/Shine the LightDAA Industry Opt OutTerms of UseSite Map