The 9 Most Wished for Products That Will Boost Your Meal Prep

We have all experienced a scenario in which, after a hard day at work, we open the refrigerator to find a variety of healthy foods and veggies, but the thought of having to cook dinner and clean up afterward overwhelms us. So instead, we order food delivery. But we got you!

Most of your issues can be resolved by simply meal planning, and that includes reduced stress, a healthy diet, and more free time on your hands. It’s no secret that eating meals often that are made away from home is strongly related to an increased risk of death from all causes, so it’s also beneficial for your well-being.

1. Start your journey to learning meal prep with something simple. Plan out your snacks for the week by packing them into these silicone bags. Replace your cravings for junk food with healthier snacks like homemade trail mix instead of chips and protein balls instead of sugar cookies.

• These sandwich bags are reusable and composed of biodegradable PEVA
• The material is quite thick, and the double zipper prevents any liquid or air leakage
• A 12-pack includes 6 sandwich bags and 6 snack bags
• A single reusable bag could save at least 500 disposable bags
• These bags can be used to store food in the freezer

Promising review:

It saves the planet and makes room in your fridge and freezer.
I bought these as a birthday present for my mother (I know, your 57th birthday can’t get any more exciting, can it?).
I also ordered another box as I had been looking into reusable bags for the past month. I could not decide, so I ordered some of these for myself.
I’m tempted to get more to finish off my freezer. As I work in shifts (days, nights, etc.), these are really good for food prep. Put them in your fridge and freezer. You can get burgers out and let them defrost in your fridge. @M. L. Brain

Buy these silicon bags on Amazon.

2. Try batch cooking. Prepare your favorite recipes in larger quantities and use round containers to portion them out into perfect servings.

• It is microwave-safe however, it should not be used in a microwave with a power output of more than 800 watts.
• The meal prep containers are reusable
• Containers withstand temperatures from −20 ℃ to +110 ℃ and can hold around 24 oz (680 ml)
• They come in a pack of 30 pieces

Promising review:

Perfect for meal prep and leftovers. I have been trying to eat cheaper and healthier, and these are perfect for that. I can batch cook and meal prep with these and pop them in the fridge or freezer, or I can use them to store leftovers or even sauces. I use them in the microwave and then, once I’m done with them, I wash them and use them again as they’re super easy to wash. They hold quite a lot of food, but at the same time, they don’t take up too much space if you have a small fridge or freezer, as they’re the perfect size and shape. @Marisa

Buy these meal prep containers on Amazon.

3. Make sure that your freezer is also filled with delicious and healthy food. You’re likely to want some variety in your meals so on the unplanned days, you can cook yourself pre-made frozen lasagna in a mini casserole dish.

• Everybody will have a perfect portion of lasagna with these small dishes
• Dishwasher, microwave, and oven-safe up to 200 °C
• They come in a set of 4 mini dishes in: red, blue, orange, and green
• Approximately 13 cm x 9 cm x 4 cm in size

Promising review:

One of my better buys.
I bought these a couple of weeks ago. These are great. The perfect portion size for me, but not for those with a larger appetite. I usually make things like mac and cheese, lasagna, or some kind of pie in bigger portions and then divide them into these dishes and freeze them. All I have to do is defrost and heat them in the oven, as I don’t like things reheated in the microwave. Perfect every time. I think I will buy another 4 at some point. They are 13 cm by 9 cm and about 4.5 cm deep. They come out of the dishwasher perfectly clean. @Bettina

Single-serving lasagna recipe

Ingredients:

4 lasagna noodles
1 cup tomato sauce
2/3 cup mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup parmesan
1/4 lb ground beef

Method:

1. Preheat the oven.
2. Cook your meat in a pan on the stove. Once cooked, drain off any excess oil and mix the meat into the tomato sauce.
3. Spread 1/3 cup sauce on the bottom of the dish. Layer 2 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce.
4. Spread 1/3 cup ricotta on top of the noodles. Then sprinkle 1/3 cup mozzarella on top, followed by 1/4 cup parmesan.
5. Spread 1/3 cup of the sauce.
6. Lay 2 more noodles on top of the sauce layer.
7. Pour the remaining 1/3 cup sauce on top of the noodles, top with the remaining cheese, and cover with tinfoil.
8. Wrap and chill completely before freezing.
9. To serve: Thaw completely in the refrigerator and then bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

Buy these casserole dishes on Amazon.

4. For effective meal prep, make a plan with your favorite recipes and make a grocery list. Choose a specific day when it is most convenient for you to prepare meals for the week and find the right food containers.

• The package contains 12 containers and 12 lids
• It is completely safe to transfer containers from the freezer to the oven in an instant
• For food freshness, a locking lid ensures an airtight seal
• Containers are made of glass and are dishwasher safe

Promising review:

I love these storage containers.
We cannot fault these! I have been using them for 3 months, and they have made the kitchen so much nicer.
Strong glass — great in the fridge, microwave, and oven. The lip at the top makes it easy to lift them out of the microwave, as it does not get as hot as the sides and base.
They look good on the table, so I don’t have to decant food into a serving dish, and they look so much nicer in the fridge than plastic boxes or bags too.
I was dubious about one box of them being sufficient, but, as a family of 3, they have been sufficient for all we have needed so far.
I usually wash the lids in the sink, but the few times they have been on the top shelf of the dishwasher, they have been fine. I agree with other reviewers, the lids fit well for a good reason. I sometimes have sore hands, but can still open and close them. They fit firmly, but not so much that it is hard for me to use.
I highly recommend them as a move away from plastic storage — so much better for your health, especially when it comes to reheating food in the microwave :-) @Alison

Buy these glass containers on Amazon.

5. Once you’ve selected the ingredients and meals that are freezer-friendly, don’t forget to defrost them correctly. Some foods can be defrosted in the microwave, but some are easier to just thaw. A defrost tray will help you do just that much faster.

• Increase the speed of thawing, preserve nutrients, and keep meat fresh and tasty with this defrost tray
• Package includes: 1 x defrosting plate, 1 x drip tray, 1 x net cover, 4 x silicone corners
• The thawing plate is made of an aluminum-magnesium alloy
• It makes defrosting 8 times faster

Promising review:

A game changer for forgetful people like me!
I bought this because I’m notoriously bad at remembering to get things out of the freezer.
Having just used this for the first time, I’m so glad I bought it. It defrosted a 250 g block of minced meat in under 2.5 hours (fully, down to room temperature). Well worth the money, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this product. @Amazon Customer

Buy this defrost tray on Amazon.

6. With meal prep and the right food containers you can control your portion size and add variety to your meals to improve the quality of your diet.

• This multifunctional lunch box has a capacity of 1.25 L
• It includes an airtight yogurt/fruit jar
• The lid with locking clips and an extended seal helps to keep food fresh longer

Promising review:

Perfect for adult Lunchables.
We got 6, so we could meal prep 3 for each of us for the week, with 2 days to do whatever we wanted. They are actually nice and big and feel really sturdy. I love these! It will make meal prep so much easier than baggies and multiple containers. The lid has dividers too, so you can take the tops off and put them on the lid when you are eating, so there is no mess! @Christina

Buy this bento box on Amazon.

7. Be creative with different recipes and the use of food containers. For example, you can prepare desserts for the week to satisfy your sweet tooth. And don’t forget your beloved pets — prepare fresh food for them as well.

• The package includes: 100 containers with lids
• There are 4 different size options to choose from
• These containers are ideal for a variety of foods, starting from sauces all the way to cat food
• They are made of high-quality materials and are secure and reliable

Promising review:

Excellent for my desserts. I was skeptical about the size, as I was not sure about it. But I just gave it a go, and I am happy with the product. It is sturdy, and the lids are tight, so it is leakproof. I will order them again. @Azizah Ismail

Buy these plastic containers on Amazon.

8. Choose the right cooking tools to get through the cooking of large amounts of food much faster. This automatic can opener makes it simple to open several cans of beans, corn, peas, and tomatoes in one go.

• It automatically opens cans with one touch
• Make sure you have 4 new AA batteries on hand, as well (they are not included)
• It opens cans without sharp edges

Promising review:

Once you’ve had this, you’ll never go back! The greatest thing ever!
After reading other reviews about how people struggle with it, I still took a chance and bought it as it seemed the most reasonably priced one with some good reviews. It is so easy to use, I didn’t struggle at all. You just put the opener on top of the can so that the little round cutter is on the outside of the tin, and press and hold the button for one second, then let it go. You can get on with stirring your pot or whatever then, but the trick is to LISTEN out for when the tin is completely open-the tone of the opener’s noise changes to a higher tone, signaling there is nothing left to cut. So it doesn’t turn off automatically. To get it to stop, then you just hold the button down for 2 seconds until the opener dislodges itself. Sometimes the opened lid will stick to the magnet on the opener for ease of opening, but to be honest, this rarely happens. The opener cuts the lid off so precisely and finely that it sometimes looks like it didn’t cut it at all! Just use a knife to push the lid upward, and it will come away cleanly. This worked so well and easily, my elderly mother can use it, and I’ve bought one for my disabled sister as well! Best purchase ever! @rjvv

Buy this can opener on Amazon.

9. If you’re not ready to spend most of your day cooking, you can, instead, slice up all of your veggies to speed up the cooking process for the week. Use this vegetable slicer to increase your productivity.

• This vegetable cutter has 4 different cutting modes: slice, strip, julienne, and dice
• It offers 40 different cutting thicknesses, ranging from 0.5 to 8 mm
• Its blades are completely concealed, making it safe and simple to use while allowing you to work more efficiently

Promising review:

Fast, safe, and easy food prep with a small footprint.
Once you understand the dials, this is a really great tool for the kitchen. It has a small footprint, especially when folded down. I make a lot of soups and stir-fry, and this allows for fast and safe prep. It is a quick way to prep food. Cleaning is under the tap with the brush provided. It’s a quick way of doing it so that it can be used promptly the next time. Some parts are dishwasher safe, but the bladed area isn’t, so you’ll need to handwash it. For me, personally, it’s quicker that way (rather than waiting to fill up a dishwasher). All in all, I’m happy with my purchase. @Kimbola

Buy this vegetable slicer on Amazon.

How many days in a row can you eat your favorite dish? Share the recipe.

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