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The Girl on Bloor

Healthy, easy recipes for busy people!

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  • Recipes by Type
    • Recipe Index (Search)
    • All Recipes
    • Restaurant Copycat Recipes
    • Recipes by Method>>>
      • 30-Minute Meals
      • Instant Pot
      • Slow Cooker
      • Meal Prep Bowls
      • Sheet Pan Dinners
      • One Pot Recipes
      • Freezer-Friendly
      • Grilling & BBQ
      • Stir Fries
      • Pasta
    • Recipes by Diet>>>
      • Kid-Friendly
      • Gluten-Free
      • Low Carb
      • High Protein
      • Whole 30
    • Recipes by Protein>>>
      • Chicken
      • Beef
      • Seafood
      • Vegetarian
    • Recipes by Holiday>>>
      • Game Day
      • Valentine’s Day
      • St Patrick’s Day
      • Easter
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Christmas
  • Recipes by Course
    • Appetizer
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner Ideas
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Snacks
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Dressings, Sauces & Spice Mixes
  • Resources
    • Start Here (How to Use My Website)
    • About Me
    • Meal Prep and Meal Planner Bundle
    • How to Meal Prep
    • Resource Guides
    • Take the Meal Prep Challenge
    • Meal Prep Containers
    • Contact Me
  • Meal Plans

Meal Prep

MEAL PREP FOR BUSY PEOPLE

Meal prep saves you time, money and hassle, and it's the way I've been cooking for years now. It's also a big part of the reason I've been able to keep up my personal fitness along with a crazy work schedule and still squeeze in some time for fun on weekends. Since I get asked so often, I thought I'd share my foolproof method for easy meal prep and planning, including free printables!

Search the recipe index
Beginner's Guide to Meal Prep
Baked Honey Mustard Chicken

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken {One Pan}

Panda Express Orange Chicken

Panda Express Orange Chicken

Whole Wheat Summer Pesto Meal Prep Pasta

Whole Wheat Summer Pesto Meal Prep Pasta

Peanut Chicken Meal Prep Bowls

Peanut Chicken Meal Prep Bowls

meal prep newsletter ebooks

Access my free meal prep challenge!

Access free meal prep challenge & bonus resources.

Over five printable PDF downloads to help you stay on track with your health & fitness goals like a weekly meal planner, printable shopping list, and more will be sent during the challenge!

Take the 5-day Meal Prep Challenge!

MEAL PREP Tips:

Keep it simple

If you just don't think you can plan out three meals a day, that's okay. Try planning dinner for each meal of the week, and make enough so that there are leftovers for lunches all week long. From there, you can keep a good inventory of snacks and simple breakfast ideas until you find recipes you're comfortable with and know you love.

Use the same ingredients more than once

This is hands down the best way to reduce food waste. Use those carrots for two or three different recipes; and no, you probably don't need to include eggplant in that recipe when you like red peppers or zucchini better, so make ingredient swaps work for you where you can. Buy fresh ingredients you know you'll use in a variety of recipes.

Prepare ingredients ahead of time

Know that you're making quinoa bowls later in the week? Make the quinoa or other grains ahead of time, or cook chicken in the oven or boil it to make pulled chicken for later in the work week. It helps to have some components of a recipe prepared ahead of time.

Keep a well-stocked pantry and spice drawer

This is another huge one for me. I ALWAYS make sure I have a ton of spices on hand so I can just add a little bit here and there, and I also make sure my pantry/fridge is stocked with staples like butter, olive oil, onions, garlic, crushed tomatoes, bouillon cubes, coconut milk, pickles, hot sauce, mustard, vinegars…you name it, I've got it. It makes life so much easier when you go to make a recipe and see you've already got most items on hand.

Keep a well-stocked freezer

This brings me to my second point: have a ton of meat in your freezer. I personally like to buy in bulk when meat goes on sale, and I have a ton of variety on hand, everything from turkey sausages to ground beef, shrimp and scallops. And of course, a bottomless supply of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. It may be expensive to stock up all at once but if you have all of these items on hand you're less likely to buy food out because you KNOW you have a ton of options to satisfy any cravings you have! And that can be cheaper in the long run!

Go easy on yourself

Sometimes life happens, and that's okay. Your meal plan is meant to help you stay organized and take a look at your week at a glance, not to rigidly lock you in – there will be some days you just don't want to cook, and that's okay. Being prepared helps get you back on track again the next day though!

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Protein Shakes

The BEST Protein Shakes 5 Ways

Juicing Recipes {Green, Beet & Carrot Juices}

Juicing Recipes {Green, Beet & Carrot Juices}

Freezer-Friendly Mini Breakfast Pizzas

Freezer-Friendly Mini Breakfast Pizzas

5-Minute Golden Milk

5-Minute Golden Milk

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Coffee

Starbucks Mango Dragonfruit Refresher

Starbucks Mango Dragonfruit Refresher

Starbucks Violet Drink

Violet Drink Starbucks Copycat (Purple Drink)

Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Protein Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Starbucks Pink Drink

Starbucks Pink Drink {Perfect Copycat!}

Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew

Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew {Starbucks Copycat}

Healthy Lunch Ideas

Low Carb Mexican Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Low Carb Mexican Chicken Lettuce Wraps

20-Minute Doritos Taco Salad

20-Minute Doritos Taco Salad

Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Instant Pot Enchilada Quinoa Casserole

Instant Pot Enchilada Quinoa Casserole

Super Easy Instant Pot Minestrone Soup

Super Easy Instant Pot Minestrone Soup

Pita Pizza 3 Ways

How to Make Pita Pizza 3 Ways

Homemade Chicken Shawarma

Homemade Chicken Shawarma

Kabocha Squash Soup

The Best Kabocha Squash Soup

Pumpkin Curry Soup

Pumpkin Curry Soup

Whole Wheat Summer Pesto Meal Prep Pasta

Whole Wheat Summer Pesto Meal Prep Pasta

Healthy Dinner Ideas

Low Carb Mexican Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Low Carb Mexican Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Extra Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings

How to Make Boneless Wings

How to Make Boneless Wings

Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ultimate Chili Cheese Fries Recipe

Ultimate Chili Cheese Fries Recipe

Super Easy Instant Pot Minestrone Soup

Super Easy Instant Pot Minestrone Soup

Lasagna Stuffed Peppers

Low Carb Lasagna Stuffed Peppers

Pita Pizza 3 Ways

How to Make Pita Pizza 3 Ways

Homemade Chicken Shawarma

Homemade Chicken Shawarma

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

My Favorite Meal Prep Tools

meal prep containers

Glass Meal Prep Containers

mason jars

Mason Jars

rice cooker

Rice Cooker

bento box

Bento Box

salad containers

Salad Container

Latest Meal prep Recipes

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken {One Pan}

This Baked Honey Mustard Chicken comes together on one sheet pan for minimal clean up – it's a 30-minute dinner with a delicious sauce! IngredientsView Post

Panda Express Orange Chicken

Panda Express Orange Chicken

This Panda Express Orange Chicken consists of crispy chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy orange sauce. It's super easy to make at home! IngredientsView Post

Whole Wheat Summer Pesto Meal Prep Pasta

Whole Wheat Summer Pesto Meal Prep Pasta

This Whole Wheat Summer Pesto Meal Prep Pasta is the perfect one pot meal for batch cooking during a busy workweek! Perfect for lunch orView Post

Peanut Chicken Meal Prep Bowls

Peanut Chicken Meal Prep Bowls

These Peanut Chicken Meal Prep Bowls come together with sautéed chicken, a rainbow of veggies and a delicious peanut sauce for a healthy make ahead, low carbView Post

Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef

Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef (Chipotle Copycat)

These Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef Burrito Bowls are just like the kind you get at Chipotle! By using a natural pressure release, the beef stays tender,View Post

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

Easiest Cashew Chicken Stir Fry {Meal Prep}

This Cashew Chicken Stir Fry is better than takeout, and the perfect meal prep idea. You probably already have all the sauce ingredients on handView Post

Sheet pan dinners

25 Sheet Pan Dinners {Busy Weeknight Meals}

These Easy Sheet Pan Dinners come together super quickly and the oven does all the work for you. These healthy dinner ideas are a greatView Post

Best Chicken Marinade Recipes

Best Chicken Marinade Recipes – 20+ Ways!

This article has 20+ chicken marinade recipes – everything from teriyaki to honey mustard and fajita marinades. Most marinades have 5 ingredients or less!  View Post

Build Your Own Buddha Bowl

Build Your Own Buddha Bowl {Vegan}

Here's how to build your own buddha bowl using vegan, gluten-free ingredients that can mostly be cooked on a sheet pan. You'll love the tahiniView Post

Taco Bell Power Bowl

Taco Bell Power Bowl

A Taco Bell Power Bowl is the perfect meal prep idea and is a healthier Taco Bell copycat recipe you can easily make at homeView Post

Chinese-Inspired Chilli Chicken

Easy Chinese-Inspired Chilli Chicken

This Chilli Chicken is inspired by Chinese takeout – it's the perfect blend of sweet & spicy chicken stir fried with onions and green peppers,View Post

Coconut Mango Chicken Meal Prep Bowls

Coconut Mango Chicken Meal Prep Bowls

These Coconut Mango Chicken Meal Prep Bowls with basmati rice, corn salsa and an easy mango marinade are a delicious way to prep your lunchesView Post

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