10 Best Ingredients to Have on Hand for Meal Prep
Stock your pantry, fridge, and freezer with these essentials.
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There are countless reasons why you might want to meal prep. Among them is saving time during a busy week to have a quick work lunch or an easy weeknight dinner ready to go ahead of time. Then there's the money saving aspect! When you prep your meals in advance, you don't have to spend extra money ordering takeout or eating out at a restaurant. And lastly, meal prep is the important for a healthier lifestyle because you're in control of how you're fueling your body.
Of meal prep recipes, "the possibilities are endless" Ree Drummond says. The key is to have a stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer with the right types of foods on hand so you're ready to go. Of course, that's easier said than done. But if you start with these ten best ingredients to have for meal prep, you'll be off to a great start. Then just make sure you've got your spice jars full, along with your favorite oils and condiments where they're easy to reach.
Ahead, you'll find plenty of ingredients you can batch cook in advance and then just assemble in various ways to always keep dinner interesting. They're also the basis of so many freezer-friendly soups and easy casserole recipes that you can pull out and reheat when you're ready to eat. And of course, they'll also help you whip up plenty of healthy dinner ideas without sacrificing flavor. So stock up and get ready to meal prep like a pro!
It's smart to know substitutes, too:
Lean Proteins
If you want to batch cook a bunch of meat ahead of time and be able to use it for countless meals, here are two easy suggestions. First, poach chicken breasts, which you can then mix into salads, soups, or anything that calls for store-bought rotisserie chicken. Another great idea is pulled pork, which can make sandwiches, tacos, and dozens of other recipes.
Grains and Pasta
It's smart to have your favorite grains on hand like brown rice as an easy side dish or make a big batch and use the leftovers for days. And let's be honest, dried pasta is essential. "If I were stranded on a desert island and could choose only one category of food to eat the rest of my life, I’d pick pasta hands down," Ree says. Pasta dishes are one of the easiest, most satisfying meals.
Fresh Vegetables
Have hearty vegetables prepped in advance. You can slice them up as a snack with hummus, dice for a salad recipe, or start any number of hearty dinners. Even if you just have the mirepoix basics on hand―onions, carrots, and celery―you'll be able to make some of the best soup recipes. (Seriously, everything you need for chicken noodle soup is in this list!)
Cheese
You'd be very hard pressed to find comfort food on this site without some cheese in it. It's the easiest way to get picky kids to eat their vegetables or whip up quesadillas. Buy it in blocks or make like easier with the pre-shredded kind. Which ones should you have on hand? Parmesan, cheddar, and mozzarella are a great place to start.
Canned Beans
Dried beans are also great, of course, but canned beans let you skip the whole process of soaking them overnight. All you need to do is drain and rinse and you're ready to go! Make Ree's 7-Can Soup with just five minutes of prep. Chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, white beans―they're an easy source of protein and add flavor and texture.
Eggs
Eggs are incredibly versatile because not only are they an important ingredient in recipes, they are in fact a meal all on their own! Make egg recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner (and of course, save a few for making dessert). Hard-boiled eggs in particular are meal prep superstars because they're already in little packages ready to tote along with you.
Canned Tomatoes
Want to whip up an Italian dinner this week like a big batch of bolognese? You need canned tomatoes. Want to make Ree's popular taco soup or half of her chili recipes? You need canned tomatoes. While you can absolutely buy whole, peeled tomatoes, cans of diced tomatoes are more universal and cook faster. Plus, they take years to expire so don't worry about having too many.
Frozen Vegetables
Yes, vegetables come up twice on this list. That's because if you don't have time to run to the store often or they aren't in season, frozen vegetables can save the day! The easiest ones to have on hand are corn, peas, and spinach because you can actually find a ton of recipes that call for them over fresh. Bonus: The first two cook so fast that you often don't even have to defrost them.
Fresh Fruit
Like fresh vegetables, having your favorite fruit available makes breakfast and snack time a cinch. That's because most of them can be transported and eaten as is (think: apples, oranges, bananas) or mixed in with any number of sweet or savory dishes. Top your favorite baked oatmeal or overnight oats that you make in advance. You can also pre-portion them and use them for smoothies!
Broth or Stock
You can absolutely make your own or just have a carton or cans of the store-bought stuff ready to go. While you can make a soup in a snap, there are so many ways that chicken broth can transform into another make-ahead meal. It can deglaze a pan, braise a big piece of meat, or help start a sauce. Depending on your eating habits, consider having the beef, chicken, or veggie variety on hand.
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