5 Meal Prep Solutions You Probably Haven't Thought Of Yet

Prepping for lunch and dinner has never been easier.

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February 04, 2020

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Chicken teriyaki stir fry meal prep lunch box containers with broccoli, rice and carrots

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Chicken teriyaki stir fry meal prep lunch box containers with broccoli, rice and carrots

Photo by: wmaster890/Getty Images

wmaster890/Getty Images

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If your goals for 2020 include saving money or practicing better eating habits, mastering the art of a sturdy meal prep routine can certainly help. And while meal prepping might sound great in theory, it can easily wind up being a time-consuming and daunting task.

Despite tips from experts that cover everything from prep shortcuts to portion control, even the most solid of meal prep planning can go astray. To mitigate even more potential issues, here are five solutions you can use now to make your next meal prep experience go as smoothly as possible.

Order Meal Components Online

If dedicating hours to cooking doesn’t sound like your ideal Sunday activity, there are solutions that can help cut back on time. Rastelli’s Meatball Box of pre-cooked meatballs takes care of the main component of your dish, so all you have to worry about are the sides and sauce. The box includes beef, turkey and organic chicken meatballs, so you can say goodbye to eating the same thing every night of the week. Serve them with pasta and your favorite jarred sauce for a comforting dinner, or pack them up with roasted veggies for a low-carb lunch. New customers can use the code FOODNETWORK25 to get 25% off until March 31.

Make Breakfast a No-Brainer

$19.99

Hardboiled eggs are a surefire way to get your protein fix in the morning, and the Dash Rapid Egg Cooker makes prepping enough eggs for the week beyond easy. Make a week's worth of hard-boiled eggs for breakfast or turn them into homemade egg salad for meat-free lunches. To really make breakfast simple, opt for a no-cooking-needed option. Add a package of hard-boiled eggs to your virtual shopping cart, and eat them at your desk for an easy, nourishing start to your day!

Take Full Advantage of Your Instant Pot

$99.95

The Instant Pot is a kitchen workhorse, especially when it comes to meal prepping large batches of food for the week. But even if you planned ahead, there are still the inevitable nights where you are in a pinch. For those nights, Tyson recently released a selection of three fully-prepped Instant Pot Kits that are perfect for keeping in the freezer when you need a quick meal. According to the brand, you drop the whole kit into your Instant Pot for ready-to-eat results in 20 minutes.

Invest in Proper Food Storage

$12.99

This innovative set of food-storage containers are equipped with crisping trays and vents, designed to lock out moisture, cycle in oxygen and keep fruits and veggies fresher, longer. So, instead of running to the grocery store for fresh produce every two days (or throwing it out when it goes bad), you can use this Rubbermaid set to keep your fridge stocked with your favorite produce. A set comes with three containers in different sizes that are all BPA-free and dishwasher-safe.

Use a Sheet Pan to Cook Everything at Once

$28.99

Cut back on cleanup time and cook everything on the same pan. Use a sheet pan to prep a week's worth of your favorite protein (like pork chops, caprese chicken, or shrimp scampi), or use one to make a complete dinner (like this steakhouse-worthy meal for two!).

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