What first comes to mind when it comes to vegan meal prepping? Is it saving money and achieving your health goals or is it eating boring repetitive meals for a week straight?
Meal prepping can get a bad rap but there are so many benefits if it is done the right way! That means making food that is delicious, affordable, and nutritious so that you feel satisfied and nourished. Best of all, you can actually save money and time with a few of the tips and tricks I put together.
If you are looking for ways to make vegan meal prepping more sustainable, keep reading!
Make food you actually like and that tastes good
This one might seem obvious but I have definitely made the mistake of making lifeless food that I then had to eat for the next few days (didn’t want to waste it!). Adding salt and pepper simply did not help. Be sure to be intentional when planning out your meals. Find delish recipes you know you will be looking forward to throughout the week. Your future self will thank you!
You can find recipes for vegan meal prep ideas here!
Focus on whole foods instead of processed
A common misconception is that eating vegan or vegetarian is expensive. There are many ways to look at this but if you eat fake meat and cheese (processed foods), veganism can be not so budget friendly.
One way to reduce costs is to focus on whole foods. Potatoes, rice and frozen vegetables can be very affordable and nutritious! Whole foods also tend to keep better in the fridge rather than processed foods.
I am not trying to demonize processed foods though! I love a good pasta with vegan meatballs. Processed food can offer a lot of flavor and variety to vegan meal prepped food. Just try to not over do it with processed food. It will help your budget in the long run!
Only prep for 4 days max
I am not a food scientist but based on my own taste buds I have noticed that 3 days is ideal and 4 is pushing it in terms of leftovers. Some meal prepped recipes like salads or frozen smoothies will do ok for 4 days but other dishes might start to get soggy.
Be mindful when planning out your meals and if you want to prep for multiple days or even weeks in advance check out the next tip.
Freeze what you don’t use
Don’t be afraid of homemade freezer food! If you made too much for your meal preps this week or you just want to have extra meals prepped for later be sure to freeze some portions.
These extra meals can be helpful for times when you don’t feel like cooking or haven’t been grocery shopping in a while. I highly suggest labeling your frozen containers so you don’t forget what you prepped!
Diversify your meals
One of the major downfalls to meal prepping is how repetitive it can get. I totally get it and I have been less motivated to prep when I knew that meant four of the same dinners for the week.
Try to find ways to add variety to your meals. Maybe some days you can have less of the entree and add a side salad. Or a salad could be turned into a wrap. I like having cornbread prepped to go with veggie chili or fun toppings like avocado and green onions. The sides and toppings add a little zest to your meals. Get creative with it!
Another way to mix things up is to cook two or three different dinners for the week and portion them out. Now this will obviously involve more time and money but it could be beneficial if you freeze half for the next week!
If you are looking for more vegan recipes check out the nourish tab!
Use the right containers
I am all for holding onto plastic containers from food packaging or take out but when it comes to meal prepping I like to put everything in glass. That way when I have my lunch break I can just take off the top and pop it into the microwave.
If you have to take your meals out of your plastic container then transfer it to a microwavable plate you’re wasting time and then have another dish to wash! Keep things simple and just invest in glass containers.
P.S. plastic take out containers can be repurposed as great food storage containers for dry goods! They can also work well to store raw foods like salad or cut up fruit.
Minimize food waste by labeling
Depending on how many meals you are prepping (and for how many people!) your fridge could start to get a little disorganized. To keep things orderly and minimize the likelihood of food being wasted, be sure to label your containers with the date you made the meals.
If your containers aren’t clear you could write the name of the dish or even the day of the week it should be eaten. I like this paper tape from packagefree.com or you can use a dry erase marker!
Carve out time and put meal prepping in your schedule
Most people think of Sundays as the day that works best for meal prepping but do what works best for you and your schedule! The key is to put it on your schedule every week. Carve the time out and stick to it!
At a certain point it will just be a habit and won’t be so hard to remember to do. I like to do both grocery shopping and meal prepping on the same day. Since the habits are paired together, I am able to stay consistent with them.
Prep parts of meals instead of full meals
Instead of prepping full meals, you can prep individual ingredients and then mix and match throughout the week for different recipes. Prepping things like rice, quinoa, raw veggies for snacks and steamed veggies can save time later in the week.
If you really like variety this tip is definitely for you!
Make a plan of recipes, portions etc. based on your needs
Before you head to the grocery store or even pull out your containers, make a plan of the recipes you want to make and how many people you will be feeding. Even if that includes your pet’s meals-no judgment!
In order to feel satisfied from your meals, you need to make sure they are nutritious (and taste good!). I am no doctor or nutritionist so I won’t go too far into detail but make sure there is a good variety of fat, protein and carbs throughout your weekly meal preps.
I like to make sure my meals are nice and colorful because that means they include lots of nutrients and it looks more appetizing than something like rice, broccoli and beans. Blah. Have fun with trying to add as many colors and tastes to dishes as you can through different spices or vegetables you may have never tried before!
When all else fails, buy a small vegan meal prep subscription
There is no shame in quitting and starting something new. If you know meal prepping will simplify your life but can’t quite get it down on your own, consider purchasing a vegan meal prep subscription.
To be fair, they are convenient but this option will be more pricey. Instead of getting a full week of food that is prepped, get a smaller subscription. Maybe on certain days you have to work late and would love fresh meals waiting for you at home. Just get meal preps for those days instead of the whole week.
You can do this! Remember, the goal is to make vegan meal prepping a sustainable part of your weekly routine. In order to keep the habit going you have to enjoy it! Once you get rolling with it you will relish in the benefits of saved money and the convenience of dinner prepared a few days early. Who doesn’t love the sound of that?!
What are some of your favorite recipes to meal prep? Have you found ways to make meal prepping more exciting? Let us know in the comments below! I love learning new vegan meal prepping ideas!
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Stay well,
Maggie
