January 2024

Another tip for more manageable meal prepping
is to chop and freeze your vegetables. Chopping
vegetables can take a lot of time, so preparing
them before can help reduce food waste due to
rot and save you a few extra minutes.1 There are
four methods one can use when meal prepping:
make-ahead meals, batch cooking, meals for
one, and ingredient prep.2 Look at your schedule
and find one that will fit best into your life.
Remember to buy staple ingredients in bulk like
rice, pasta, beans, and oats as it is more
affordable and has a long shelf life.3 Reach for
frozen fruits and vegetables because buying fresh
can increase your grocery bill. Frozen fruit and
vegetables are versatile in recipes and have a
longer shelf life compared to buying fresh.3
When choosing proteins look for the more
affordable options. These proteins include:
chicken thighs, canned tuna, eggs, and tofu.3
Plan your meals around your local grocery
store’s weekly sale to reduce food costs.3Some
meals are easier to prepare and freeze for later
consumption. Some ideas include: Chicken, beef,
or vegetarian chili, lasagna, baked ziti, calzones,
chicken cacciatore, quiche, and enchiladas.4
Another idea for easy meal prep is to prepare
one-pot meals because they require less dishes
and are quick to clean up.4Keep a collection
of seasonings and spices to create a variety of
flavor in your meals.4 When it comes to
preparing snacks choose more high fiber
foods. Some food that fit in this category
would be beans like edamame and chickpeas,
vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, and
fruits like raspberries and pears. Two trendy
ideas are to make roasted chickpeas or
seasoned edamame with chili powder or
pepper flakes.5 Food that absorbs water help
you to feel fuller for longer periods. This
happens by slowing down the processing of
carbohydrates. Chia seeds and seaweed are
two options that are hydrophilic. You can add
chia seeds to your yogurt and eat seaweed in
musubi.5 Foods rich in protein can also be
very filling as well. Three protein rich foods to
snack include cottage cheese, greek yogurt,
and nut butters. You can snack on greek
yogurt with fruits and seeds, nut butter with
whole wheat crackers, apple slices, and celery,
and cottage cheese with fruits or nuts.5 I hope
that this guide can be a good starting point for
researching meal prep. There are many
websites that have meal prep information and
recipe ideas. Wishing you the best of luck on
your meal prep journey!
References
1. Ando A. 9 Meal Prepping Tips For College Students. Honest Food Talks website. Updated October 30, 2021. Accessed November 26, 2023. https://www.honestfoodtalks.com/basic-meal-prepping-tips-college/
2. Carr C. The Ultimate Cheap & Easy Meal Prep Guide For Students. Universal Student Living website. Published August 8, 2022. Accessed November 26, 2023. https://www.universalstudentliving.com/blog/the-ultimate-cheap-easy-meal-prep-guide-for-students
3. Curry K. 48 College Meal Prep Ideas for Students. Fit Men Cook website. Published October 4, 2023. Updated November 20, 2023. Accessed November 26, 2023. https://fitmencook.com/blog/college-meal-prep-ideas-for-students/
4. Grand Canyon University writer. The Essential Guide to Meal Prep for College Students. Grand Canyon University website. Published May 15, 2023. Accessed November 26, 2023. https://www.gcu.edu/blog/gcu-experience/essential-guide-meal-prep-collegestudents
5. Kaiser Permanente writer. Snack hacks: Eat healthy at home or on the go. Kaiser Permanente website. Published March 29, 2023. Accessed November 26, 2023. https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/georgia/health-wellness/healtharticle.
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