101 Meal Prep Tips from Successful Weight Watchers

I received a question last week from a reader who has been following me for a while, but wanted to know more about what I meant when I said that "I do a little meal prep on the weekend."

Good question!

Meal prep can mean different things to different people.

So in this post I'll share:

1. My Meal Prep Tips
2. Meal Prep Tips from Simple Nourished Living Readers
3. Meal Prep Tips from Around the Web

1. My Favorite Meal Prep Tips For Weight Loss

When I say, "I do a little meal prep on the weekend," it kind of depends on what I have planned for dinner the upcoming week. The first step is to give some thought to what you will cook.

PLAN OUT YOUR MENU

Over the weekend, plan your weekly menu, make a grocery list and get your shopping done. Shopping from a list will help you avoid those unhealthy impulse purchases.

And having a plan mapped out will help you avoid the the temptation of takeout and other less healthy last minute options.

If you need a little inspiration here are some of my Weight Watchers Friendly Weekly Meal Plans that might help.

Basically, "meal prep" just means doing things ahead to make cooking easier during the week.

As far as I'm concerned the name of the game is meal prep! Having good-for-you food ready and waiting is a savvy way to make sure you don't opt for unhealthy choices when you're tired and hungry.

Making it a priority to invest some time in the kitchen on Saturday or Sunday will pay off big time with your weekly weigh-ins. Here are some tips worth trying:

PREP YOUR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Chop up vegetables and place them in mason jars (affiliate link) or baggies so they are ready to go for salads or other recipes when you need them.

We're much more likely to cook and eat our fruits and vegetables when they're washed, chopped and ready to go.

They're also great to have on hand to snack on when you get hungry.

And if it's easier, opt for ready-to-go options whenever it makes sense. I love bags of already washed greens and baby carrots.

PREP YOUR MORNING MEAL

Breakfast is an important meal, but for many of us, morning cooking is nearly impossible. So, get breakfast ready over the weekend.

Hard-boil some eggs, make a batch of skinny omelet muffins or big pot of oatmeal or pan of baked oatmeal that can be refrigerated and quickly reheated in a few seconds.

One of my quick and easy go-to breakfasts for summer is cottage cheese and fruit. When your fruit is already prepped, this can be ready in under a minute.

PREP AND PACK YOUR SNACKS

Planned snacks can help manage your hunger levels and prevent you from going overboard at mealtime.

On Sunday, spend a few minutes prepping your snacks for the week ahead. To keep things simple, plan to eat the same thing daily.

Easy good-for-you options include veggies, fruits, hard-boiled eggs, cheese sticks, popcorn and nuts. Pack them in little portion-controlled containers or bags so they're ready to grab and go.

THINK INGREDIENTS INSTEAD OF MEALS

You don't need to cook entire meals ahead of time. Instead, think about what will save you the most time and energy during the week and focus on just making those things.

Boil some eggs, for a quick grab-and-go breakfast or snack.

Sauté lean ground beef or turkey so it's ready for tacos or casseroles.

You can also grill chicken or toss it into the slow cooker and use it as a salad topper or main dish.

Another super-easy option is to buy a rotisserie chicken, remove all the skin and bones and portion it out in small plastic containers or bags so it's ready to use in salads, sandwiches or other recipes that might call for "cooked chicken."

Roast a big batch of vegetables over the weekend. That way you have a healthy, delicious side every night of the week no matter how busy you are.

Of course, you could steam, saute or grill them if you prefer, or slow cook a pot of beans.

MAKE FREEZER FRIENDLY MEALS

Make healthy meals that freeze and reheat easily. Turkey meatballs, lentil soup, chilis, stews, casseroles and sauces are all good freezer friendly options.

This way you can reach for a homemade meal instead of calling for takeout when you're too tire or busy to cook.

STOCK HEALTHY CONDIMENTS

Keep tasty, healthy condiments on hand including salsa, olive oil, flavored vinegar, lemon, soy sauce, fresh ginger, hot sauce, seasoning blends and fresh parmesan cheese.

The flavor variety keeps your food interesting and makes it simple to turn just about anything into an exciting, healthy meal in minutes.

2. MORE MEAL PREP IDEAS FOR WEIGHT LOSS FROM READERS

"Freeze fruits like fresh strawberries, bananas, etc., so you can make healthy smoothies to take with you. They'll be healthier and cheaper than buying them out."

"I usually cook a whole pound of rice or spaghetti at once. Then I freeze the leftovers in portions for the two of us. It makes a meal faster not to have to cook pasta or rice ahead."

"I cook 2 or 3 cups of brown rice in my rice cooker (affiliate link) and have rice for the week. Since I cook it plain, sometimes I can vary it adding other ingredients like beans or vegetables and it's as good as if it were just cooked."

"Sometimes I have as many as 3 crock pots going at once cooking food ahead. I even bake my sweet potatoes in them, especially when it's hot and I don't want to turn on my oven."

"When I do my shopping I scan my food. When I get home I will trim all fat from my meats, remove skin from any chicken and bones if needed.Then I cut and weigh it all into portions mark it and freeze it. Then I plan each meal making sure I have all the ingredients. My wife and I are both on the program and this makes things so much easier for me, cause she works and I can have a meal ready when she gets home."

"I do a lot of the same. I cook hard boiled eggs. I make a casserole I find on WW online and portion out all week. I cook salmon in the air fryer. I cook a panko breaded chicken breast or two in the air fryer or cook chicken in slow cooker and then shred for use all week. I have string cheese and natural peanut butter for snacks. I cut peppers and onions for stir fry, throwing in chicken or shrimp. I spiralize zucchini and cook it with a little whole wheat spaghetti and then save it for a week, adding Parmesan and marinara or basil or dried tomato pesto."

"So many easy ways to do it. I make out my shopping list Fri evening and shop Sat morning. Usually don't cook until Sun a.m. It's just me, so I try not to buy too much. You know, since Jan I've lost 25 pounds!"

"When I make a risotto I prepare 2 or 3 times as much meat and veg as I need. I chop and soften it all with herbs, then put the portions I don’t need that day in the freezer. Another time, I defrost, add arborio rice or pearl barley and stock and go."

"My biggest meal prep is planning the entrees for the entire week, which of course is your first step. But once I have that done, the other stuff just falls into place."

"Here in Ontario Canada, where we have the highest hydro rates in all of North America, our rates are lower on Saturday and Sunday. Usually I take advantage of that and make double batches of recipes, both meals and baking. Since there's only two of us here, and we don't mind eating something we like twice in a week, I portion it out and freeze the rest. That way, I may even get away with cooking only two weekends a month! Bonus!"

"I make breakfast sandwiches on the weekend. I bake a 8x8-inch pan of Egg Beaters (9 servings) at 350 for about 20 minutes. I buy the large package of light Multi-grain English Muffins (9 in a pack) and place one serving of eggs, one slice of Canadian bacon and one slice of cheese on each muffin. Wrap in tin foil. I keep 5 for one week in the refrigerator and freeze 4 in a bag also in foil. Take the next bag out at least the night before you use them. Microwave (affiliate link) for 1:30. Voila!"

"Love your site! I'm a mindful (now) snacker and a helpful thing for my planning is, when I bring home a bag of healthy popcorn, popchips, etc. I measure out my portion size into a baggie, then all the baggies go back in the main bag, so when I reach in, I can walk away (from the bag or taking the bag w/me) with a controlled happy-making portion! So works for me!"

"We roast a bunch of bite-size root vegetables in the oven or on the grill with canola oil and spices (fennel seed, turmeric, rosemary, thyme, other herbs). These are delish warm (and even cold). They warm up beautifully in the microwave (affiliate link). I have them as a side for lunch or dinner. I even have them for breakfast by using eggs to make a frittata."

"We roast new potatoes, purple potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, beets etc. Delish & easy!"

"I usually either boil or grill boneless chicken and use that for the week."

"My meal prep to do list includes:

• Cook Greek chicken in the Crockpot and assemble my Greek Salad Mason Jars (affiliate link)
• Cut up celery and carrots
• Boil eggs
• Cook turkey taco dinner (brown ground turkey and then add 1 can of tomatoes and 1 packet of taco seasoning to the meat)
• Bake sweet potatoes
• Make hummus

*We always have salmon on Sunday for dinner with leftovers for Monday

*I buy a cooked chicken and remove all the meat so that I have a container of chicken for salads, sandwiches or sometimes dinner

*I cut up red peppers, cucumbers and mushrooms.

*I buy romaine lettuce and wash and cut it up for salads. I return it to the bags that it came in so it is easy to access.

*I buy pre-cooked chicken bacon and Applegate chicken and sage sausages to have with Eggbeaters or soft-boiled eggs in the morning.

*I buy my fruit already cut up. Costs a little more but I like the convenience.

*I buy cashews and make up ¼ cup servings for the week.

*I buy Low Sodium Ham and Alpine Lace reduced fat swiss cheese.

*I buy one can of tuna to have in a salad or sandwich.

*I always have a box of Dr. Praeger's Veggie Burger's in the freezer so if I find I have no leftovers, I can make something quick instead of ordering in.

*I keep Pita bread, Arnold Select Rounds and Whole Grain Rye bread in the freezer. I only take out the amount I plan to eat that week.

*I make at least one dish on the weekend, usually in my Ninja Cooking System (crock pot) which I divide into the number of portions the recipe indicates. Sometimes I also make a meat loaf. I leave out two portions and freeze the rest.

*All the frozen meals in the refrigerator have a label telling me what it is.

3. MEAL PREP IDEAS FOR WEIGHT LOSS FROM AROUND THE WEB

Here's a great video from Weight Watchers on How to Meal Prep for the Entire Week:

Plan for times you know are difficult for you: If you know you're famished right before making dinner, wash five apples so you can bring one each day to nosh on around 4 p.m.

Plan for cravings: Don't ignore cravings for sweet, salty, or crunchy foods. Plan out healthy, low-cal ways to satisfy them such as making a batch of cookies keep in the freezer for after dinner.

Make ahead mason jar salads for lunch. So easy since they keep well for five days in the fridge.

Freeze things in muffin tins: Options like mini meatloaves, baked oatmeal muffin cups, or make ahead omelet muffins that only need a quick warming are great to have when you're short on time.

Overnight oats: Make all five of your overnight oats at once. Then, before you go to bed, grab a jar and add a little maple syrup and milk.

Beans and whole grains: Make a big batch of beans in the crockpot and cook up one or two cups of dry brown rice, quinoa, millet, or barley. Freeze in one-cup servings to grab for meals later.

Crockpot love: For colder days, cook up a big batch of crockpot oatmeal or slow-cooker chickpea curry. Store in one- or two-cup glass containers to use for a week's worth of breakfast or lunch.

Plan one meal to indulge: This will prevent you from feeling deprived and can be just the thing you need to feel good about eating healthy the rest of the week.

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P.S. - Do You Struggle With Meal Planning?

We all know how important healthy meal planning is to lasting weight loss success. And how frustrating it can be to actually pull-off week after week.

After offering a Bonus Meal Plan with recipes and grocery list as part of my Slow Cook Yourself Slim eCookbook Bundle, I got tons of requests for more. So I assembled this Meal Plan eBook, to make meal planning a breeze. It provides you with a month (four weeks) of meal plans with WW friendly recipes and grocery lists!

"Just wanted you to know that I bought these meal plans this morning and two hours later I made the frittata, which was delicious! This is just what I've been needing.  We tried Blue Apron, but they are high calorie. Your idea for this is fabulous. I'll definitely advertise at my meeting." - Susan

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