We’ve been there: skipping off to the grocery store, armed with five-day menus and visions of becoming meal-prep pros—only to see that most of the fresh food we’ve bought can’t last the week without becoming susceptible to wilt, mold, and sketchy odors.
Depending on how you go about it, meal planning can be the bane of your existence or your weekly lifesaver. And while it does require a bit of thinking in advance, we’re all about helping you make it the latter with easy ideas to save both time and money. The first step is to choose food items that can keep for more than just a couple of days once prepped.
Get started with this handy guide of 19 foods, from pulses to produce to proteins, that will last at least four days once prepped, including bonus tips to keep them in the best condition possible throughout the week. (Want more recipes and tips? Check out our super-simple meal-prep guide.)
. Eggs
Meal-Prep Method: Living up to their nickname, the incredible edibles can be prepped in several ways that last you through the week. Hard-boil and store them in the fridge, with shells still on, in their original cartons to use in lunchtime salads or sandwiches. Turn a dozen of them into a giant frittata for an easy dinner option on busy nights, or individual egg muffins to have as a portable breakfast through the work week.
Bonus Tip: When hard-boiling eggs, refrain from peeling them until you need them so that they keep for the full week. However you prepare your egg, protect them from absorbing smells and flavors from other foods in the fridge by keeping them in separate cartons or airtight containers.
2. Lentils and Other Pulses
Meal-Prep Method: No clue what we mean by pulses? We’re talking about the edible seeds in the legume family. So yes, lentils are a pulse, and so are chickpeas, dry peas, kidney beans, pinto beans, etc. And they are perfect for meal prep.
While opening a can of precooked lentils is convenient, the dried variety is so much more cost-efficient and doesn’t require presoaking like beans. Add 1 cup of dried lentils to 1 1/2 cups of water or broth and a pinch of salt (throw in a clove of garlic or some herbs to add even more subtle flavor), and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 20 to 30 minutes and let stand before packing the lentils into sealed containers. Toss them into salads, soups, and rice dishes, or simply drizzle them with your favorite dressing and eat plain. This Mediterranean Lentil Salad is really all you need for lunch this week, times five.
Bonus Tip: When storing the lentils (or other pulses), fill the containers with the cooking water to keep them from drying out when you’re not using them. They’ll last up to a full week this way.
3. Ground Meat
Meal-Prep Method: Warm up a skillet, then add the meat, cooking it until it’s evenly browned. Once cooled, pack three-ounce portions into several airtight containers. Like chicken, ground meat won’t last longer than four days in the fridge, so pack anything you’ll use after day four into freezer bags, squeezing out as much air as possible before sealing and freezing. Use the meat for pasta sauce, tacos, and casseroles.
Bonus Tip: Ground meat lasts longer cooked than raw, so be sure to remove it from the store packaging and cook it as soon as possible once you’ve brought it home. Make your frozen ground meat last longer by thawing it in the fridge rather than a microwave—doing so will keep the meat safe to use for an additional two days.
4. Chicken
Meal-Prep Method: Coat your meat in a tablespoon or two of oil, season it, and bake in a 360-degree oven for about 30 minutes. To keep things interesting, season half your chicken one way and use a different set of flavorings for the other half. Once baked, let it cool slightly, then divide three-ounce cuts into multiple airtight containers. Since cooked chicken can’t quite last the full week in the fridge, cut up anything you’ll use after day four and place in individual freezer bags. Then freeze until it’s time to eat.
Bonus Tip: Chicken breasts may be the leanest, but for meal-prep purposes, thighs may be a better bet; their slightly higher fat content means they won’t become as dry in the fridge, plus they’re cheaper! Remember that it’s safest to reheat chicken only once, so warm up only the amount you plan to eat. Chicken is best reheated the way it was cooked, so spread the pieces on a cookie sheet, cover with aluminum foil, and place in a preheated 450-degree oven for about 10 minutes.
5. Brown Rice
Meal-Prep Method: Rinse one cup of short-grain brown rice in cold water. Add the rice to one and a half cups of boiling water and cook for about 30 minutes, covered. Let it sit for another 10 minutes before opening and fluffing with a fork. Cool, then store in shallow, airtight containers. You should get about five half-cup servings.
Bonus Tip: Cooked brown rice will keep for about five days in the fridge. To make it taste fresher, reheat only the portion you need for a given meal during the week. For speedy reheating, place the rice in a microwave-safe dish, sprinkle some water over the top, and cover the dish with a wet paper towel. Nuke on high heat until the rice is back to its steamy, springy self.
6. Quinoa
Meal-Prep Method: Rinse one cup of quinoa, then place it in a pot with two cups of water and a pinch of salt. Boil, then cover and reduce the heat, simmering for about 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Let it sit for five minutes before fluffing with a fork. Cool, then store in airtight containers. You should get about six half-cup servings.
Bonus Tip: Make quinoa last longer and taste even better by reheating it on the stovetop; add about two tablespoons of water for every cup of quinoa, plus a teaspoon of olive oil, and heat it in a pot for 10 minutes until it’s warmed through and fluffy.
7. Oatmeal
Meal-Prep Method: Have breakfast half-ready all week long by simmering one and a half cups of steel-cut oats in four cups of water and a pinch of salt for three minutes before turning off the heat. Once the mixture comes to room temperature, place the oatmeal in an airtight container. You should get about five servings.
Bonus Tip: Save even more time in the morning by packing the oatmeal into five individual containers and adding your favorite mix-ins. Before heading out the door, add a splash of water or milk to one jar, and reheat in the microwave—or just eat cold for the easiest overnight oats ever!