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.)