15 food prep tasks to do on Sunday

It’s time to take your meal planning routine to the next level! Add a few of these simple food prep tasks to your weekly plan and save tons of time during the week.

After making a grocery list and shopping every Sunday, I set aside some time to do a few food prep tasks. These simple tasks ensure that not only will I stick to the meal plan, but I won’t have to spend too much time in the kitchen on weeknights to make it happen.

All too often, I start the week with a great plan but then am so worn out by 5 p.m. that the idea of spending an hour in the kitchen sounds awful. Or worse, I skip lunch because it takes too long to make something.

Since I have more flexible time on the weekends, I’ve added a few tasks to do after I unload the groceries from shopping on Sunday. My favorites are below.

You don’t have to do all of them, or even do the same ones every week. Decide which ones make sense for your schedule and will save you the most time later.

Food prep tasks

Supper prep for faster weeknights

• Trim chicken breasts and portion for meals. You can even add a marinade or other ingredients. Be sure to label the package so you use it for the right meal.
• Divide meat {of any type} into meal portions and freeze what won’t be eaten before it expires. I try to stock up on meat when it’s on sale or manager’s special so that I always have a few meals’ worth in the freezer.
• Wash and chop vegetables for supper. Ingredients that I use almost every night, like onions, can be chopped in bulk and refrigerated for a few days or frozen.
• Batch cook foods that reheat well, like rice, dried beans, and sauces.
• Grate cheese. I’ve found that a 2-pound block is much cheaper than pre-shredded and lasts just as long, if not longer.
• Toast leftover bread heels and grind them in the food processor. Allow to cool before storing in a glass jar for homemade breadcrumbs.

Lunch prep and make-ahead snacks

• Pre-cook and pack ingredients that can be used all week in lunches. For example, if I cook a couple of diced chicken breasts just seasoned with salt and pepper, I can toss some on a salad on Monday, combine with veggies for stir-fry on Tuesday, and put in a wrap on Thursday. {Or for those who don’t mind eating the same thing a few times in a row, a week of salads.}
• Chop raw vegetables that can be eaten with dip or hummus. My favorites are carrots, broccoli, and bell pepper strips.
• Make a batch of hummus or your favorite dip.
• Make a batch of homemade granola bars.
• Portion bulk snacks, like applesauce or pretzel sticks, into individual containers for grab-and-go.
• Boil eggs. They can be used in tuna salad, chicken salad, or eaten on their own.

Breakfast prep for beyond boxed cereal

• Cut fresh fruit and wash berries.
• Portion smoothie ingredients in glass jars.
• Make a double batch of waffles, muffins, or breakfast burritos.

Even just adding one or two of these tasks to your Sunday prep routine will make a difference. Focus on the area where you feel like you need the most help. And of course, this can be done on whatever day you meal plan and shop.

By the way, I use these exact containers to store my food. I love them because you can see what’s inside and they’re microwave and dishwasher safe.