Meal prep has become an essential part of our week, and such a good habit I encourage you to get into. We cook most nights; one because we love to cook; two because it's healthier; three because it's more economical. And because we both work from home, that means breakfasts and lunches are also at home and we need to have ingredients on hand for fast meals.
If youâre trying to save time, eat healthier, or cut back on takeout or eating out, having a meal prep grocery list is key to keeping things simple and following through on really cooking and eating at home more.
I used to love going grocery shopping, but since COVID we started ordering groceries for delivery and I'm never turning back. What used to take 2 to 3 hours out of my weekend has been consolidated into max 10 minutes of shopping from my phone.
We also keep our cart stocked with standard items we always useâlike bananas, eggs, and milkâso theyâre ready to reorder every week. Then, we review the cart, removing anything we donât need to restock just yet and double check what we already have on hand. This way, our essentials and any meal-specific ingredients are sorted in no time. The whole process quick and easy.
Every Monday starts with a grocery delivery from Amazon Fresh and Costco, so we are set for the week and donât need to make any last minute, crowded, long-line grocery store runs, or unhealthy expensive take-out that inevitably take more time to order and receive than if we had just cooked (and I'm guaranteed to have analysis paralysis trying to order in the moment).
5 tips to make meal prep easier
When youâre a busy mom, the last thing you want to do is spend precious weeknight hours staring into the fridge, wondering what to cook. Thatâs where a solid meal prep grocery list comes in to save things. Having a plan (and the right ingredients) means fewer last minute trips to the store, less takeout guilt, less mental load for winging meals on the spot or having “what's for supper” loom in your head all day, and more time to actually enjoy dinner with your family.
Iâve learned that a little prep on the front end makes my week feel way more manageable. Knowing exactly what to stock up on and what meals we'll be having saves so much time and energy. And these tips have made meal prep less stressful and way more doable. Here's what works for me:
My go-to hacks for my meal prep grocery list
1. Shortcut recipes that require chicken with rotisserie chickens from Costco/Whole Foods.
2. Get the kids involved: place a bunch of recipes on notecards (here is some inspiration) including the recipe name, ingredients and online source (not actual directions), and every Sunday pick 3 to 4 out. If your kids are old enough, you can even have them make an art project out of this with XL notecards.
3. Schedule time to meal prep. On Monday evenings after the kids go to bed, clean, chop, roast anything you can to get ahead of the week for breakfasts, lunches and dinners. If you WFH, take 20 minutes during lunch to prep for that nightâs dinner. Your 6 PM self will thank you.
4. Bowls are life. Batch roast a ton of vegetables and some sort of protein (chicken or fish) with simple flavors (salt, pepper, garlic, lemon). Then night of, reheat them, put them on top of some sort of grain, sprinkle on nuts or seeds and prep a super flavorful sauce (lemon tahini, sticky ginger soy, avocado goddess, BBQ, thai red curry).
5. Always keep these stocked: spices (salt, pepper, cumin, ginger, oregano, chili), everything bagel seasoning, good olive oil, olive oil spray, sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, rice wine vinegar, fresh minced garlic, dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, honey, maple syrup, soy sauce, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes, chicken bone broth, quinoa (love the Seeds of Change microwaveable options) or red rice, long grain white rice, peanut butter, almond butter, seeds (chia, sesame, hemp, sunflower), nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pine nuts), Soda Stream.
My meal prep grocery list
We purchase groceries weekly for 3 adults (Jason, myself and our au pair), and 2 toddlers.
Produce
- Grapes
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Apples or pears
- Lemons (my parents have an incredible Meyer lemon tree that produces all year round so we never have to buy these)
- Avocados
- Cocktail Cucumbers
- Shiitake Mushrooms
- Kale (lacinato or Tuscan)
- Romaine Hearts or Arugula
- Mini peppers
- Grape tomatoes
- Carrots
- Onions
- Cauliflower or Broccoli or Green Beans or Brussels Sprouts
Dairy, meat & eggs
- Pasture raised eggs (we only buy pasture raised – google âpasture raised vs. cage freeâ and youâll see why)
- Whole milk (for Caden)
- Unsweetened Almond milk
- Icelandic Yogurt (I prefer Icelandic Provisions over Siggis)
- Stonyfield Organic Yogurt pouches
- Sargento Cheese Ultra Thin Slices
- Cheese Snack Sticks or Babybel (no string cheese)
- Gruyere Cheese (fun fact: no lactose)
- Pecorino Cheese (also no lactose)
- Rotisserie Chicken
- Chicken Breast or Fish (salmon, sea bass or tuna)
- Ground Turkey
- Turkey Deli Meat
Pantry goods
- English muffins (we go through so many of these)
- Flour tortillas
- Garbanzo beans
- Annieâs macaroni and cheese
- Pasta (Mezzi Rigatoni, Ziti, Mini Farfalle, Celentani, Rotini, Orecchiette)
- Applesauce pouches
- Natureâs Bakery Fig Bars
- Teddy Grahams
- Mini sandwich peanut butter crackers
Meal prep doesnât have to feel overwhelming, and with a solid meal prep grocery list ready to go, it can actually simplify your busy week. It's nice when a little planning and prepping goes a long way.
And if youâre looking for more meal ideas and inspiration, donât miss my blog on the best pregnancy meal plan to find some delicious, nutrient dense breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, along with the essential ingredients you need to prioritize during pregnancy. And for those in the postpartum season, Iâve got you covered with a guide to make-ahead meals to freeze for new momsâperfect for those early days when cooking is the last thing on your mind.
Are there any items you always include in your grocery list or meal prep tips? Iâd love to hear them! Leave a comment or come follow along on IG and send a DM my way.
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