Food Prep for People Who Hate Food Prep

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Let’s be honest, not everyone enjoys food prep. The idea of spending hours in the kitchen chopping, cooking, portioning and storing can feel overwhelming, especially when you’ve already got a busy week ahead.

I used to feel the same way, until I realised food prep doesn’t have to mean perfectly packed identical meals in containers. For me, it’s about doing a little bit in advance so that the week feels easier, not stricter.

This approach has helped us avoid last minute takeaways, save money, and still eat proper, home cooked meals without the daily stress.

Start With a Rough Plan

You don’t need a full meal plan, but it really helps to have a general idea of what you might want to eat throughout the week.

Just knowing things like
you’ll probably have chicken a couple of times
maybe fish once or twice
something quick with mince one day

That alone makes a big difference and stops that “there’s nothing to eat” feeling that leads straight to ordering out.

My Go To Simple Prep System

This is what I usually do, nothing fancy, just a few basics that can be mixed and matched.

Marinate your protein

I’ll marinate enough chicken thighs or breast fillets for at least two to three meals. I keep the base marinade quite simple so I can switch it up later in the week depending on what I feel like.

If I’m having fish, I’ll plan for it separately. If it’s one type of fish, I usually only prep enough for one to two meals max so it stays fresh.

Cook some mince in advance

I fry off some minced meat with basic spices and keep it ready in the fridge. This is one of the easiest shortcuts because you can turn it into almost anything. Keema, pasta, wraps, rice dishes, you name it.

Make a roast veg sauce base

This is a staple in my house. I roast a tray of vegetables, usually red peppers, carrots, onions and garlic. If I have extras like celery, I’ll throw that in too.

I don’t add salt or spices at this stage. I keep it plain so I can change the flavour throughout the week depending on what I’m making.

Once roasted, I blitz it into a sauce. I keep some in the fridge for the next few days and freeze the rest to use later.

This one base can turn into pasta sauce, soup, curry base, or even something to pour over grilled meat.

I’ll be honest, I’ve “cheated” many times by using this as a base for chicken curries, and it still turns out really good. It actually feels like a win because you know you’re getting extra vegetables in without even thinking about it, and the flavour still works.

Prep your carbs

I keep this very simple.

Cook some pasta and drizzle a bit of olive oil so it doesn’t stick
Make a big pot of white rice
If you like, you can also prep bulgur pilaf or quinoa

Having these ready means meals come together in minutes instead of feeling like a full cooking session every time.

If You Want to Go a Step Further

If you’ve got the space and energy, you can prep a bit more.

Wash and chop salad items but keep the dressing separate until you’re ready to eat
Chop onions in advance if you can store them well without the smell taking over

These small steps save more time than you realise during the week.

Keep It Flexible, Not Boring

The key to not getting bored is keeping your base flavours simple and adjusting as you go.

You can switch things up easily
add honey if you want something sweeter
add chillies if you want heat
add oregano and peri peri sauce for a Nando’s style flavour

Then just pair it with whatever you feel like that day.

Wrap it in a tortilla
Stir fry rice with veg
Make keema fried rice
Throw together a quick bolognese style pasta with your pre cooked mince
Serve grilled chicken with bulgur
Make a chicken pasta with your veg sauce
Turn that same veg sauce into a soup with some bread on the side

Once your basics are ready, you’ve got options. You just need to be a bit inventive.

A Few Extra Tips

Don’t try to prep everything, just focus on the things that take the longest
Store things in clear containers so you actually remember what you have
Freeze anything you won’t use in a few days
Clean as you go on prep day so it doesn’t feel like a huge task

Why Sunday Works for Us

We usually do this on a Sunday, and it sets us up for the week ahead.

It doesn’t mean we never cook during the week, but it takes away the pressure. Most meals come together quickly because the hard part is already done.

And most importantly, it helps us stay consistent. We’re far less likely to fall back on takeaway when we know we’ve already got good food ready to go.

Food prep doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to make your life easier.

Do you have any tips or tricks that works for your family? I’d love to hear from you!