How-To Stock Your Kitchen for Meal Prep

Coronavirus-related quarantine and social distancing has caused many people to confront their discomfort when it comes to spending time in the kitchen. After watching a YouTube video wherein the protagonist didn't even know what lime zest was and tried to 'zest' the inside of a lime with a potato peeler, I figured a blog post about the basics of grocery shopping for meal preparation was warranted.

I am admittedly NOT a fan of convenience gimmicks like Instacart and Blue Apron. Now, during quarantine times, they make sense. However, when push comes to shove, knowing how to effectively navigate the grocery store, recipes, and your kitchen will prove to be much more valuable both for your bank account and your well being. I want to save you money, help you to feel comfortable cooking, and encourage you to fully embrace the satisfaction that comes with not ordering Postmates. 

10 Steps to Stock Your Kitchen for Meal Prep

1. Figure out what you'd like to eat.

Every week I ask my partner if there's anything he's been craving, something he wants for breakfast before work, and/or if there's any meal he'd like to cook for dinner that week. Often it's the same items (quesadillas, a certain cereal, spaghetti), but sometimes there's a dish he's been thinking about that surprises me. Sometimes I'll look through a cookbook for my own inspiration for the week, choosing a few recipes that are especially appealing, or I'll browse recipes on a certain website. If you don't know where to begin, I suggest clicking through thePPK.com for ideas or looking up recipes to replicate a dish from your favorite restaurant or take-out joint.

2. Take inventory of your pantry and refrigerator.

Are you out of staples like milk, bread, salt, or your favorite hot sauce? Being prepared and organized for your grocery trip is half the battle. Just look around and see what you have and what's missing. Having a plan when you shop will prevent a lot of impulse buying, overlooking of crucial items, and even the purchase of something you forgot you already had in the back of the cupboard.

3.  Make a shopping list.

This is my favorite part. Also, I think, the most important.

Circle back to steps 1 and 2. Write down the essential items missing from your kitchen and the foods you know you'll want to eat that week. Consult any recipes or meals you know you'd like to prepare and write down the ingredients you'll need.

I like to organize the items into categories, usually based on where they're located in a typical grocery store. Standard columns include produce (onions, bananas, tomatoes, broccoli, etc.), dry goods (nuts, canned foods, coffee, rice, pasta, etc.), refrigerated (milk, tofu, hummus, etc.), frozen (ice cream, frozen green peas, chick'n tenders, etc.). I usually choose this method to make my time in the grocery store as easy as possible so I don't suddenly have to go back to the other side of a gigantic market because I didn't notice one thing on my list. Another way of organizing your list is by food groups (veggies, fruits, proteins, grains, condiments, etc.).

You can write your list on your phone, type it up all nice on Microsoft Word, or just scribble it out on the back of an envelope. Do it in the way that you're most likely to continue a new habit.

My Sample Grocery List PDF is available for free download on the Printables page. Use it as a jumping off point, to try new things, or just to become familiar with how someone plant-based navigates the grocery store. This is a list of items I regularly buy, meant to help anyone who has a difficult time filling up their shopping cart with food. This is by no means an all-inclusive list of everything I purchase nor does it mean I always have these items on hand. Use your judgement when it comes to how much your household will eat in a given week, how much you will actually be willing/able to cook these foods at home, and be mindful of what shelf-stable products you would like to keep stocked in your pantry.

4. Set time aside for your grocery trip.

Don't set yourself up for a rushed trip you're trying to squeeze in before a movie date. Okay, I know, sometimes that's going to happen, but don't make it a habit. Often a market may not stock an ingredient you need for a recipe you really would like to prepare (for example, Trader Joe's doesn't have canned chipotle peppers) so you'll have to stop at a second grocery store. If food shopping makes you nervous or anxious, maybe ask a friend or roommate to join you.

Remember your reusable bags and your list! Do whatever you can for yourself to make the experience pleasant and rewarding.

5. Cross items off of your list. Be patient with yourself and take your time.

Perhaps you're not super familiar with a particular grocery store and you'll have to retrace your steps a few times - which is perfectly fine. I find myself having to do that all the time in the big box stores that insist on putting 'healthy' foods on the opposite side of the store so I'm constantly doubling back just to find the cheapest jar of tahini. Sometimes a certain vinegar is only in the international foods aisle and other times what you think should be with the condiments is next to the nuts and chips. Keep your eyes open and things will get easier. You're learning new skills!

6. Store foods thoughtfully and properly.

For example: store fresh tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, and apples at room temperature. Tomatoes and apples can get mealy if you refrigerate them and often tomatoes aren't quite ripe when you first bring them home but can continue to ripen on the kitchen counter. If you're not sure how to best store a food, do a quick Google search! Another trick I like to do is wrap heads of lettuce and fresh herbs in a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture that may cause the greens to go bad quickly.

Organize your kitchen space with accessibility in mind. You are more likely to keep to meal prep plans if you make tasks as easy and appealing as possible.

7. Prep ingredients on your day off for busy weeknights.

Maybe you'd like to dice onions, mince garlic, or zest and juice citrus on a Sunday night and store everything in tupperware in the fridge for the week. Just be mindful that certain cut veggies store best when kept submerged in water (carrots, celery, radish, etc.).

Sometimes I'll make components of a dish to just throw them together the next night. For example, if I'm making tempeh reubens, I may prep the remoulade and have the tempeh marinating so that the next night all I have to do is cook the tempeh and assemble the sandwiches.

If you want to prep foods to freeze them, make sure you know what foods freeze well and how to store them properly. If you're not sure, remember that Google is your best friend.

8. Stay inspired and stick to the plan.

There's not much that disappoints me more than food waste. I know sometimes you're not necessarily going to want to cook what you planned to, but do your best to make sure no perfectly delicious foods end up rotting because you were too tired to prep them. Do things that may help you stick to your meal plan like having a chart, calendar, or planner you can fill out each week with the meals you'd like to prepare each day. If you're lacking motivation, maybe ask the people around you for help or find homecooking inspiration online. When I'm losing my spark, I love browsing new cookbooks, clicking through online recipes, or checking out what my favorite chefs are up to.

Why are you trying to cook at home more often? What is your goal here? Sometimes it's important to revisit the 'whys' in order to keep moving forward. Remind yourself of your intentions.

9. Be kind and offer yourself a pass now and then.

We all have bad days where we make mistakes at work, someone disappoints us, or we're simply not feeling driven enough to cook dinner. I try to keep my 'lazy' nights to one day a week, but when it happens I also have to make a mental note to not feel guilty about it. Most of the time, taking care of myself means cooking nutritious meals. Other times, it's important to ask for and accept the care of others. Appreciate your favorite restaurants and tip well!

10. Revel in routine.

Sticking to a homecooking practice gets easier the more you lean into it. Find what works best for you and pinpoint incentives to keep at it. Uncover meals you love and recipe authors you can count on. Arrange your kitchen in a manner that is welcoming and makes sense to you. Figure out the best way to approach your shopping list. Identify the best time for you to go grocery shopping each week. Procure some reusable bags you actually like. Establish a good time to start cooking dinner. Be honest when determining what factors may lead you to not wanting to stick to a predesigned plan. Be flexible and find comfort in your new habits.