35 Sheet Pan Meal Prep Recipes (That Will Change Your Life) | Meal Prep on Fleek (2024)

FAQs

Can you prep sheet pan meals ahead of time? ›

Here, you'll assemble dinner components in reusable containers or zip-top bags so during the week all you need to do is dump everything on sheet pan, maybe toss with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then bake. You'll also be ready to tackle the week with simple, ready-to-eat breakfast and lunch options.

However, it's important to meal prep safely and store the food in a proper way. When it comes to batch food storage, you have a few options. You can store meal prep food in the fridge for up to four days. Or, you can store prepped food in the freezer for a longer period of time.

Typically, refrigerated meal preps last between 3 to 5 days, depending on the ingredients used. However, this relatively short window can be a challenge for many people, as it requires diligent planning and scheduling to ensure that all meals are consumed before they spoil.

Soup, chili and stews

Soups, stews, and chili are the ideal meal prep because they last a little longer than most meals (up to five or six days) AND they're extremely freezer-friendly.

You can also freeze scrambled eggs after they have been cooked. This is a good way to meal prep for the week and to use in dishes like ham fried rice, or for a quick breakfast. They freeze well and taste really good. Let the cooked scrambled eggs cool completely.

It makes using rice so much easier and theres no pressure of having to use the rice during a specific timeframe. Re-heating the frozen rice is super easy too just toss it in the microwave for a minute or two and it should come out perfectly steamed and ready to eat.

Make a meal plan of about four days of safe storage in the fridge and about four months of safe storage in the freezer. Watch for changes (smell, color, texture, and mold) to your meal prep food as a sign that it's gone bad. If you're unsure if food has spoiled: when in doubt, throw it out.

Is it better to freeze or refrigerate meal prep? ›

Anything you plan to eat within 1–2 days, you can refrigerate. You generally want to freeze anything that you won't eat within 3–4 days. Even in the refrigerator, things will start going bad after 3 days. Freezing will keep them as fresh as possible.

Choose from dozens of delicious freezer meals including casseroles, baked pasta dishes, gumbo, pot roast, slow-cooker soups and stews, and more. You guests will never guess that you just popped that Turkey-Noodle-Poppy Seed Casserole out of the freezer.

One option is to make your food ahead of time and freeze it until ready for use. Great examples of this include soups, stews, meat sauces and even some assembled recipes such as pies, lasagne or a fruit crumble. For more information on how to freeze food safely, take a look at our article.

Prepping food the night before can be a helpful way to have a healthy meal ready even when your schedule is full during the day. In just three steps or less, recipes like our Teriyaki Tofu Rice Bowl and Loaded Chicken Quinoa Salad will help you stay fueled and feeling your best even when your calendar is full.

Prep Ingredients

Many ingredients can be prepped ahead of time even if you plan to cook the food on the day of the party. Preparing the things that go into your recipes often takes up a majority of your time. The specific ingredients you can prep ahead of time depend largely on what you're making.

The general rule of thumb is 4 days, when stored properly. Some foods can last longer. But if you want to prep food far in advance, consider using the freezer to extend the storage of your meals.