If produce is ready to eat or cook, you’re more likely to add these nutritious foods to your diet.
We all know that eating fruits and vegetables is good for our health, but many of us don’t get the recommended number of servings each day. One reason some cite for not eating enough produce is that it takes too long to prepare it. After all, most fruits and vegetables require some work before you can eat them – they need to be washed, peeled, sliced and diced.
One of the best ways to up your intake of fruits and veggies is to do some meal prep so they’re ready to eat or cook at a moment’s notice. You can do this when you get home from the store or farmers market or can designate another time to meal prep. Whenever you do it, you’ll find it will make your life easier, and possibly healthier.
Ready to get started? Here are some tips for meal-prepping fruits and vegetables so you can make easy work of the task and better ensure your produce stays fresh and safe to eat.
SEVEN Fruit and Vegetable Meal Prep Tips
Pick what you’ll prep
Not all fruits and veggies last long once they’re washed and cut. Some produce is best cooked or eaten shortly after prepping, such as avocados or apples, which can turn brown quickly. The best options for meal prepping are heartier fruits and veggies, such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, peppers, melon, pineapple and grapes.
Prep what you’ll cook
Preparing produce for cooking is a great way to make the most of meal prepping. Wash, slice and chop vegetables that will go into recipes you plan to make for the week. You can store the prepped veggies so they’re ready to go when it’s time to cook or you can cook meals in advance so they’re ready to eat with no additional work needed.
Repeat ingredients
To make easy work of prepping produce, think about what can be used in multiple meals. For example, if you need onions for two or three dishes, chop them all at once. This not only saves time but may save money because it helps reduce waste.
Clean and dry well
Most produce needs a good rinse or cleaning. Just be sure that once you wash produce, it’s fully dry before storing it. Moisture will make it go bad quicker than you expect. It’s also a good idea to wrap delicate produce like greens in a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
Use a sharp knife
You’ll make easy work of slicing and dicing if you have a sharp knife. You’ll also be safer since a dull knife is more dangerous to use than a sharp one because you have to push down harder.
Refrigerate prepped produce
Even if you keep some produce on the counter or in your pantry, like peaches, plums, apples, peppers, onions or squash, all prepped fruit and veggies should be kept in the fridge. Once cut, produce will spoil quickly if left at room temperature.
Freeze what’s about to go bad
Most fruits and veggies are freezer-friendly, but freezing and defrosting may change the texture. Frozen produce is best used in smoothies, sauces, soups and stews.
Prepping produce in advance makes it easy to get a healthy meal on the table quickly. It also makes it more likely you’ll snack on fruits and veggies rather than unhealthier choices. Although meal prep takes some commitment, you’ll likely find that it helps you eat healthier while also saving time and money.
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Date Last Reviewed: June 17, 2024
Editorial Review: Andrea Cohen, Editorial Director, Baldwin Publishing, Inc. Contact Editor
Medical Review: Jane Schwartz, RDN, CLT
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