Your guide to quick, easy meal prep for a successful 2025

The start of a new year is the ideal time to review your diet and overhaul your approach, replacing whatever hasn’t worked for you in the past with effective tools and techniques that can support and sustain your motivation to eat right in 2025.  

One of the most effective ways to achieve these goals is through consistent meal prepping because, as the popular motivational quote states, “if you fail to prepare, prepare to fail”.

Meal prepping not only saves time and money, it also helps you make healthier choices throughout the week, reducing the temptation of unhealthy takeout or convenience foods.

Follow these tips to become a meal prep afficionado in 2025 and never get caught without a meal or snack that aligns with your body transformation, performance or healthy lifestyle goals.

The first step to meal prep prowess is to get organised with all the tools you need, such as plastic containers, freezer bags, mixing cups, measuring cups and spoons, shakers, water bottles, pill boxes and meal bags. 

Having these products readily available in your kitchen will make it easier to prepare and portion out meals and snacks for the week ahead.

Plan your meals for the week, then make a shopping list according to the ingredients required for each meal. Focus on predominantly whole food meals, using fresh produce as often as possible.

Knowing exactly what you plan to eat and the ingredients needed to make each meal will ensure you’re not caught short with any items and that you’ll have enough to meet your daily nutritional needs. 

Use this list to structure your monthly shopping requirements to limit trips to the store. Buy long-life and non-perishable goods in bulk wherever possible to save some money, with 1-2 smaller shops a week to buy fresh perishable items. 

Arriving at the shops with a list will also ensure that you don’t end up buying things you shouldn’t have in the house. Be strict! 

Batch cooking is a time-saving marvel. Instead of daily meal prep, spend a few hours on the weekend and again in the middle of the week cooking larger portions and dividing them into batches. A popular approach is batch cooking on Sundays and Wednesdays.

It’s often as simple as doubling the recipe and dividing the leftovers into meal-sized portions for the week ahead. 

You can prepare batches of different base ingredients, like vegetables or a large bowl of quinoa or brown rice, which are ideal to whip up salads or poke bowls or serve as a side dish.

You can also prep entire meals and freeze them. Having ready-made whole meals on hand also stops you from ordering in or hitting the drive-thru on the way home.

Portion out a few family-sized meals for dinner and a few meals-for-one to put in lunch boxes. Pack these meals in reusable containers or bags.

Place a few of these meals in the fridge according to your meal plan – you can store cooked foods in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. 

Batch and freeze the rest in the fridge freezer to defrost and warm up later in the week. Just be sure to label and date everything when packing them into containers. 

Just remember that certain foods are better suited to the batch and freeze method. Using the wrong options will likely leave a mushy mess on your plate after you’ve reheated your meal. 

Avoid freezing cream-based sauces like mayonnaise, as they can separate and curdle, while vegetables with a high water content, such as lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts and radishes, become mushy and limp. Hard-boiled eggs are another no-no as they go rubbery.

Batch and freeze tips

• Allow the food to cool down properly before placing it in the freezer.
• Freeze food in realistically sized portions. 
• Prevent freezer burn by covering food properly in air-tight containers or plastic wrap. 
• Label and date the containers.

Having most ingredients or entire meals ready-made to quickly reheat translates into quicker and easier mealtimes throughout the week, which is perfect for busy schedules.

When reheating meals from frozen, start at a lower temperature. Once thawed, increase the temperature to reheat the ingredients or meal. 

If your meal seems off once defrosted, don’t take any chances, and only refreeze something that has been reheated. Never refreeze food that has merely thawed.

Pack your daily meals in your cooler bag, adding a few healthy snacks such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, yoghurt or a Biogen Lean Whey protein bar to avoid temptations. 

Carrying a dry serving of Biogen Iso-Whey, Complete Whey, Lean Whey or Plant Based Protein in a shaker bottle is a convenient way to always a snack option on hand should hunger strike.

By planning meals and structuring a consistent meal prep system can help you stick to a better eating plan and keep you focused on your goals by ensuring you’re prepared and ready to tackle whatever life throws at you during the week.

So follow these tips to create a healthier and more sustainable nutrition plan to help you reach your weight loss, wellness and performance goals in 2025.