Every year around the New Year holiday, the wish to be healthier remains one of the most popular resolutions made by people. One fantastic way to venture into better health is by meal prepping.

Meal prep doesn't have to be a chore; it can be fun whether you do it as a business or for yourself at home.

Read on to learn some of the best meal prep ideas and tips to make your new year's resolution easier to achieve.

1. Ease Into It

For some, meal prepping might sound like a daunting task. Preparing meals for a whole week may sound like an avalanche of a chore.

The good news is that there are no hard and fast rules to meal prepping, so you can go at your own pace.

Start slow, and don't be afraid to take your time figuring out how you want to approach your meal-prepping system. If putting together a whole week's worth of food sounds overwhelming, start with prepping for one or two days.

It takes a person about 66 days to form a new habit, so don't be hard on yourself if you don't immediately become an expert meal prepper.

2. Find the Best Meal Prep Containers

The most important part of meal prepping, besides the food, is finding the best meal prep containers for your needs.

Having meal prep containers that are easy to store, clean, and carry to work are essential for making it less of a hassle. It's worth the money to buy high-quality containers you can reuse for a long time.

Consider your needs when choosing your containers. Do you need containers that are safe for microwaving? Safe in a dishwasher? Eco-friendly? Non-reusable or reusable? What size meal prep containers to get?

Glass containers are a popular choice since they are reusable, microwave-safe, and eco-friendly. However, some people find them heavy, harder to store, and harder to carry throughout the day.

At Cibo Wares, we make sure our disposable, microwavable take-out containers are a great option for those seeking the most convenient containers. These even double as meal prep freezer containers!

3. Incorporate Important Food Groups

One of the best meal preparation tips is to remember it's all about prioritizing your health and time. So, while you're at it, you may as well make it worth your while and include the major, important food groups.

The healthiest options should include whole foods, like protein, fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes, healthy fats, and whole grains.

Prioritize these food groups to get the most from your meals. Remember that each can be simple but effective.

Getting your fill of fresh fruit can be as simple as packing an apple. Incorporate protein by adding organic peanut butter. With the right amount of planning, each food group can easily be included in each meal.

4. Find Your Rhythm

Remember that meal prepping is all about prioritizing yourself. That includes what you enjoy and how you enjoy doing it. Meal prepping doesn't have to be a rigid, strict system that never changes.

It's up to you to try different methods of meal prepping and decide what you like the most.

If you thrive with some organization, lean into that. Plan out your meals for the week ahead and prepare them all at once beforehand so you're ready for the week.

If your dread the thought of schedules to adhere to, try a looser plan. Maybe your style is more about prepping meals one day at a time and switching up each meal each day.

5. Shop Smart

One major component of meal prepping is shopping! It may sound like an exhausting errand, but with some preparation, you can get all the ingredients you need while saving money.

With meal prepping, it's best to buy the important ingredients in bulk, so you're not running back and forth to the grocery store every few days. With this in mind, try to choose ingredients that are as versatile as they are healthy.

For protein, get the most by buying chicken, tofu, or lentils. Items like these will likely last you a whole week. For fresh fruits and veggies, try easy-to-prep options like strawberries, green beans, apples, spinach, carrots, and broccoli.

Options like brown rice, hummus, and canned chickpeas or black beans are filling, inexpensive, and will last a while.

6. Spice It Up

If you're worried about your meals becoming stagnant, one of the best meal prep solutions is to reach for spices and herbs.

Your spices of choice are up to you and your palate! If you don't enjoy many spices, but you want to add a little something to your meals, a dash of salt and pepper may be all that's needed.

If you enjoy a lot of different flavors, reach for spices like turmeric, garlic salt, onion powder, or even curry powder. Spices like these can turn a meal of plain rice and veggies into something new and fun to eat.

You can also try to use fresh herbs, like rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, mint, or cilantro. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice can also work wonders on many meals.

7. Sweeten the Deal

The most fun meal prep ideas are the ones that remind us to include dessert! With the right recipes, dessert can be easy to make while also being delicious and nutritious.

Making your dessert for the week is simple and breezy when you make them in bulk, and the clean-up is easy. Try something like granola cups with yogurt and berries that you can make right in our disposable baking cups!

Combine 1 1/2 cups of rolled oats, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a bowl.

Separately, warm 3 tablespoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of almond butter in the microwave for 20-130 seconds. Stir and add this to the oats mixture along with 1 egg white. Mix well.

Use parchment paper to line your muffin cups and press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the cups. Bake for 15 minutes at 135 degrees. Once cooled, fill your granola cups with fresh yogurt and berries.

Meal Prep Ideas and More

Now you know some of the best meal prep ideas and tips to make your health a priority in the new year. It's time to try out some techniques, find recipes, and buy the best meal prep containers you can find.

Check out and Try our 32 oz two-compartment microwaveable containers. These will make meal prepping easy, keep your food organized, and make clean-up simple!