Easy meal prep for busy people

Workday done. Brain empty. Food decisions pending. Let’s talk easy meal prep for busy professionals.

Meal prep is just making future-you’s life easier by doing a little food prep in advance, so healthy choices don’t rely on energy or motivation later.

During my 4+ years working as a private chef in London, I picked up plenty of ways to save time in the kitchen while still eating well. I’ll share a few that make busy weeks much easier.

First off - keep things simple and repeatable.

This is the approach I use:

- Cook less, not more

- Aim for nourishment, not perfection

- Repeat ingredients, not meals

- Convenience is allowed

I think in components, not full meals.

When I’m planning, I always make sure I have:

- a protein

- a carb

- some veg

- a sauce or flavour

That combination covers most meals without much thinking.

Having sauces ready makes everything easier. A good sauce turns simple ingredients into something you actually want to eat.

I keep things like:

 • Good quality passata

 • Pesto (basil, red pepper, kale or spinach)

 • Harissa or chilli paste

 • Soy sauce or tamari

 • Miso paste

 • Curry paste

 • Chimichurri or green herb sauce

 • Yoghurt-based sauces (plain yoghurt, garlic, lemon, herbs)

I'm also big on using these healthy staples without guilt:

• Pre-washed salad bags - an easy base when chopping feels like too much. Greens get eaten because they’re ready.

• Pre chopped / diced frozen veg - reliable, versatile, and always available. Think chopped onion, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach. 

• Microwave grains - quick portions that slot easily into lunches or dinners. My favs are quinoa or brown rice.

• Rotisserie chicken - a ready protein that carries multiple meals through the week.

• Pre-cooked lentils or pulses - simple plant protein that blends easily into meals.

• Frozen fruit - always there for smoothies, yoghurt bowls or porridge.

• Freezer-friendly flatbreads or wraps - easy to defrost and portion.

• Tinned fish - high-protein options that turn into meals in minutes.

• Pre-cut or ready-to-roast veg - cooking feels lighter when prep is removed.

• Microwave jacket or sweet potatoes - a filling base ready in minutes.

• Bagged coleslaw or shredded veg mixes - instant texture and crunch for salads or stir-fries.

• Cooked prawns - fast protein for salads, pasta or bowls.

  
  

When the basics are in place, meals come together quickly and calmly. 

Meal-prep is not about:

 • perfect eating

 • strict plans

 • calorie counting

 • cooking every night

It’s about:

 • feeding yourself properly

 • wasting less food

 • having easy options ready

 • eating in a way that feels supportive

If this approach sounds like what you need right now, you can explore how I support busy professionals with simple, personalised wellness coaching - including realistic nutrition strategies that fit real life.