Free tool
Meal Prep Checklist
Plan, shop, prep, store. Four phases, one page, a calmer week of meals.
We'll scale portions and shopping.
Pick any combination — you'll get tasks for each.
About Meal Prep as 5S
Meal prep is Set in Order (整頓, Seiton) applied to the kitchen week. Set in Order is the second 5S phase: once you've removed what doesn't belong, you give every remaining thing a designated place, time, and label. For food, that means the next meal is already decided, portioned, and within reach — the daily "what should we eat" decision disappears, and with it a quiet but steady source of weeknight fatigue.
The 2-hour ceiling
A focused 90–120 minute prep block covers five days of lunches and dinners for two people. More than two hours and most people quit the habit inside three weeks. Less than 90 minutes and storage quality drops. The sweet spot is tight; respect it.
Safe storage windows
Cooked proteins: 3–4 days refrigerated at 40°F/4°C or below. Grains and roasted veg: 4–5 days. Cut raw veg: 3–4 days. Past day four, freeze rather than gamble — freezer life is 2–3 months, and freezer meals on day six beat food poisoning on day five.
Sauces live separate
Dressings, vinaigrettes, and pan sauces stay in their own jars and meet the food at plating. Salads held dry through Thursday beat mixed salads already dead by Tuesday. This one rule extends every prepped lunch by 48 hours.
Prep components, not meals
Prep one protein, one grain, two vegetables, one sauce — each a standalone component. On weeknights, plate them differently each time: bowls, wraps, salads, over greens. Components survive picky-eater negotiations better than complete meals. And they're the Sort phase applied to decisions.
Common questions
How long does meal prep take per week?
A focused 90–120 minute prep block covers five days of lunches and dinners for two people. Two hours is the ceiling — beyond that, most people quit the habit within three weeks.
How long does meal-prepped food last in the fridge?
Cooked proteins stay safe 3–4 days refrigerated at or below 40°F / 4°C. Cooked grains and roasted vegetables last 4–5 days. Anything beyond day 4 should be frozen, not eaten — freezer life is 2–3 months.
Do you need special containers for meal prep?
No, but matched sizes help. Glass containers are best: microwave safe, don't stain, stack cleanly. Four to six matched containers per person covers a typical week.
How is this "5S"?
Meal prep is Set in Order (整頓) applied to the kitchen week — giving every weekday meal a designated plan, portion, and place so the daily "what's for lunch" decision disappears.
Does meal prep work with picky eaters or kids?
Yes. Prep components — one protein, one grain, two vegetables, one sauce — and let each person plate their own bowl. Components sidestep texture complaints and give everyone the same underlying food in formats each actually eats.
Is meal prep cheaper than takeout?
Typically 50–70% cheaper per meal than delivery for equivalent nutrition. The larger saving is decision fatigue: skipping five weekday "what should we eat" negotiations is worth more than the dollar difference for most households.