Meal prep doesn’t have to mean reheating sad leftovers all week. In Indian kitchens, the key lies in prepping components — not entire meals — that speed up cooking while preserving freshness and flavour.
Step 1: Shop Smart
Stock up on versatile vegetables like onions, tomatoes, carrots, lauki, bhindi, cabbage, and potatoes. Pick up moong/toor dal, rice, atta, curd, garlic, ginger, green chillies, lemons, and coriander. Add protein options like paneer, boiled eggs, and soaked chana or rajma. Buy leafy greens like palak or methi mid-week — they wilt quickly.
Step 2: Block 2 Hours for Prep
0:00–0:30 – Prep Raw Ingredients
- Peel garlic, ginger; make a ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
- Soak chana/rajma for the next day
- Boil potatoes (store unpeeled)
- Chop hardy veggies and store in cloth-lined boxes
0:30–1:00 – Cook Bases and Grains
- Make two onion-tomato masala bases (basic + spicy), freeze in portions
- Boil plain dal (moong/toor) — temper fresh daily
- Cook or parboil rice for 2 days
1:00–1:30 – Breakfast & Dough
- Knead atta and store with a light oil coating
- Dry roast poha/upma mix with spices, curry leaves, peanuts
- Boil eggs for 2–3 days
Also Read: How to Cook for One Without Wasting Ingredients
1:30–2:00 – Add-ons & Clean-up
- Make one chutney or raita base
- Chop and store lemon wedges, coriander
How to Use It All
- Combine masala base with fresh veg or paneer for quick sabzis
- Mix dal with spinach or tomato for variety
- Use poha mix with hot water and chopped onions for a 5-minute breakfast
- Stuff boiled aloo into parathas or sandwiches
- Layer chutneys and raitas with idlis, rotis, or rice
Pro Tip: Skip pre-chopping watery items like onions, tomatoes, and leafy greens. They take just minutes to prep fresh — and last longer.
Also Read: The Lazy Cook’s Guide to Meal Prepping: 3 Simple Recipes, 5 Delicious Meals