Meal Prep Math: How Cooking 3 Hours on Sunday Saves $5,000/Year
The average American spends $3,500/year on lunch alone. Here is how to cut that by 60%.
Eating out for lunch costs $12-18 per meal. Meal prepping costs $3-5. Over 250 work days, that is $2,500-3,250 in annual savings from lunch alone. Add dinner savings and you are looking at $4,000-6,000/year.
The 3-Hour Sunday System
Prep 5 lunches and 5 dinners in one session. Total grocery cost: $40-60 for 10 meals. That is $4-6 per meal versus $12-18 eating out. Time: 2.5-3 hours including cleanup.
The Easiest Starter Recipes
Chicken + rice + roasted vegetables: the meal prep classic. Cook 2 lbs chicken breast, 3 cups rice, and a sheet pan of mixed vegetables. Season differently (teriyaki Monday, Italian Wednesday, Mexican Friday) to avoid boredom.
Storage Rules
Refrigerator: 3-4 days safely. Freezer: 2-3 months. Glass containers over plastic (no BPA concerns, microwave safe, last longer). Label everything with the date.
Calculate your meal costs with our meal prep calculator and optimize nutrition with the macro calculator.