Frequently Asked Questions

Prep & Plates is your ultimate guide to efficient meal preparation, quick cooking solutions, and smart kitchen tools. We provide step-by-step meal prep guides, quick recipes for busy schedules, budget-friendly meal ideas, and carefully curated product recommendations to make home cooking accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

We publish new recipes and meal prep guides weekly, typically on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Our blog features in-depth articles about cooking techniques, product reviews, and meal planning tips twice a week. Subscribe to our newsletter to never miss new content and get exclusive recipes delivered to your inbox.

Most of our recipes can be made with basic kitchen equipment. When special tools are required, we always provide alternatives or budget-friendly options. Our “Our Picks” section features tested and recommended products, but we never require expensive equipment for our core recipes. We believe good food should be accessible to everyone.

Most meal prepped foods stay fresh for 3-5 days when stored properly in the refrigerator. Proteins and cooked vegetables typically last 3-4 days, while fresh vegetables and fruits vary. We always include specific storage instructions with each recipe. For longer storage, many meals can be frozen for up to 3 months. Always use proper airtight containers and label with dates.

Sunday is the most popular meal prep day, but choose what works for your schedule. Many people prefer splitting prep between Sunday (for the first half of the week) and Wednesday (for the weekend). The key is consistency. Start with 2-3 hours once a week, and gradually find your rhythm. We provide flexible meal plans that work with any schedule.

Absolutely! We have extensive categories for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and high-protein meals. Each recipe includes detailed ingredient lists and substitution suggestions. Our meal prep guides can be adapted for most dietary needs. Use our category filters to find recipes that match your requirements, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need specific adaptations.

Most people save $200-500 per month by meal prepping instead of eating out or buying convenience foods. Our budget-friendly recipes average $3-5 per serving compared to $10-15 for restaurant meals. The exact savings depend on your current eating habits and local food costs. Check out our “Budget Eats” category for specific cost-per-serving breakdowns.

Yes! All our recipes include serving sizes and can be easily scaled up or down. Most recipes serve 4-6 people but can be halved for couples or doubled for larger families. Cooking times may need slight adjustments when scaling – we provide guidance for common modifications in each recipe. For meal prep, we often recommend making larger batches anyway.

We include substitution suggestions in most recipes for this exact reason. Common swaps include using different proteins, vegetables, or seasonings based on what’s available. When we use specialty ingredients, we always explain where to find them or provide alternatives. Feel free to email us at hello@prepandplates.com for specific substitution questions.

Yes, we include approximate nutritional information (calories, protein, carbs, and fat) for all recipes. These are estimates based on standard ingredient values. For precise nutritional tracking, we recommend using apps like MyFitnessPal with our ingredient lists. Our healthy and high-protein categories are specifically designed for various nutritional goals.

We personally test every product we recommend in our own kitchens for at least 30 days. Our criteria include durability, value for money, ease of use, and how much they actually improve the cooking experience. We only recommend products we genuinely use and love. If a product doesn’t meet our standards, it doesn’t make our list, regardless of potential earnings.

Yes, many of our product links are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through our links at no additional cost to you. This helps support our content creation and keeps our recipes free. We are transparent about this relationship and only recommend products we genuinely believe in. Full details are in our affiliate disclosure policy.

Start with quality glass meal prep containers, a sharp chef’s knife, cutting boards, and measuring tools. A reliable set of pots and pans, sheet pans for roasting, and basic storage containers will cover 90% of meal prep needs. We have a “Starter Kit” guide in our products section with budget-friendly options under $100 total.

Our free “Learn To Prepare” course includes 7 days of email lessons covering meal prep basics, essential techniques, shopping strategies, and storage tips. You’ll get downloadable meal planning templates, shopping lists, and access to 10 beginner-friendly recipes. It’s designed to take complete beginners to confident meal preppers in one week.

Currently, we focus on our comprehensive free course, but we’re developing advanced content including specialized courses for batch cooking, freezer meals, and specific dietary approaches. Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified when new courses launch. We also provide advanced techniques and tips regularly through our blog and recipe content.

While we don’t currently have user accounts, you can bookmark recipes in your browser, save them to Pinterest using our Pin buttons, or print them for offline use. We recommend creating a Pinterest board or keeping a digital folder for easy access to your favorites. A user account system with recipe saving is on our development roadmap for 2025.

Absolutely! All our recipes include a print-friendly format. Click the print button on any recipe page to get a clean version with just the ingredients and instructions. We design our recipes to print clearly on standard paper without wasting ink on background colors or unnecessary images.

We’d love to hear from you! Email us at hello@prepandplates.com for recipe questions, suggestions, or general inquiries. We typically respond within 24-48 hours. You can also reach us through social media – we’re active on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. For urgent questions, Instagram DM usually gets the fastest response.