Busy people have never had so easy to get a decent meal until now. There’s a slew of cafes, diners, and restaurants dotting the business districts in most cities. And when you can’t get away from your work desk for more than five minutes, you can get food delivered. In fact, a number of these services allow you to order from two different dining establishments at the same time.
All these options are convenient, sure. However, there’s nothing quite like the taste of a home-cooked meal, even after it’s been reheated in the microwave. Making time to meal prep for an entire week might be tedious but well worth the effort.
Meal prepping requires you to go grocery shopping. That means you have total control over how everything is made. You can make it as healthy as you want, with no MSG or other chemical additives. Making your own lunches also allows you to save money on food. Lunch at a good restaurant will set you back around $8. If you eat out twice a day for an entire weekday, you would have spent about 50% more than the weekly grocery budget for one person.
Using the right containers lets your meal retain all of its flavor and nutritional value. Placing your food containers in meal prep bags not only allows you to carry these containers with ease. The insulated walls on these bags will keep meals at ideal temperatures.
Best Meal Prep Bags Comparison & Rating
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Want to Learn More?
There are quite a number of options available when it comes to meal prep bags. In this article, you’ll find our top picks. We’ve included detailed information about each one to make it easier for shoppers to compare products. Click on those yellow buttons to get access to the best deals for each product on Amazon!
MIER Adult Lunch Box
Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimensions | 10.2 x 7.9 x 11 inches |
Weight | 0.85 pound |
Color | Black (also available in other colors) |
Material | PEVA, PU, Fabric |
Mier’s Adult Lunch Box is convenient and easy to bring along anywhere. The handle is soft and won’t leave marks on your hands even if the bag is filled to capacity. Separate sections for meals and snacks make eating on the go well organized. The eco-friendly PEVA insulation ensures that your soups stay warm and desserts cold just the way you like them. Overall, the structure and design of the bag are quite suitable for office goers, specifically for those who are always on the go.
ThinkFit Insulated Meal Prep Lunch Box
Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimensions | 16.5 x 7.5 x 8 inches |
Weight | 3.5 pounds |
Color | Blue (also available in other colors) |
Material | BPA-Free Plastic |
This meal prep bag is versatile, suitable for both adults and kids. It comes with six containers that are oven-safe and can be chucked into the dishwasher. The bag has a shoulder strap. So, you can easily carry it anywhere with you without feeling much burden. There’s a protective lid on each of the four sides. It’s also well constructed and durable so you can expect that this product will last you for years to come.
Fit and Fresh Original Jaxx FitPak Insulated Cooler Lunch Box
Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimensions | 7 x 6 x 7 inches |
Weight | 2 pounds |
Color | Red and Black (also available in other colors) |
Material | Polyester |
If you’re a gym buff who makes time to work out several times a week, even with a 9 to 5 job, this meal prep bag is a good choice. It has all sorts of containers so you can carry snacks, mix your protein powder, and have that post-workout meal without having to wait until you get home. The bag itself is properly insulated so hot and cold food stays at their desired temperatures. The containers are dishwasher, freezer, and microwave safe. Meaning heating with the container, cleaning them, or even storing them is highly convenient with this product.
Fitpacker Small Meal Management Bag
Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimensions | 12.2 x 7.9 x 3.5 inches |
Weight | 0.8 pound |
Color | Night Blue |
Material | Polyester and Nylon |
The Fitpacker Meal Management Bag is ideal for those serious about portion control. It’s ideal for those who are sticking to fixed-calorie meals or those who want to curb the impulse to keep snacking while at work. It comes with four 28 oz meal prep containers that are sufficient to carry small meals for the day. The insulation of the bag is a high-quality product too. It will protect your food and sustain the temperature for a good period of time on the day.
Prep Naturals Meal Prep Bag with Meal Prep Containers
Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimensions | 13.4 x 9 x 7.2 inches |
Weight | 3.15 pounds |
Color | Black |
Material | Polyester |
This meal prep bag works really well for situations where you need to carry around larger amounts of food. It comes with 10 sets of containers along with spoons, forks, and napkins. The inside of the bag has PEVA lining, making it food safe. The bag has EPA foam as well in places to ensure sturdiness and durability. Other than being a strong bag for carrying convenience, we found the bag spacious enough to carry almost everything related to your diet.
Meal Prep Bag Buyer's Guide
Before you even think of purchasing meal prep bags, buy yourself a couple of durable and vacuum-sealed food containers first. The containers you purchase will then give a solid idea of what type of meal prep bag to purchase.
Meal prep bags come in different styles. Compact and lightweight. Bulky but well-insulated. Pick a size and shape that will accommodate your food containers.
You want a bag that will stand the frequent washing as well as the daily wear and tear. So pick a material that’s strong, won’t show stains, and can be machine washed on a Friday night.
Think of the features that matter most. Do you want a meal prep bag with built-in insulation to keep your food fresh? Should be compact enough to fit your actual work bag?
FAQs
Here are three tips to keep in mind in order to make a meal prepping a success.
Start Small. Start by planning out just a few meals or snacks for the upcoming week ahead. Eventually, you’ll figure out which planning strategies work best, and you can slowly build upon your plan by adding in more meals as you see fit.
Get Organized. An organized kitchen, pantry, and refrigerator make everything — menu creation to meal prep — much easier. You’ll know exactly what you have on hand and where your tools and ingredients are.
Vegetable burrito bowls, garlic chicken pasta, and a Greek couscous salad are some easy and delicious lunch options for the workweek.
Meal prep bags go beyond those thick brown paper bags you use to carry sandwiches in. You have those that resemble soft lunch boxes. Made from plastic or vinyl, they’re square or rectangular in shape and zip closed, with a handle on top. Similar in style is soft-sided coolers or insulated lunch containers. These are great for keeping food fresh until lunchtime. Those that prefer an environmentally-friendly option can opt for cloth lunch bags made from natural fibers like cotton.
Most, not all, insulated lunch bags can be machine-washed. So, make it a habit to wash yours at the end of the week. Use cold water and mild detergent and set the machine on the gentle wash cycle. Also, store a small pack of antibacterial wipes on the outer pocket of your meal prep bag to clean spills and keep germs away.