You’ve decided to start the keto diet, and you keep hearing the same advice: “You have to meal prep!” While the advice is solid, the image it conjures can be intimidating: a full Sunday spent in a hot kitchen, surrounded by dozens of containers, chopping and cooking for hours on end.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Effective meal prep isn’t about cooking every single meal for the week in one marathon session. It’s about being strategic and doing a little bit of work now to make your life significantly easier later. This guide is for the beginner who wants the benefits of meal prep without sacrificing their entire weekend.

A woman preparing a fresh salad with lettuce and tomatoes in a modern kitchen.

The Two Main Types of Meal Prep

The key is to understand that there are different ways to prep. You can choose the one that best fits your lifestyle.

Batch Cooking Full Meals: This is the traditional method where you cook complete recipes (like a casserole or a big pot of chili) and portion them out for the week. This is great for “grab-and-go” lunches and dinners.
Prepping Ingredients (Mise en Place): This method involves preparing the components of your meals ahead of time. You wash and chop vegetables, marinate proteins, or cook a big batch of a single ingredient (like shredded chicken). This makes assembling a fresh meal during the week incredibly fast.

For beginners, a combination of both is often the sweet spot.

Your 90-Minute “Power Prep” Plan

Forget the 5-hour marathon. Here’s what you can accomplish in just 90 minutes to set yourself up for a week of success.

Step 1: The Protein Prep (45 minutes)

Choose ONE oven-baked protein: A great example is baking a large tray of chicken thighs or roasting a pork loin. The oven does most of the work.
Choose ONE stovetop protein: While the other protein is in the oven, brown a large batch of ground beef or sausage on the stove.
Hard-boil eggs: While the meats are cooking, boil 6-8 eggs on a back burner.

What this gives you: Pre-cooked chicken for salads, cooked ground beef for quick taco bowls or scrambles, and hard-boiled eggs for fast breakfasts and snacks.

Step 2: The Veggie Prep (30 minutes)

Wash & Chop: Wash and chop raw vegetables you’ll want for snacks and salads, like celery, cucumbers, and bell peppers. Store them in airtight containers.
Roast One Veggie: If you have oven space, toss a big bag of broccoli or cauliflower florets with oil and salt and roast them.
Portion Snacks: While things are cooking, do mindless tasks like portioning out nuts and seeds into small baggies for easy snacks.

Step 3: Clean Up (15 minutes)

Clean as you go! By the time your 90 minutes are up, your kitchen should be mostly clean, and your fridge should be stocked with ready-to-use components.

Putting It All Together: A Weekday Example

It’s Tuesday night. You’re tired. Instead of starting from scratch, you:

Grab some of your pre-cooked ground beef.
Grab some of your pre-chopped peppers and onions.
Toss them in a pan for 5 minutes to heat up.
Serve in a bowl with cheese and avocado.
Dinner is ready in under 10 minutes.