CLOSEWin the Week with Meal Prep for Busy People
Last Updated on 15th October 2026 by Karn Hollis
The last thing you want after another long, busy day is to spend an equally busy evening scurrying around the supermarket and toiling away in the kitchen. Absolutely not — you want more time to catch up on your favourite TV show, spend time with the kids, go to the gym, or just rest.
But you do have to eat. And that’s where Gousto comes in.
Our easy meal prep services do the hard bit for busy mums, working professionals, and families with packed schedules.
We offer pre-portioned ingredients delivered to your door ahead of time, easy-to-follow recipe cards, and always delicious dinners.
Keep reading below to understand the benefits of weekly meal prep from our Gousto experts, find quick recipes to follow and save time in the week, and explore our range of Gousto offerings that help you meal plan and prep ahead of time.
Saving Time and Reducing Food Waste
Meal prep saves time at every meal. Spending a little time planning ahead makes it easier to enjoy nutritious, home-cooked meals throughout the week, while saving time and reducing food waste.
Removing Impulse
Minnie Hallam – Food Technical Administrator and Nutrition Graduate at Gousto, digs into the nutritional benefits of meal prepping:
“Pre-deciding your meals flips the script, as pre-planning removes the impulse factor, making a balanced, home-cooked plate the easiest option in the house. Studies have shown that people who regularly plan their meals are 8% less likely to be overweight and 21% less likely to be obese.”
Packing in Plants
Minnie reveals:
“Planning ahead also means you can increase the number of plants you eat. Deciding on what you’ll eat for the week upfront makes it easier to choose a variety of different veggies and grains in your evening meals.
Guidelines from NHS England emphasise that eating a wide variety of plant foods helps you consume a broader mix of nutrients and dietary fibre.
When you cook on the fly, you might default to the same two or three comfortable veggies. When you meal prep, you can intentionally build variety right into your weekly meals.”
There’s no need to think about what you’re going to eat and buy ingredients from scratch every day. Meal prep lets you prepare various components in advance, so when it’s time to eat, the time-consuming parts are already done. It’s a little gift from past-you to future-you, and you’ll enjoy a delicious, balanced meal instead of another beige oven dinner, or the temptation of last-minute takeaways.
At Gousto, we take meal prep seriously and make it even easier. We deliver pre-portioned ingredients and quick, easy recipes you can adapt to your preferences and enjoy time and time again. So no more grocery rushes on an empty stomach, wasteful surplus ingredients, or constantly thinking of new things to cook. Just great food with the hard bit already done for you.
Let Gousto Recipe Boxes Do the Hard Work at Dinnertime
Whatever your home looks like, if you’re wondering how to meal prep for a family or just yourself, leave the hard part to us, so all you need to do is slice, sizzle, and serve.
Creating your boxes is super speedy to do online, and you’ll have plenty of great recipe choices. Choose from family faves, healthy options, and meals for special occasions. And did we mention you get 50% off your first box?**
If you’ve picked up some drinks, puds, or extras from Gousto Market, these will also be in your box!
Here’s how to do meal prep in just a few taps, not trips to the shop:
1. Pick Your Box Size
Build a box containing 2 to 5 recipes for 1 to 5 people.
2. Decide on a Delivery Day
Get your box delivered straight to your door on a day that suits you.
3. Choose Your Recipes
Browse over 175 recipes and design your perfect box.
4. Create Delicious Meals in Minutes, Not Hours
Get dinner ready in as little as 10 minutes with our easy-to-follow steps and pre-portioned ingredients.
5. Subscriptions that Suit You
Going on holiday? Don’t fancy it this week? No problem. Skip or cancel your subscription for free whenever you like.
Recipes Designed to Save You Time
While food delivery services focus only on speed, Gousto delivers convenience without sacrificing flavour, freshness, or flexibility.
Cook smarter, not harder, and save time on the week ahead before it’s even started.
These are our best ranges designed to help busy working people and families save time each week with meal planning and prep:
Batch Cooking
Cook one, eat twice with these flexible meals that transform into something entirely different the next day with barely any effort.
Quick & Easy
Speedy, simple, and super delicious. What more could you ask for? Mouth-watering choices, you say? You got it.
Heat & Eat
Forget what you think you know about ready meals; these tasty meals cooked by us have no nasties. Simply heat, eat, and enjoy.
Prepped in 5
Preparing these dishes takes just 5 minutes. No really! Then whack them in the oven or leave to simmer. Easy.
10-Minute Meals
Dinner ready in 10 minutes sounds impossible, but it can be done! Dish these recipes up in a flash.
20-Minute Meals
Whip up a wide range of satisfying pastas, stir-fries, salads and many more delicious dinners in just 20 minutes.
Balanced Recipe Ideas for Busy Families and Professionals
Quick food doesn’t have to mean unhealthy fast food. Though our recipes can come together in barely any time, our chefs designed them to be balanced and delicious, so you can enjoy them knowing you’ve made a healthier choice, with filling yet suitable portion sizes.
Minnie tells us:
“Let’s be honest, we can all sometimes be guilty of having eyes bigger than our belly and piling our dinner plate full to the brim.
By dividing a fresh batch directly into containers right after cooking, or by using Gousto’s pre-portioned recipe boxes, you take the guesswork out of serving sizes.”
Explore four of our favourite recipes you can have ready in 30 minutes or less:
Black Bean & Squash Chilli With Feta And Avocado
This Mexican-inspired vegetarian chilli is made with filling beans and hearty butternut squash. Get this on the table in 30 minutes.
Cheesy Courgette Fritters With Fried Egg And Crispy Bacon
In just 25 minutes, you’ll have a tasty brinner (breakfast for dinner!) packed with variety and flavour.
Bánh Mì-Style Chicken Salad With Sesame Croutons
This twist on bánh mì, a popular Vietnamese sandwich, combines sesame croutons in a carrot, cucumber and salad with pulled chicken and a sweet hoisin dressing.
Rump Steak With Cheesy Gnocchi And Balsamic Mushrooms
Get the steakhouse treatment in your own home with this steak, gnocchi, and mushroom dish. Luxurious, filling, and ready in only 10 minutes!
FAQs About Meal Prep for Busy People
Can Batch Cooking Really Save Time?
Absolutely! Batch cooking makes each meal feel more manageable when everything is ready beforehand. Though it might feel laborious while you’re spending a whole afternoon prepping lots of ingredients and freezing meals, you’ll be grateful for it when dinner time comes around.
However, meal prep isn’t all about batch cooking in one long session. It’s also about choosing the right recipes, planning portions for each person, and adding variety. And that’s where Gousto recipe boxes come in handy.
How Can I Meal Prep for a Family?
Our recipe boxes feature dishes to suit all tastes, from family classics to meals that can be easily adapted for kids and fussy eaters.
Meal prepping for the whole household means no more dinnertime drama and more easy midweek meals everyone will love.
What Are Some Meal Prep Storage Tips?
Meal prep is one thing, but storage is another. If meals and ingredients aren’t stored properly, you could end up accidentally wasting food.
Separate meals into different containers:
- Ziploc bags are great for soups, curries, and chilis. Food-safe storage containers are ideal for vegetables and pastas.
- If freezing, keep portions separate so you can defrost only what you need each day rather than defrosting an entire week’s worth kept in one container.
- Label everything with the dish name and date you made it so you can avoid mystery dinners and food spoiling before you can eat it.
- Depending on the dish, some components are better kept separate until you’re ready to eat. Dressings should be kept away from other ingredients to avoid things going soggy.
How Long Can I Keep Food Before Eating It?
Depending on the dish and ingredient type, cooked meals and components typically keep for 3-7 days, but always check beforehand.
Food safety is really important, especially if you’re not eating food immediately after cooking:
- Let food cool completely before putting it in the fridge or freezer.
- Store raw meat sealed and away from fresh vegetables and other uncooked ingredients.
- If defrosting food, allow it to come to a safe temperature in the fridge, in cold water, or in the microwave. Never leave food on the kitchen counter to defrost.
- When defrosting meat and fish in the fridge, put containers on a tray or in a bowl to prevent cross-contamination with anything else.
Meal Prep With Gousto and Unlock Variety
Gousto makes meal prepping for work and the whole family a natural part of your weekly planning. With high-quality, pre-measured ingredients and over 175 recipes to choose from every week, meal prep is a breeze.
We’re the UK’s best recipe box for choice*, with unforgettable ranges, including family favourites and veg-packed dishes. Our weekly menu even includes exciting options to suit dietary needs, such as vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free, so your meal prepping can accommodate every requirement.
New customers** get a great deal:
- 50% OFF your first box
- 40% OFF your second box
- 20% OFF your third-to-eighth boxes
** New customers only. Standard T&Cs apply. Not including additional charges. Offer may only be claimed once and applies to the account you are logged into. Once discount is claimed, the relevant discount will be applied to your first order and subsequent discount to all following orders delivered within 60 days. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with other offers.
* Based on Gousto having more recipes, and more quick & easy recipes, available on the weekly menu than other recipe boxes delivering to the same regions in the UK as Gousto. The full details of this comparison can be found here: verification of choice and our biggest ever menu.