Summer is almost here! Warm weather, backyard BBQs, swimming, road trips, picnics, and spontaneous adventures are just around the corner. It’s one of my favourite times of year.
But if you’re anything like me, mealtime can become a bit stressful during the summer months. Cooking isn’t exactly my favourite activity, and on busy days it’s tempting to grab takeout. Unfortunately, that isn’t very budget-friendly, and after a while it gets old.
I’ve found that having a little organization and preparation in place makes a huge difference. The right meal prep supplies can help you spend less time in the kitchen, waste less food, and make healthy, affordable meals much easier to pull together.
The good news? You don’t need dozens of expensive gadgets to meal prep successfully. A few practical meal prep supplies can help you prepare fresh summer meals faster and enjoy more time doing the things you love.
(Note: The links in this post may be affiliate links. Read the disclosure policy here.)
Meal Prep Supplies I Love
The Meal Planner
The number one thing that helps me with mealtime is having a plan. Not a strict, every-detail-accounted-for plan, but at least a list of meal ideas for the week.
That’s actually why I created The Meal Planner. It’s a set of printable sheets that helps me organize meal ideas, create grocery lists, keep track of family favourites, and take inventory of what I already have on hand.
One of the easiest ways to save money on groceries is to use what you already own before buying more. Having a meal planner helps prevent duplicate purchases and reduces food waste.
If meal planning feels overwhelming, I highly recommend starting with a simple system like this.
Glass Meal Prep Containers
A good set of meal prep containers is one of the most useful meal prep supplies you can own.
They’re perfect for storing leftovers, portioning lunches, prepping salads, and keeping cut fruits and vegetables ready to grab throughout the week.
I personally prefer glass containers because they don’t absorb food odours and they’re easy to clean. Having meals and ingredients ready to go makes busy summer evenings so much easier.
Vegetable Chopper
I’m actually quite a minimalist when it comes to kitchen gadgets. I’ve learned that many kitchen tools get used a few times and then sit in a drawer forever.
But a vegetable chopper is one item I genuinely use regularly.
I debated buying one for the longest time, but now I’m glad I did. It makes quick work of potatoes, onions (no more tears!), peppers, cucumbers, and vegetables for Greek salad. It’s also great for shredding cheese and speeding up meal prep on busy days.
Salad Spinner
Fresh salads are a staple in our house during the summer, and a salad spinner makes preparing them so much easier.
Washing and drying lettuce thoroughly helps it stay fresh longer, which means fewer slimy greens getting tossed in the compost. If you eat a lot of salads, this is one of those meal prep supplies that quickly pays for itself.
Produce Savers
Every time I use our produce saver container, I’m amazed by how quickly the food inside gets eaten.
Grapes that used to sit forgotten in the fridge are suddenly gone within days because I’ve washed them and removed them from the stems ahead of time. The same goes for strawberries, blueberries, and cut vegetables.
Produce saver containers help keep fruits and vegetables fresh longer, making healthy snacks much more convenient and reducing food waste.
Reusable Silicone Storage Bags
These silicone storage bags have become one of my favourite meal prep supplies.
They’re perfect for storing chopped vegetables, marinating chicken, freezing fruit for smoothies, and packing snacks for summer outings.
Since they’re reusable, they also help cut down on disposable plastic bag usage.
Air Fryer
It might be a stretch to call an air fryer a meal prep tool, but it definitely earns a place on my list.
We use ours regularly for quick meals like chicken nuggets, fries, roasted vegetables, and chicken breasts that can be sliced and added to salads, wraps, or grain bowls throughout the week.
On busy summer nights, it can be an absolute lifesaver.
Slow Cooker
Summer mornings tend to be slower around our house, which makes them the perfect time to throw something into the slow cooker.
When dinner is cooking while we’re out enjoying the day, everyone wins!
Some of our favourites include BBQ chicken for sandwiches or even naan pizzas, shredded chicken tacos, roast beef dip sandwiches, soups, and more.
The slow cooker also keeps the kitchen cool while making dinner almost effortless.
Mason Jars
I use mason jars for everything from overnight oats and yogurt parfaits to cut fruit, homemade fridge pickles, and pasta salads. They’re especially handy for preparing grab-and-go breakfasts and lunches during the summer when we’re constantly on the move.
Mason jars are also great for storing dry pantry staples, homemade sauces & salad dressings, smoothie ingredients, and even infused water. If you’re looking for meal prep supplies that offer a lot of value for the money, mason jars are hard to beat.
Final Thoughts
Having the right meal prep supplies doesn’t mean filling your kitchen with gadgets you’ll never use. Instead, focus on tools that genuinely save time, reduce food waste, and make healthy meals easier to prepare.
For me, that means having a meal planner, quality food storage containers, produce savers, a vegetable chopper, and a few versatile appliances like an air fryer and slow cooker.
By spending a little time preparing ahead, you’ll spend less time worrying about what’s for dinner and more time enjoying everything summer has to offer.
What are your favourite meal prep supplies? I’d love to hear which tools help make your summer meals easier.
