Meal Prep Glossary: 20 Terms Explained
The words that show up in meal prep specs, reviews and how-to guides, explained without jargon. Open any term for the full explanation and what to look for when buying.
- Batch cooking
- Cooking larger amounts of a few recipes at once, then portioning them out to eat across the week.
- Read more about batch cooking
- Bento box
- A compartmented lunch container with separate sections that keep different foods from touching.
- Read more about bento boxRelated: Best Bento Boxes
- Borosilicate glass
- A heat-resistant glass that tolerates temperature swings better than standard glass, used in many oven-safe food containers.
- Read more about borosilicate glassRelated: Best Glass Meal Prep Containers
- BPA-free
- Plastic made without bisphenol A, a chemical once common in food containers and linked to health concerns.
- Read more about bpa-free
- Component prep
- Preparing separate elements, like a grain, a protein, and roasted vegetables, that you combine differently across the week.
- Read more about component prep
- Container sizing
- Matching container volume to a realistic portion size instead of guessing by container count alone.
- Read more about container sizing
- Freezer burn
- Dry, grayish-white patches on frozen food caused by air exposure, usually from a poor seal.
- Read more about freezer burnRelated: Best Vacuum Sealers for Meal Prep
- Fridge life
- How many days cooked, refrigerated leftovers stay safe to eat, generally 3 to 4 days by USDA guidance.
- Read more about fridge life
- Mason jar salad
- A layered salad built in a jar with dressing at the bottom and greens on top so it stays crisp until shaken.
- Read more about mason jar saladRelated: Best Mason Jars for Meal Prep
- Portion control container
- A container sized, or sometimes color-coded, to hold a set amount of a food group for a single meal.
- Read more about portion control containerRelated: Best Portion Control Containers
- Pressure cooker
- A sealed pot that cooks food under pressure, sharply cutting the time needed for beans, grains, and tough cuts of meat.
- Read more about pressure cookerRelated: Best Instant Pots
- Safe reheating temperature
- The internal temperature, 165 degrees F by USDA guidance, that reheated leftovers should reach before eating.
- Read more about safe reheating temperature
- Shallow cooling
- Splitting hot food into shallow containers so it cools quickly and safely before it goes into the fridge.
- Read more about shallow cooling
- Sheet pan meal
- Protein and vegetables roasted together on one tray, a fast, low-cleanup batch cooking method.
- Read more about sheet pan mealRelated: Best Sheet Pans
- Silicone stretch lid
- A flexible silicone cover that stretches over a bowl or cut food to seal it without a matching lid.
- Read more about silicone stretch lid
- Snack container
- A small, portioned container sized for a single snack rather than a full meal.
- Read more about snack container
- Sous vide
- A cooking method that seals food in a bag and cooks it in a precisely heated water bath for even results.
- Read more about sous vide
- Stackable containers
- Food containers designed with matching, uniform shapes so they nest or stack tightly in the fridge or freezer.
- Read more about stackable containers
- Two-hour rule
- USDA guidance to refrigerate perishable cooked food within two hours, or within one hour above 90 degrees F.
- Read more about two-hour rule
- Vacuum sealing
- Removing air from a bag or container before sealing it, which extends freezer life and enables sous vide cooking.
- Read more about vacuum sealingRelated: Best Vacuum Sealers for Meal Prep