Are you feeling stuck on how to start meal planning and prepping? Learn the best tips for gluten and dairy-free meal prep so that you're not spending hours in the kitchen.
Gluten and dairy-free have both become worldwide trends, but they can be challenging to put into practice. Starting a new lifestyle demands a lot of time.
Going gluten and dairy-free definitely requires extreme attention and management, whether for personal or medical reasons (learn more about beginner tips for a dairy-free diet).
Meal prep allows you to stay on top of the diet while saving time and money. However, it helps to learn how to eat gluten-free on a budget too so that you're not spending a fortune.
A gluten and dairy-free diet offers fantastic benefits, but practicing this diet without the correct strategies can be difficult (learn more about gluten-free baking tips).
Check out the steps below to master meal prep or scroll to the bottom and find the best, dairy-free, and naturally gluten-free recipes to start on.
1. Plan Ahead
You can’t decide to meal prep and start doing that directly in the kitchen. Planning is highly crucial to ensure success in meal planning and prepping.
To save time during the meal prep, you should sit down beforehand to decide how to prepare for the week ahead.
Use the printable meal planner below to help you.
You can shop for ingredients beforehand and look up recipes that fit your gluten-free diet (see the best ones at the end of this article). Planning allows you not to spend hours in the kitchen trying to figure out what to meal prep
2. Ensure Staples Are On Hand
Certain staples must be in the pantry before you start gluten-free meal-prepping- this is actually one of the basic steps in meal planning for busy moms. Plenty of options will make it easier to prepare delicious, naturally gluten-free meals and not spend too much time on them. However, make sure to learn more about hidden sources of gluten and ensure you're not accidentally grabbing gluten-filled things!
For example, purchase a few different varieties of gluten-free grains like quinoa, rolled oats, and rice. Stock up on gluten-free bread for lunches.
If you love to bake, you must also stock up on other wholesome ingredients like coconut flour and almond flour (learn the difference between coconut and almond flour). More options will allow you to experience new recipes and not get bored with the same meals.
So before you start your meal prep, purchase gluten-free ingredients and snack options. Check out these gluten-free pantry staples complete with a gluten-free grocery list to get you set up.
Also, learn how to master your family meal planning on a budget so you can shop for supplies without stress!
3. Purchase Quality Storage Containers
Meal prep often entails cooking a lot of food at one time and storing it for future consumption. When you cook meals in large quantities, deciding the best way to keep them is essential.
Glass containers are the best options as they are easy to clean and won’t transfer harmful chemicals.
We like these glass containers the most.
Cross-contamination is a common yet severe issue for gluten-free diets, which you can avoid when you use suitable containers.
You can also keep meals fresher when you store them correctly and maintain their flavor and texture. So ensure you pick containers to help you perfect the gluten-free meal storage.
4. Batch Cooking
Batch cooking is a life savior for meal prep. It ensures you have healthy, balanced meals available. This can even be done with breakfast by using things like sheet pan protein pancakes.
Cooking in ample quantities is the way to go when you don’t want to spend hours every day in the kitchen trying to figure out what to eat.
Decide two days of the week when you have free time, and declare those as your “batch cooking” days. On these days, I like to cook:
- rice to reheat later
- ground beef in a crock pot for easy sauce, tacos, etc
- gluten free roasted vegetables
- extra Dutch oven chicken or gluten-free teriyaki meatballs
- roasted sweet potatoes
- items like air fryer steak bites or spicy gluten free chicken bites
Honestly, cooking the basics makes it simple to just throw something together at the end of the day.
You can turn sweet potatoes, chicken, and herb cauliflower rice into stir frys, pastas, or bowls. It makes for an easy, gluten-free meal.
5. Try New Recipes
With the growing popularity of the gluten-free diet, you are no longer limited to a small number of recipes featuring gluten-free ingredients.
So don’t hesitate to experiment and meal prep some new gluten-free snacks and dishes.
6. Prepare Snacks
While you are on a gluten and dairy-free diet, unlimited delicious options will tempt you. Having gluten-free snacks on hand will help you battle those temptations and keep going with your new lifestyle.
So while you do your meal prep make sure to prepare some gluten-free snacks.
Check out the best dairy-free and gluten-free snacks for busy moms.
The options above are easy to meal prep and are great at helping you gain ENERGY throughout the day.
Fast, crave-worthy snacks that hit your protein goals (without tracking or extra cooking time).
Dairy and Gluten-Free Meal Prep Recipes
Use the following recipes to rock your transition to gluten-free.
Following a gluten-free meal plan is a great way to get started, or choose a few new recipes from the list below and dive in.
- Cookie dough protein bars
- Egg white wraps
- Collagen donuts
- Yogurt protein pancakes
- Chocolate protein fluff
- Protein cookie dough
- Flourless protein brownies
- Slow cooker beef fajitas
- Slow cooker beef and broccoli
- Slow cooker banana bread
- Slow cooker Tuscan chicken
- Slow cooker BBQ chicken thighs
- Slow cooker chicken teriyaki
- Almond flour cookies
- Protein chia pudding
Frequently Asked Questions About Gluten-Free Meal Prepping
A gluten-free meal can be just as simple as a traditional one by stocking up on gluten-free pasta and gluten-free bread. A few great ideas are a chicken salad, turkey and Swiss sandwich, steak with steamed veggies and sweet potato, or chicken pesto pasta on soba noodles.
Typically you need to steer clear of wheat, barley, and rye. However, many packaged and processed foods like crackers, chips, and sauces contain one or more of these ingredients. Make sure to read the labels of your food to ensure there is no gluten.
Conclusion
Learning to meal prep is one of the best ways to keep up with your dietary needs while saving time and gaining energy.
Planning ahead of time will make the new lifestyle more doable and less frustrating.
If you’ve struggled to keep up with the gluten-free lifestyle and eat healthy even on busy schedules, meal-prep will be a life-changer!
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