Beginner's Meal Prep Grocery List (Printable)
A printable starter grocery list for meal prep, organized by store aisle, with pantry staples, flexible proteins and produce that lasts all week.
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A good meal-prep grocery list has two layers: pantry staples you restock now and then, and a short weekly list of proteins and fresh produce. Organize both by store aisle and you'll shop faster, spend less and stop buying a third jar of cumin.
When you're new to meal prep, the grocery store is where plans fall apart. You buy ingredients for recipes rather than for a week, end up with half a bunch of cilantro rotting in the drawer, and spend more than you would on takeout. The fix is a simple, repeatable list.
The list below is built for a household of one or two people prepping five dinners a week. Scale it up for families. Press Ctrl+P (or Cmd+P on a Mac) to print this page; the site's print layout hides the menus and ads.
How to use this list
- Shop your kitchen first. Before you write anything, check the fridge, freezer and pantry. Plan at least one dinner around what you already have.
- Pick your dinners. Choose five, or let the Weekly Prep Planner pick quantities for you.
- Copy only what you need from the weekly sections below onto your list.
- Restock staples when they run low, not every week.
Pantry staples (buy once, restock as needed)
These keep for months and turn plain ingredients into actual dinners.
Oils, vinegars and sauces
- Olive oil and a neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
- Red wine or apple cider vinegar
- Soy sauce or tamari
- Hot sauce
- Dijon mustard
- Jarred pesto, salsa and marinara (check the label; most need refrigerating once opened)
Spices and seasonings
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Garlic powder and onion powder
- Ground cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika
- Dried oregano and Italian seasoning
- Curry powder or a jar of curry paste
- Red pepper flakes
You don't need a full spice rack. Those eight or nine cover chili, tacos, sheet-pan dinners, curries and Italian-style pasta.
Grains, pasta and legumes
- Long-grain white or brown rice
- Quinoa
- Two shapes of pasta (one long, one short)
- Red lentils
- Rolled oats (for breakfast prep)
Canned and jarred goods
- Canned beans: black, kidney, chickpeas and cannellini
- Canned tomatoes: crushed and diced
- Low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- Coconut milk
- Canned tuna or salmon
Weekly fresh list
Proteins (pick two or three)
- Boneless chicken thighs or breasts
- Ground turkey or lean ground beef
- Pork tenderloin
- Salmon fillets
- Precooked chicken sausages
- Eggs (a dozen goes a long way)
- Firm or extra-firm tofu
Raw poultry and ground meat should be cooked or frozen within one to two days of buying, according to FoodSafety.gov's storage chart. If you shop on Saturday and prep on Sunday, you're well within that window. If you shop earlier in the week, put meat straight into the freezer.
Produce that lasts all week
Choose vegetables that survive a few days in the fridge after cooking:
- Onions and garlic (store at room temperature, not in the fridge)
- Carrots and celery
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli and cauliflower
- Sweet potatoes and baby potatoes
- Green beans
- Cabbage or bagged coleslaw mix
- Kale (sturdier than spinach)
- Lemons and limes
Fresh extras (use early in the week)
- Baby spinach or salad greens
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Fresh herbs such as cilantro or parsley
- Avocados (buy firm and let them ripen)
Dairy
- Plain Greek yogurt (for sauces and breakfasts)
- Shredded cheese
- Milk or a non-dairy alternative
- Parmesan
Frozen
Frozen vegetables are picked and frozen quickly and are a genuinely useful shortcut, not a compromise.
- Frozen peas and carrots
- Frozen corn
- Frozen chopped spinach
- Frozen stir-fry vegetable mix
- Frozen chopped onions (a real time-saver)
Bakery
- Tortillas (freeze extras)
- Whole-grain bread or pitas
Smart swaps to save time
| Instead of | Try | Time saved |
|---|---|---|
| Whole onions | Frozen diced onions | 5 to 10 min |
| Whole butternut squash | Pre-cut squash cubes | 10 min |
| Head of cabbage | Bagged coleslaw mix | 5 min |
| Dried beans | Canned beans, rinsed | Overnight soaking |
| Raw chicken for salads | Rotisserie chicken | 30 min |
If you use a store rotisserie chicken, treat it like any cooked leftover: refrigerate it within two hours and use it within three to four days.
A sample list for one week
Here's what a real list looks like for five dinners for two: chicken and potato sheet pan, turkey chili, chickpea curry, pesto pasta and burrito bowls.
Produce: 1 bag onions, 1 head garlic, 2 bell peppers, 1 lb baby potatoes, 1 lb green beans, 1 lemon, 1 bag baby spinach, 1 pint cherry tomatoes
Meat: 1 lb boneless chicken thighs, 1 lb ground turkey, 1 lb lean ground beef
Dairy: Shredded cheddar, Parmesan
Grains: Rice and short pasta (check the pantry first)
Canned: 1 can kidney beans, 1 can black beans, 1 can chickpeas, 1 can cannellini beans, 1 large can crushed tomatoes, 1 can coconut milk, 1 jar salsa, 1 jar pesto
Frozen: Corn
That's under 25 items, most of them pantry staples you'll carry into next week.
Storing what you buy
Groceries last longer when they're put away properly:
- Fridge at 40°F or below, freezer at 0°F. An inexpensive appliance thermometer tells you for sure.
- Keep raw meat on the bottom shelf, in a bowl or on a plate, so juices can't drip onto other food.
- Don't wash berries or greens until you use them. Extra moisture speeds spoilage.
- Keep onions and potatoes apart, in a cool, dark spot. Stored together, they tend to spoil faster.
- Shopping hungry. It's a cliché because it's true. Eat something first and stick to the list.
- Buying for recipes instead of the week. If two dinners each need half a bunch of cilantro, buy one bunch, not two.
- Overbuying fresh produce. It's tempting to fill the cart with vegetables, but anything you can't cook by Wednesday is likely to wilt. Lean on frozen vegetables for the back half of the week.
- Forgetting breakfasts and lunches. If you only plan dinners, you'll end up buying lunch at work. Add a few simple items like oats, yogurt, eggs and sandwich fixings.
- Skipping the unit price. The shelf tag usually shows the price per ounce or per pound. A larger bag of rice or a store-brand can of beans is often much cheaper per serving, even if the package price looks higher.
Keep a running list
Put a shared note on your phone or a whiteboard on the fridge, and add staples the moment they run out. By prep week, half your list is already written. Over a few weeks you'll notice the same items appear again and again; that's your household's real staples list, and it's worth saving as a template.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead can I buy meat for meal prep?
FoodSafety.gov recommends cooking or freezing raw poultry and ground meat within 1 to 2 days of purchase. Shop the day before your prep, or freeze meat right away.
Are frozen vegetables good for meal prep?
Yes. They're already washed and chopped, last for months, and work well in soups, stir-fries, chili and fried rice.
Can I print this grocery list?
Yes. Use your browser's print command; the page prints without menus or ads.
