Whether you prefer them hard or soft-boiled, eggs are many people’s breakfast favorite. But can you meal prep eggs? If you’ve ever wondered, yes, you can. You can prepare a variety of nourishing and wholesome egg dishes and simply reheat them for breakfast.
Not everyone can afford to cook a fancy high protein breakfast from scratch during the working week. If you want to eat healthy meals each day, knowing how to meal prep eggs can be a real game-changer. Moreover, eggs are an essential ingredient in some great lunch recipes, too.
Key Takeaways
- The easiest way to meal prep eggs is to boil them and store them in the fridge for up to a week.
- You can meal prep hard-boiled eggs, fried eggs, as well as almost any egg-based dish, like omelettes, quiches, and casseroles with eggs.
- When properly stored, eggs last up to a week in the fridge and for several months in the freezer.
Can You Meal Prep Eggs for the Week?
You can prepare eggs in advance to eat throughout the week. Eggs can last for several days in the fridge or for several months when frozen. There’s a huge variety of egg-based dishes to choose from, and many of them can be meal prepped.
If you’re ready to set aside some time for meal prepping, you’ll prepare delicious and super easy meals that you can box, store in the fridge, and eat whenever you want to. It’s completely worth the effort!
Related: What Are Vegan Eggs Made Of? No Chickens Required
Benefits of Meal Prepping with Eggs
Meal prepped egg dishes make tasty home-cooked breakfasts and lunches when you don’t have the time to spare for cooking each day. They are both nourishing and filling, which makes them a great choice for a healthy snack.
Eggs provide your body with plenty of vitamins and minerals that are essential for your health. They contain a lot of protein (12.6g per 100g), and egg yolks are a good source of choline. The vitamins found in eggs include vitamins D, B, and A.
Apart from being a healthy and wholesome product, cooking eggs in advance can be very cost-effective and save you a lot of time. Eggs are cost-efficient and are one of the quickest products to cook.
Related: How to Meal Prep a Salad: Dos & Don'ts (+ Recipes)
Prepping Eggs for Multiple Meals
The best part about meal prepping eggs is that you’ve got a huge variety of options. You can choose your favorite way to eat eggs and prepare them for the week ahead. You can boil, fry, or even freeze them. And, of course, you can cook egg-based dishes like omelettes, frittata, or egg casseroles. Then simply freeze them, and you’ll have ready-made, delicious meals that you only need to reheat. Sounds great, right?
Can You Meal Prep Boiled Eggs?
Hard-boiled eggs are one of the easiest foods to meal prep. Just boil the eggs and then store them in a container in the fridge for up to a week. You can peel them in advance to save time. Boiled eggs are great with fried bacon or as a sandwich filling, and you can always use them for more fancy treats like devilled eggs or egg salad.
Can You Meal Prep Fried Eggs?
You can also make fried or scrambled eggs and store them in the fridge. If you’re using them for meal prep, make sure that the egg yolk is almost hard and not runny. This way they can be stored for a longer period of time.
Can You Meal Prep Omelettes?
Meal prepping an omelette is also possible. After you cook it, make sure to keep it in the fridge in an airtight container. Not only will it keep the omelette fresh, but it will also keep it from absorbing the smells of other food in the fridge. Then when you need it, simply reheat it in the oven or microwave.
Is Meal Prepping Eggs Safe? Storage and Safety Tips
Storing meal prepped eggs is easy. Just make sure the egg yolk is well-cooked – runny egg yolk can’t be stored for as long as hard-boiled eggs. Store them in airtight, separate containers. When working with uncooked eggs, clean any kitchen surfaces, dishes, and cooking tools you’ve used and wash your hands afterwards.
Remember, even fresh eggs can be stored in the fridge for up to six weeks only. Always check their expiry date when you buy eggs, and store them in the fridge. Also, check for any cracked eggs, it’s best to throw them away due to the risk of salmonella and other bacteria penetrating the cracks. Boiled eggs with cracks are safe to eat.
How Long Can You Meal Prep Eggs?
Eggs can last for an entire week in the fridge, which makes them a wonderful option for meal prepping. The way they’re cooked will determine how long they can be stored, so it’s essential to know which methods work best for longer storage. Fried eggs, omelettes (especially with vegetables), and frittata can be stored for three or four days. Hard-boiled eggs can be stored for seven days.
To preserve the quality and flavor of your meal prepped egg dishes, it’s best to separate them into individual portions according to your needs and store them in airtight containers.
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Related: How Many Eggs per Day Can You Eat on a Keto Diet?
How to Meal Prep Eggs: Tips, Dos & Don’ts
When you cook for the week ahead, keep these meal prep eggs tips in mind:
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Although it’s always possible to add some extra salt or pepper afterwards, it’s best to add seasonings while you cook for the best flavor. This is especially important when you’re cooking egg dishes like frittata or a quiche.
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Use a non-stick pan to avoid eggs getting stuck to the bottom of the pan.
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Always let the eggs cool before storing them in containers and putting them in the fridge. You want to avoid condensation; it makes the eggs soggy and they spoil quicker.
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Reheat egg-based dishes at moderate temperature for 15-20 minutes in the oven and cover the container with cooking foil to prevent drying out. If you’re reheating in the microwave, use a low power setting and don’t reheat for too long to avoid overcooking the eggs.
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Don’t store your fried or scrambled eggs with side dishes like cooked vegetables or salads; the juice from the vegetables can make the eggs lose their texture and they won’t last as long.
Meal Prep Recipes with Eggs
How to Meal Prep Eggs for Breakfast
For a quick and tasty breakfast that you can eat on the go, try meal prepping egg muffins. They are super easy to reheat in the oven or microwave, and you can play around with the filling so that you’re never bored of them. Egg muffins can be made with bacon and vegetables if you want an option compatible with your keto diet. There are also amazing vegetarian combinations, like spinach and feta cheese or bell peppers and onion egg muffins. You can make as many as you like for the week and even freeze some for later use.
How to Meal Prep Eggs for Lunch
An omelette makes a delicious lunch, especially if it includes your favorite veggies and some protein, like cheese or meat. For meal prep, you can cook your omelette in the oven and later divide it up into portions to take for lunch throughout the week. The flavors and options are almost unlimited – from tomatoes and herbs to chorizo and cheddar cheese, your omelette can be as spicy or creamy as you like.
How to Meal Prep Eggs for Dinner
If you’re looking for a more filling egg dish that you can eat for dinner, why not make egg casserole? Cooked in a pan in the oven, it will make enough portions for the week ahead, and it’s the ultimate comforting, homemade meal that will leave you looking forward to your dinners. Again, there are amazing recipes you can try, from beef and cheese egg casserole to vegetarian spinach and mushroom casserole.
Related: 15 High Protein Meal Prep Ideas to Achieve Your Nutritional Goals
Can You Meal Prep Eggs and How? FAQs
Q: How long do meal prepped scrambled eggs last?
A: Scrambled eggs will typically last for two or three days in the fridge. If frozen, most egg-based dishes last for a couple of months.
Q: What are the best foods for meal prepping?
A: Lean meat, whole grains, and starchy vegetables are good foods for meal prepping, as they last the longest. But you can also meal prep hardy greens, like kale, and sturdy vegetables like bell peppers or carrots.
Q: Can you meal prep eggs and bacon?
A: Yes, you can fry the bacon and cook the eggs, and then store them in containers until you need them. Just make sure you add any fresh tomatoes or other side dishes only right before eating.
Q: How long do cooked eggs last in the fridge?
A: Fried eggs and egg-based dishes normally last for three to four days in the fridge, while hard-boiled eggs can last for a whole week.
Q: How many days can you meal prep boiled eggs?
A: Eggs are one of the quickest products to meal prep. Find out how many portions you need for the week ahead, cook the eggs (cooking scrambled eggs only takes ca. 15 minutes), and then divide the food into individual portions to store in the fridge.
Conclusion
Meal prepping eggs is an effortless way to ensure that you have delicious and easily reheatable meals for the week ahead. Eggs are cost-efficient and there are numerous creative ways you can use them for meal prepping. You can make scrambled eggs or eggs and bacon for a quick breakfast or cook enticing and filling meals like quiches, egg muffins, or frittatas. The huge variety of egg-based dishes that you can meal prep proves that you can eat healthy food without spending long, fussy hours in the kitchen. Try and see for yourself!
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