Meal prepping in advance and quantity is beneficial for three main reasons:

  1. Save time: cooking, shopping, and washing dishes
  2. Diet control: a batch of strategic meals helps fight junk food
  3. Save money: buying in quantity is cheaper; fewer supermarket trips and less use of cleaning supplies

Specifically, in this article I’ll explain how to prepare meals for several months using a practical technique that’s easy to implement.

Meal Prep Pouches

The advantage of meal‑prep pouches, as opposed to classic plastic containers, is the compact space and the reduced air inside (less air equals fewer bacteria). The less space our pouches use, the more we’ll be able to store and benefit without cooking again.

As for the air that gets trapped in the pouch, common sense applies: fresh food needs to be stored and frozen immediately after cooking. You can of course opt for a vacuum sealer system if you like. Some people find them impractical because of the machine cost, the more expensive pouches—not all are compatible—and the long idle periods needed to cool down, which can be annoying if you’re bulk sealing.

How It Works

This method requires:

I chose a 12" (30 cm) food sealer—shown in the picture. If you don’t need to make large portions or seal big objects, an 8" (20 cm) is more than enough and easier to store. The price for an impulse sealer is usually around $30, shipping included.

The machine is simple to operate: plug it into the power outlet and set the intensity with the only knob. Usually the range goes from 1 to 10. Use 5 for standard poly tubes and 8 for higher‑quality, thicker rolls. Make a few attempts before beginning bulk sealing.

Food‑sealing rolls can be found at a discount on most online retailers. I recommend an 8" width for single portions, a size that is usually best between 3 oz (100 g) and 7 oz (200 g). Smaller or larger widths may result in pouches with odd proportions that are harder to carry and store.

There are many roll lengths available, from 3 m (≈100’) to very long sizes for industrial sealing. A common home‑use length is 15 m (≈50’), often sold in packs of two.

Start with a couple of packs 8" × 50’: you’ll better absorb delivery costs, evaluate the brand, and get a feel for the workflow.

You can save money by purchasing rolls at industrial length, over 60 m (≈200’). Note that pouches built with this method aren’t meant to be resealed repeatedly.

Rolls should be food‑grade. If they’re intended for vacuum use (we’re not strictly vacuum‑sealing here), they’re mostly fine. Many films also support extreme temperatures, from freezing to microwave and boiling‑water heat. I recommend checking the product description carefully before buying and using.

Create the first pouches one by one to practice and avoid wasting material. Once you gain confidence you can create them serially—this will save time.

A tip for speeding up cutting: instead of cutting all the way from one side of the roll to the other, make a small incision and slide open scissors to the other end. Be careful not to cut the seal. Poly tubing is quite ductile and won’t resist much.

Foods and Other Uses

This approach makes it easy to manage food and quantities for a diet. You can create portions for each macronutrient group:

  • chicken breast in curry and ginger variant as a protein source
  • brown rice as an energy source with a low glycemic index
  • broccoli, peas, and carrots for vitamins and minerals
  • nuts and seeds, a healthy superfood‑style snack

These are just a few examples. I also use this method for preparing shake powders for my post‑workout: I prep them for a month in exact quantities while improving the formula. This reduces the chance of forgetting to take them, and I can carry them with me anywhere.

You can also store leftovers you want to enjoy a second time. Other uses include creating ice bags, waterproofing electronic devices and cardboard items, storing painting or quilting materials, and small parts.