* The best hacks to meal prep like a pro
* Kick off 2019 with delicious, healthy meals you can enjoy right away
* Prep containers, food processors, recipes and more

Contrary to what you may have seen on Instagram, meal prep is much more than just a simple food trend: it’s a smart and easy way to save time and money so you can make delicious, homemade food without the wait.

The idea behind meal prepping is simple. You portion out your meals to create quick grab-and-go meals for later. Think of it like packing your lunches for the week in one go instead of every morning. But, in this case, it can be breakfast, lunch, dinner and/or snacks.

With 2019 just around the corner, kick off the new year by eating better without the stress. Here are seven easy hacks to meal prep like a pro.

1. Freshware Meal Prep Containers (Set of 21)

Made exclusively from FDA-approved and BPA-free materials, these meal prep containers from Freshware feature three different compartments so you can perfectly portion your favorite entrees, salads or dessert that can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere. Microwave-safe, freezer-safe and dishwasher-safe mean these containers are great for a variety uses including storage from leftover takeouts to prepping your lunch and dinners days (or even weeks) in advance.

2. Mason Jars by Ball Jar (Set of 12)

From smoothies to homemade preserves, you can store your favorite beverage or jam by the dozen. Constructed with durable glass, you’ll be able to refrigerate up to three weeks, freeze up to one year and store fresh preserves for up to one year.

3. Digital Kitchen and Food Scale by Ozeri

This sleek and elegant kitchen scale not only looks great on your kitchen counter, it also measures your food in perfectly portioned sizes thanks to its Precision Tare Button that calculates the net weight of your ingredients. It features a newly enlarged weighing platform and two large buttons that generate an audible click confirmation.

4. Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker Crock

Turkey chili, tender brisket or hearty beef stew, the possibilities are endless with the Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker. Cook once and you’ll have a delicious meal for days. It features an easy clean touchpad, dishwasher-safe stoneware and a smart temperature setting so it automatically stops cooking (it switches to warm) to prevent over-cooking or burning.

5. The Shredded Chef by Michael Matthews

With more than 200,000 copies sold, Michael Matthews’ best-selling dieting cookbook will help those looking to get back on track or just learn healthier cooking options. Pairing seamlessly with your meal prep, “The Shredded Chef” offers mouth-watering recipes (think: parmesan-crusted pork chops, creamy fettuccine with scallops and guilt-free desserts like peach cobbler and triple berry crisp) that not only are delicious, it’s also designed to build lean muscle and lose stubborn fat as well.

6. 19-Piece Measuring Cups Set by Prepworks from Progressive

Take the guesswork out of your meal prep with this all-inclusive 19-Piece Measuring Cups Set. The set includes nine measuring spoons and 10 measuring cups that measure both wet and dry ingredients with precision. It features easy-to-read metric measurements on each handle and is dishwasher safe.

7. Hamilton Beach Food Processor

Now you can prep the freshest ingredients with just a touch of a button. Featuring a powerful 450 watt motor with two speeds plus pulse control, a stainless steel blade and a large feed chute, you’ll be able to slice, shred, mix and puree just about anything.

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