Win the Meal Prep Game With “Nextovers”

Each January, the creative minds at Epicurious.com throw down the #cook90 challenge. Specifically, they guide and cajole legions of home cooks to prep three meals a day, every day, for an entire month. If you don't cook often or well, the notion of whipping up 90 squares in a month (or even a year!) may send you diving for the smartphone to ensure the UberEATS food delivery app is still in good working order.

But #cook90 leadership lobbed followers a gift this year with a super-smart idea: a practice that Epi's food director Rhoda Boone calls "nextovers."

So what are they?

Nextovers are more a habit than a "thing." The concept is basically the practice of bulk-prepping veggies, proteins, grains and beans on an open afternoon (consider blocking off a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon) so these ingredients are ready to riff on when it comes to the busy times during the week when we are thrashing about trying to put a meal on the table. With the food already seasoned and cooked—usually the limiting factor of the prep dance—you can grab what you need from the fridge and build a quick grain bowl, pasta, soup, wrap or salad.

Get some inspired ideas from the #cook90 team here: www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/cook90.