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Why: Streamline your meal planning by effectively organizing preparation tasks and utilizing leftovers, allowing your members to enjoy delicious meals without waste.
Navigate: App Station > Content Library > Meal Plans > [Meal Plan] > Grid tab
Quick Start
In the meal plan editor, navigate to the Grid tab.
Click the + button in the desired day's grid cell or in the Advance Prep section.
Choose between Prep Session or Cook-Ahead Meal using the toggle.
Name the session and add tasks or select recipes as needed.
Save your changes.
Overview
Meal plans in Member Kitchens have two dedicated areas for preparation work: the Advance Prep area (located above the grid) and the Prep Row (within the grid). Both areas help you organize food preparation for your members. Any meal recipe can serve as a source for leftovers without requiring any special toggle.
The Prep Row
Each day in the meal plan grid features a special Prep Row at the top. In this row, you can add two types of items:
Prep Sessions: Task-based checklists with instructions that members can check off.
Cook-Ahead Meals: Recipes that are cooked but not consumed during that meal. All servings from these meals become available as leftovers.
When adding an item to the Prep Row, a toggle allows you to choose between a Prep Session and a Cook-Ahead Meal.
Advance Prep
The Advance Prep area appears above the main grid and is intended for prep work done before the meal plan week starts. You can set a date range (e.g., 2-4 days before the start of the meal plan). Both prep sessions and cook-ahead meals are available in this area.
Prep Sessions (Tasks)
To create a Prep Session:
Name the session (e.g., "Sunday Prep" or "Day 1 Morning").
Add manual tasks by typing instructions and clicking Add.
Optionally, import tasks from recipe prep-ahead instructions.
Reorder tasks using the up/down arrows.
Members will see these tasks as a checklist and can check off completed items.
Leftovers
The leftovers workflow is straightforward:
Any meal recipe can be a source for leftovers. You can optionally use the Make Extra option to specify additional servings beyond what is eaten at the meal.
On the days when the food will be eaten again, add Leftover Sessions that reference the source meal and specify how many servings to consume. For meals in the Prep Row, all servings are automatically available as leftovers.
Nutrition Behavior
Understanding how nutrition works with prep and leftovers is crucial:
Meals in the Prep Row show 0 nutrition because nothing is consumed during the prep session. Nutrition appears on the days the leftovers are actually eaten.
Advance Prep meals also show 0 nutrition.
Shopping lists include ingredients from both Prep Row and Advance Prep meals since the food needs to be purchased.
When using Make Extra on a regular meal, the nutrition only reflects the servings eaten at that meal.
Tips
Name your prep sessions clearly (e.g., "Sunday Prep", "Morning Prep").
Use the Prep Row for same-week cook-ahead meals and the Advance Prep area for tasks done before the meal plan starts.