Pans for Meal Prep
A hot sizzling pan is a hallmark of any kitchen, frying up delectable foods on the stove. They’re exactly what you need to saute, sear, and sizzle your way to incredible home cooked meals. Available in multiple sizes, you’ll find what’s best for you and quickly grow attached as you cook with it more and more.
You’ll often see recipes for 1 pan recipes, but where’s the fun in that? Frying pans are the most fun part and you’ll need more than one once your meal prep recipes become more complex and creative.
Pans aren’t always flat surfaces either. They have a variety of designs with ridges and brims that are meant to achieve unique results. In all cases, you’ll come out with exciting new recipes to try for meal prep with our selected favorites.
Griddle
Griddles are flat, either square or rectangular, pans often with a wire handle. They can take either one or two burners on top of a stove depending on the type. Similar to the large griddles you’ll see line chefs cooking within a diner, griddles are great for frying multiple ingredients at the same time, keeping everything warm until they are ready to be assembled.
Griddle pans are usually made with either nonstick or cast iron materials. Nonstick is great for those looking for something quick and easy for meal prep, while the cast iron counterparts are ideal for cooks looking to take their meal prep to the next level.
Grilled vegetables like onions and bell peppers are especially popular with griddles, going great in breakfast scrambles or fajitas. Caramelization is key to great flavors and griddles are perfect for creating the maillard reaction.
Grill Pan
Grill pans offered cooks with a rigged surface that mimics a barbeque grill, leaving grill marks and letting juices collect in the divots. They are especially great for home cooks that don’t have access to an outdoor grill, but still want to cook recipes that ask for grilling.
Grill pans typically come in cast iron because of the high heat that they are recreating from open flame grilling. This will help you achieve the same textures and consistencies minus any char or smoke.
Some grills will include a spot that drains the grease coming from whatever is being grilled. If retained, there are a few different things you can do with this such as creating a gravy, save as cooking oil, or as an au jus. In any case, grill pans lead to some tasty meal prep.
Saute Pan
Saute pans are wide brimmed pans with high sides and a lid. They are often used to simmer sauces and cook liquids. They are also great if you are cooking with a large quantity of food and need to prevent food from spilling as you stir.
Saute pans are exceptional for noodles as well as sauces because they can boil water efficiently and are deep enough for most styles of noodles and pastas. Afterwards, you can use the remaining liquid to help make a sauce or base that will pair nicely.
There are endless ways that saute pans can be used for meal prep. They compliment any kitchen and can handle important liquid components while other ingredients are being cooked separately.
Skillet
Skillets are wide brimmed pans with low sides. They are one of the most commonly used pans in any kitchen and are essential for a majority of recipes, making them must-haves for proper meal prep.
Skillets generally come in 3-4 standard sizes and it is important to pick one that will fit your stove well. Because skillets are used so frequently during cooking they’ll be moved around a lot, encroaching on stove top space reserved for other dishes so you need one that fits your stove well.
It’s easy to play favorites with skillets, usually relying on one or two specific pans more than others, but having an assortment of skillets can be beneficial when you are balancing multiple cooking ingredients at a single time.