9 Tips to Meal Prep Broccoli

Broccoli is one of the superfoods that fitness and nutritional experts have been touting for years.

We all know it’s good for us and we want all of the rich vitamins, antioxidants, and other amazing nutrients that make it such a great part of a good, healthy meal plan.

Broccoli is a fantastic source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and even lowers the risk of some types of cancers.

If you’re lucky, you enjoy eating broccoli.

You can just pop it in the microwave or boil it from the grocery store and chow down.

However, there are a lot of people who need something extra to make it palatable.

Broccoli is just one of those foods that some people love and a lot of people don’t love.

Most people know they should be eating more broccoli, but maybe childhood experiences sitting at the table staring at a big portion of broccoli have you soured on it even to this day.

Can you just throw frozen broccoli into meals and microwave it together? Absolutely.

It’s not going to be well-seasoned, though, and if you’re not a huge broccoli fan yet, there are better ways to go about it.

We all know that one of the keys to successful meal planning is adding enough flavor and diversity to make eating enjoyable.

If you don’t like what you’re eating, it’s going to be hard to deal with the cravings that come at night or after a meal. Before you know, you’ll be eating a candy bar after your chicken and broccoli.

Keep yourself on the right track by using these 9 tips to meal prep broccoli.

You’ll enjoy eating it more and you’ll see better results on your health and wellness goals.

Table of Contents

Roasting Your Broccoli

Roasting is a wonderful way to add some texture to your broccoli that will change up the mouthfeel and make your meals more fun to eat.

We’ve all had our share of over-cooked broccoli that has been boiled in water and tastes a bit like mush. Good chefs know that texture is a big component of good food.

By roasting your broccoli, you add some crunch to your food that will make it easier to chew.

Roast your broccoli by setting it on a pan and putting it in a preheated oven at around 400 to 425 degrees.

You want it to cook relatively quickly at a high temperature because that’s what’s going to put the texture on the edges.

Sprinkle Some Chili Flakes

Chili flakes will make your broccoli spicy and flavorful. Don’t overdo it if you’re particularly sensitive to spicy food.

However, with a bit of chili on your normally mundane broccoli, your mouth will feel more alive as you down your meal-prepped lunch or dinner.

You can find chili flakes online or in the store at any local grocer.

Garlic Powder

Garlic powder is a go-to for a lot of meal preppers because it adds no caloric value to your food and packs whatever you sprinkle it on full of flavor.

Feel free to sprinkle generously because a good helping of garlic powder on your broccoli will also add flavor to other foods that are in your meal container.

Salt Appropriately

Salt makes most things taste better. We understand that if you are meal prepping, sometimes you have to be very conscious about how much salt you’re eating.

If you’re cutting weight for a sporting event, like a wrestling tournament, for instance, then the salt will make you retain more water and feel heavier.

If you’re not worried about the scale, though, then you can add more salt and enjoy healthy, nutrient-rich food.

Try an Air Fryer

Air fryers are pretty popular today. People are discovering that they don’t have to associate french fries and other foods full of texture and flavor with being unhealthy.

With an air fryer, you can get great results from broccoli that will make it taste and feel differently in your mouth.

One thing you’ll have to watch when you’re air frying broccoli is how much time you leave it in there.

Most people have to work through several iterations in the fryer to find exactly how long something should cook for. Don’t be afraid to try different times and see how you like the results.

Eat the Stalk Too

One huge mistake that a lot of people make is thinking that the stalk isn’t good or is inedible.

Instead of wasting the whole stalk, just cut off the very bottom inch and then cook the rest.

We guarantee you’ll like it! It’s heartier than the florets and the texture is a lot different. It will help you mix up your meal prep a bit by adding variety.

Squeeze Some Lemon Over It

If you’ve roasted or air fried your broccoli, try adding some lemon juice on top before you put it in a meal container or eat it.

Lemon juice won’t harm your diet goals and it injects some really great zest into your food. Just be careful not to use too much because you don’t want the citrus flavor to overpower everything else.

Steaming Broccoli

Steaming is another cooking method to try out when you feel like you need to change up the broccoli a bit.

To steam vegetables, you don’t really need anything special, but there are steamers available online and in stores.

You can do without it when you’re starting out, though, to help decide whether a steamer is something you want to invest in.

In a large pan or skillet, boil about a quarter of an inch of water. Once it’s at a rolling boil, add your broccoli into the shallow water and then cover the pan and let the steam cook through.

It usually only takes a few minutes depending on how thick your broccoli is.