--- title: How Meal Prep Works | Personal Chef Ana description: See how weekly in-home meal prep works, from menu planning and grocery shopping to cooking, labeling, cleanup, and a $750 chef service fee per session. canonical: https://personalchefana.com/how-meal-prep-works/ language: en-US --- Weekly Meal Prep · Greater Houston # How Our Meal Prep Works One kitchen day a week, with three to five days of fresh, ready-to-assemble meals waiting in your fridge. [The Build-Your-Own Approach](#approach) [What It Costs](#pricing) 1× visit per week 3-4 hours cooking in your kitchen 3–5 days of meals, labeled ![Weekly meal-prep spread with teriyaki beef, Caprese chicken, vegetables, and potato wedges](https://cdn.personalchefana.com/portfolio/jul09-beef/teriyaki-beef-caprese-chicken-spread.jpg) ![Weekly meal-prep spread with shredded chicken, meatballs, salad, and prepared sides](https://cdn.personalchefana.com/portfolio/jul02-saucy/full-table-gnocchi-gratin-drumsticks.jpg) ![Twelve weekly meal-prep containers with salmon, sliced steak, vegetables, and sides](https://cdn.personalchefana.com/portfolio/jun15/full-week-salmon-tuscan-chicken-strip.jpg) The approach ## “Build Your Own”: Components, Not Portioned Lunchboxes Most clients prefer the build-your-own idea. Instead of fixed plates you reheat in order, your chef prepares components: a few proteins, a grain or two, several vegetables, a sauce, and a fresh salad. Everything goes into your containers and is labeled. Your family opens the fridge and assembles a plate: a larger protein portion after practice, something lighter and greener for another person, or a different combination the next evening. Menus can be adapted around ingredient preferences and restrictions you share, including gluten-free or dairy-free preferences, higher-protein portions, and preferred cooking oils. ### Cooked in Your Kitchen Your chef prepares the food in your home and stores it in your own containers. ### Mixed and Matched Components, not fixed plates, give your household different combinations across the week. ### One Clear Point of Contact Menu feedback, scheduling, and service details stay in one clear conversation with our team. **Allergy note:** Please tell us about allergies, intolerances, and ingredient restrictions before menu planning. While we take your preferences seriously, clients with severe allergies should confirm whether the service environment and workflow are appropriate for their needs. The framework behind Build Your Own ## Built Around Balance We use Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate as the visual guide behind our Build Your Own approach: ½ vegetables and fruit, ¼ protein, and ¼ whole grains. The prepared components can be mixed and matched with that balance in mind. These are approximate proportions, not a prescribed calorie or serving plan. ### Healthy Eating Plate ### Protein **Suggested plate share:** 1/4 Fish, poultry, beans, nuts, or another menu-selected protein. ### Whole Grains **Suggested plate share:** 1/4 Quinoa, brown rice, farro, or another menu-selected side. ### Vegetables & Fruit **Suggested plate share:** 1/2 Colorful vegetables, salad, and fruit chosen around the menu, with sauces or oils used as planned. [Source: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health](https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/healthy-eating-plate/) **Nutrition note:** Personal Chef Ana does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Meals can be customized based on your preferences and any guidance from your physician, registered dietitian, or healthcare provider. Step by step ## From First Conversation to Labeled Containers Five clear steps, repeated for each service week. ### 1. We Talk Preferences We discuss your household’s food preferences, ingredient restrictions, and the foods that should not be included. ### 2. We Build the Menu We propose a three-to-five-day menu with proteins, vegetables, grains or other sides, and sauces. ### 3. You Review and Confirm You review the menu, request swaps or changes, and confirm it before grocery shopping begins. ### 4. Groceries Are Purchased Ingredients are selected to the preferences and standards agreed during menu planning, then billed at receipt cost. ### 5. Cooking Day Your chef cooks in your home, portions and labels the food, and leaves the kitchen clean. ![Weekly meal-prep menu arranged on a kitchen counter with fish, turkey fritters, steak, salads, and sides](https://cdn.personalchefana.com/portfolio/jun23-steak/flank-steak-halibut-chana-masala.jpg) ![Weekly meal-prep spread with turkey fritters, baked fish, salads, and pita](https://cdn.personalchefana.com/portfolio/jun23-steak/vietnamese-flank-steak-mint.jpg) ![Turkey fritters and lemon-caper fish prepared for a weekly meal-prep session](https://cdn.personalchefana.com/portfolio/jun23-steak/lemony-capers-halibut-tomatoes.jpg) ![Meal-prep components with turkey fritters, baked fish, and butternut-kale orzo](https://cdn.personalchefana.com/portfolio/jun23-steak/zucchini-turkey-fritters.jpg) ![Sliced flank steak with baked beets, salads, and sauces from a weekly meal-prep menu](https://cdn.personalchefana.com/portfolio/jun23-steak/honey-dijon-cauliflower-almonds.jpg) ## What a Session Costs Groceries are billed at the exact receipt cost, with no ingredient markup. You see what was purchased for your kitchen. ### Weekly Meal Prep Grocery totals vary with the menu and the ingredients you approve. The chef service fee and sales-tax rate shown here are read from the site-wide price book. **Price:** $750 per session (+ Sales Tax 8.25%) - We Talk Preferences - We Build the Menu - You Review and Confirm - Groceries Are Purchased - Cooking Day **Pay groceries by receipt.** No markup on ingredients — you reimburse the exact amount, no matter where I shopped. [Book a Consultation](/contact/) ![Chef Ana](/jpg/chef-ana-the-woodlands.jpg) ## Does This Sound Like the Right Fit? Tell us about your household, schedule, food preferences, and ingredient restrictions. We will help you decide whether weekly meal prep fits what you need. 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