How to Meal Prep Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Step by Step)

As a registered dietitian and busy mom, I’ve been a huge fan of meal prep. Meal prepping is an easy way to have nourishing ingredients ready to go while also saving time in the kitchen. Over the years, sweet potatoes have become a regular in the rotation. Not only are they packed with nutrients like vitamin A, C and manganese, they also add a pop of color (we eat with our eyes first) and a subtle sweetness to a dish that compliments a variety of ingredients.  

If you’re looking to save time in the kitchen and take the stress out of cooking, you need to try meal prepping. While I used to be adamant against meal prep thinking it was boring and rigid, it has actually given me so much more freedom in my life. Having a few staple ingredients prepped and ready to go opens up so much time for other things and truly does take the stress out of meal times! It’s now been over a decade that I’ve been preaching this method, so much so that I created my 321 method meal plan program around it. 

If you look in my fridge and freezer you will see that I have at least 3-5 ingredients prepped and ready to go at any given time. One of my faves is meal prepping sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are super easy to make (all you need is 5 minutes of prep) and add an extra dose of vitamin A and C to any meal. 

I love how their sweet and earthy flavor pairs with a variety of dishes (more on that here) and that they’re available year round. So how do I prepare these orange nuggets of deliciousness? Let’s dive in!

Meal Prep Styles: Batch Prep Vs. Ingredient Prep

Before we talk about how to meal prep sweet potatoes, I want to talk about the different styles of meal prep. There are two common meal prep methods that you can do: batch prep and ingredient prep. I personally like to do a mix of the two. 

Batch prep is the method most people are familiar with. This is when you make a big batch or yield of a recipe (sometimes even doubling or tripling it) and store it (either in the fridge or freezer) to use whenever you want a quick meal. The entire dish is already prepped for you. 

This is a common practice for soups, sauces, and casseroles but I’ve also been known to batch prep salads (learn how to meal prep salads here), lettuce wrap mix, and my famous meal prep breakfast burritos. 

Ingredient prep is when you prepare individual ingredients and mix and match them in different meals throughout the week. It can look as simple as chopping all your veggies for the week and having them ready to toss into a stir-fry at a moment’s notice. It can also look like cooking chicken or sweet potatoes and using those in different recipes throughout the week. This is the method I teach in my 321 meal plans and my main focus for this blog post.

What You Need For This Recipe

Sweet potatoes: Shocking I know, but you will need sweet potatoes for this meal prep recipe 😉 Sweet potatoes and yams are often used interchangeably but are actually two different starchy vegetables. Sweet potatoes have a smoother skin (similar to potatoes) and yams typically have rough, scaly, or hairy skin.

I like both veggies but find myself using sweet potatoes more than yams because of their sweeter flavor profile.  

Meal prep tip: You can apply the method in this recipe to other starchy vegetables like yams, beets, and potatoes to add even more variety into your life. 

Avocado oil: This recipe involves baking sweet potatoes at a higher temperature so I wanted to use a neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point and avocado oil checked both of those boxes (learn more about choosing the right cooking oil for you here). 

If you don’t have avocado oil, you can use one of the high heat cooking oils linked above instead! 

Seasonings and aromatics: This is where you can let your creative juices flow! If I’m meal prepping sweet potatoes for the week I might make two trays with two different seasoning profiles. Some of my favorites are salt and pepper (pairs with anything and you can add more seasoning later), cajun seasoning, or a cumin, paprika, and garlic/onion blend. 

How To Meal Prep Sweet Potatoes

Nutritional Benefits (Nutrition by Addition)

I love having ingredients prepped because it makes nutrition by addition so easy to do. For those that are not familiar, nutrition by addition is a dietitian philosophy that looks at what you can add to your plate. It’s the opposite of diet culture, which tends to look at what you need to cut out. 

Having a big batch of meal prepped sweet potatoes allows you to add a starchy vegetable to a dish without having to wait for it to cook. Sweet potatoes are packed full of nutrients and flavor which is why I love having them on hand. 

Nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes: 1 cup of sweet potato has over 200% of your DV (daily requirement) of vitamin A, nearly 45% of your DV of vitamin C, 45% of your DV of manganese, and 20% of your DV of potassium. This antioxidant-rich starchy veg also helps support our immune system, vision, and overall bone and blood health. 

How To Use Meal Prepped Sweet Potatoes

Bowls: I love making grain bowls, especially for lunch. They’re an easy way to use meal prepped ingredients and create something different every day. These prepped sweet potatoes are a delicious add in to any bowl. Build your own or try them in this buddha bowl with lemon tahini dressing and would be a great addition to this Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl.

Tacos: I don’t know when we started putting sweet potatoes in tacos but I love it! The crispy outside with the creamy inside works well with other flavors. If you haven’t tried it, try them in these White Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos. Trust me you won’t regret it!

Salads: I love adding roasted sweet potatoes to a salad. Try adding them into this Kale and Pomegranate Salad, My Famous Crunchy Kale Caesar Salad, or this Oven Roasted Broccoli and Kale Salad. 

On the side: You can also enjoy these on the side! Serve them warm like in this Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Creamy Aioli Dish. They go well with any protein – beef, chicken or fish. So good! 

Storage & Reheating Tips

You’ve meal prepped all this sweet potato. Now what? Time to store it and use it throughout the week. Here’s how:

Fridge 

Roasted sweet potatoes will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you’re planning on using it within that time frame, store in an airtight container or resealable bag and keep in the fridge.

Freezer

These meal prepped sweet potatoes will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before putting them in the freezer, allow them to cool fully. This will prevent them from sticking together. Then place flat in a sealable freezer storage bag, removing as much air as possible. You can also use a vacuum sealer if you have one. Removing the air will prevent them from getting freezer burnt.

To Reheat

Microwave: In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the sweet potatoes in 20 to 30 second increments, until heated through. Make sure to stir in between so that the pieces are evenly heated. 

Stove top: In a frying pan over medium-low heat, add the vegetables and cook until

warmed through. If you’re finding that the potatoes are sticking to the pan, add in a drizzle of oil. 

Note: You can use both of these reheating techniques from frozen, it will just take a little longer. You can also take the frozen sweet potatoes out of the freezer the night before and defrost in the fridge.

If you try meal prepping sweet potatoes, it would make my day if you would leave a comment and/or star rating below— I love hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @lindsaypleskot.rd so I can see your versions! It makes me so happy to see these recipes come to life in your kitchens! Xo

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