Instant Pot Meal Prep Gift Guide (Plus Recipes)
If you’re into meal prep or are shopping for someone who wants to start meal prepping, then you’re going to want to check out this Instant Pot Meal Prep Gift Guide. From cookbooks to practical accessories that can help maximize the efficiency of your Instant Pot, there is something for everyone. I’ve also included my top 10 favorite meal prep recipes!
Instant Pot Meal Prep Accessories
I hope you love this list of my top 10 favorites to help with Instant Pot meal prepping. I’ve tried to include items at every budget level, plus a few unique things you may not know about.
The bottom line is that you don’t need fancy equipment to make meal prepping successful, but you may be faster and more efficient with some of these items. Learn more in my article with Meal Prep Tips for Beginners.
I’ve also included a list of my favorite top 10 Instant Pot meal prep recipes at the end of this post.
Now, onto the gift ideas!
1. Instant Pot 6-Quart Duo
I have three Instant Pots that are all different sizes and models, but my #1 favorite version is the 6-quart Instant Pot Duo. Not too big and not too small, this one is just perfect for families of two or four.
Truly, any Instant Pot model will certainly be a wonderful gift for anyone and is a great way to kickstart your meal prep efforts.
2. Extra Insert for the Instant Pot
Once you start using your Instant Pot pressure cooker to make your meal prepping easier, you’ll quickly realize that you need at least one extra insert for your appliance. I know some people who have up to four extras!
The reason you want an extra insert when meal prepping is so that you move quickly from one recipe to another, without having to wait for one pot to cool down or be cleaned.
Instant Pot sells both stainless steel and non-stick coated extra inserts in sizes that fit a 3-quart, 6-quart, or 8-quart models.
3. Slow Cooker & Saute Glass Lid
If you want to maximize the usage of your Instant Pot when you’re meal prepping, you will definitely want a glass lid. The lid is so helpful whether you want to sauté in your pot and avoid oil splatters, or you want to use the slow cooker function.
Either way, this is a great inexpensive way to help with meal prepping.
4. Instant Pot Sous Vide
If you’re new to Sous Vide cooking, you are going to be blown away by its ability to cook meats and other foods at the absolute perfect temperature. And, the Instant Pot Sous Vide circulator is made to do just that.
5. The Healthy Meal Prep Instant Pot Cookbook
Since we are talking specifically about meal prepping and using the Instant Pot, then this cookbook is for you. This was my very first published cookbook and I was lucky enough to have it authorized by the Instant Pot company. What an honor!
All of the recipes are simple to make and use real food, easy-to-find ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
In The Instant Pot® Cookbook for Healthy Meal Prep, you’ll find:
- A carefully created collection of healthy, nutritious recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and suited to meal prep.
- Tips for advance prepping where you can pre-measure and store ingredients so they can be cooked later at a moment’s notice.
- Practical tips to incorporate healthy recipes into a weekly meal prep plan.
- Substitutions to make recipes suitable for dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan diets.
I think you’re going to like how the cookbook is organized, with sections for:
- How to use an Instant Pot for meal prepping
- Basics and staple recipes like rice, quinoa, beans, etc.
- Breakfast and brunch recipes
- Grains, beans, and vegan-friendly recipes
- Soups, stews, and chilis
- Seafood and chicken recipes
- Beef and pork recipes
If you have the book already or you get a copy, then please share with me your favorite recipes in the comments! And, if you’re looking for more recipes, be sure to check out my round-up of Instant Pot cookbooks.
6. Steamer Basket
The Instant Pot Steamer Basket is an absolute must for meal prepping, because it holds so much food. I use mine to cook butternut squash, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and more.
The benefit of using a basket as opposed to the trivet is that smaller vegetables won’t fall through into the bottom.
See my detailed guide for making Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli.
7. Silicone Egg Bites Pan
For a great meal prep breakfast, you should try making egg bites. You can customize your recipe with bacon, sausage, or spinach, and this silicone pan makes the task so much easier.
This pan can also be used to make baby food, Instant Pot Brownies, muffins, cupcakes, ice cream, yogurt, and more.
8. Instant Pot Grain Cooker
Meal prepping is all about multi-tasking, and having another Instant Pot appliance to help is a great idea. The Instant Pot Zest is a dedicated rice and grains cooker that is as easy as pushing a button.
The 8-cup model should be big enough for 2-4 people, but you can always get a larger model if you are cooking for bigger groups.
9. Instant Pot Bake Set
The official Instant Pot Bake Set is a very cool collection of accessories that includes an upper wire egg rack, lower wire egg rack, silicone lid, silicone lid, stainless steel round pan, removable base, stainless steel round pan (solid bottom) and removable divider.
Whether you’re making a batch of Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs for meal prep snacks, or you want to cook three different veggies at a time, this is a great gift idea.
10. Air Fryer Lid
I haven’t been able to try out the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid yet, but I am hoping to get one this year!
It sounds like a great option, and I am a big fan of air frying. If you have this item, please let me know how you like it in the comments. Learn more about the pros and cons of air frying.
Instant Pot Meal Prep Recipes
Most Instant Pot recipes actually lend themselves quite nicely to meal prepping, but here are my favorites. These are all great for busy weeknights when you just want delicious meals made easy.
Make a few of these each week and your hard work will be rewarded throughout the whole week. Dinner is ready in a fraction of the time.
The best part about meal prepping is that you can feel good knowing that you’re feeding your family healthy meals. You don’t even need fancy ingredients. It’s amazing what you can do with simple foods like sweet potatoes, chicken thighs, ground beef, chicken breasts, brown rice, and more.
Instant Pot Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
This easy recipe has just a handful of ingredients but is so delicious! And the leftovers are even better!
Instant Pot Whole Chicken and Potatoes
This is such an easy and convenient way to cook a whole chicken and have a whole meal cooked at the same time.
Instant Pot Coconut Mahi Mahi
This fish recipe was inspired by a trip to Hawaii. It is very tasty and great served with white rice or cauliflower rice.
Instant Pot Vegan Stew with Chickpeas
This plant-based stew is another great way to eat your veggies. It's easy to make and is great for meal prep.
Instant Pot Chicken Curry with Potatoes & Carrots
This is another family favorite in my house! It's an easy curry recipe that everyone loves.
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Beef Chili
Sweet potatoes and ground beef come together in this delicious chili.
Instant Pot Pork Chops & Rice (One-Pot Meal)
Believe it or not, but you can make pork chops and rice with veggies in one-pot. It's an easy dinner.
Don’t Miss These Instant Pot Resources!
Conclusions
I hope that you found this Instant Pot Meal Prep Gift Guide helpful. I really tried to pick accessories and other items that will maximize your current Instant Pot, and perhaps introduce you to some new options that you weren’t aware of.
About the Author: Carrie Forrest is the author of the best-selling Instant Pot-authorized cookbook, The Healthy Meal Prep Instant Pot Cookbook. She has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and receives over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.
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I do have the air fryer lid! But I also have the IP vortex air fryer, which I obviously use more often. I’ve used the lid for making more fries for more people (as well as the vortex) and have used it to crisp up the skin after I’ve used the IP to cook a whole chicken. It’s very heavy and because I have no room for it in my kitchen I tend to forget that I have it. I also now have an 8 qt IP which it doesn’t fit.
I haven’t bought the cookbook as I’m gun-shy to buy cookbooks without reading since I’m allergic to all tree nuts, coconut, and bananas. Those tend to be the staples of substitutions when eating cleaner. Are those common ingredients in your recipes?
Hi Kaelin, I think you would like my book. It is very allergy-friendly. I have a lot of food sensitivities so I try to offer a variety of ingredients. You can get an idea of what my recipes are like by checking out some of my blog archives.
Does the cookbook include nutritional info for recipes?
Hi Melissa, yes absolutely! Each recipe has full nutrition info.
Congratulations on the book, I’m excited to try all these recipes.
Thanks, Theresa!!!
I don’t cook at home, and I prefer those easy to cook prep meal. I will save your guide this will be helpful for us couple.
I have read quite a few of your posts and your meals always look amazing. Pots are so handy to take food out with you and to store your meals, I try to use as many as possible.
Congrats! I like the color theme of your recipes. They make people to have good appetite!
Congrats! All the foods here looks so interesting. Full of colors and looks healthy! A must follow really.
Congratulations Carrie! What a beautiful book and valuable resource. Congratulations on this meaningful accomplishment. I look forward to reading the book!
Congratulations on your cookbook! I’m sure you enjoyed writing all the recipes in this book. I’m hoping for its success.