I’m going to admit something to you: I am not typically a huge fan of meal prep. While I, and my wallet, do enjoy having a general sense of how I’m going to combine the groceries in my refrigerator into meals over the course of a week, I tend to also really value spontaneity as part of the cooking process.

I saw a recipe I liked while scrolling Instagram in the afternoon? Great, I’ll mix-and-match what I have in my pantry to make my own version that night. One of my friends has something to celebrate? I’ll be over with something sugary (what exactly that is TBD) in an hour. That flexibility is one of the great joys of being at least a little proficient in the kitchen.