I'm a dietitian and busy mom. I swear by this one-hour meal-prep routine that saves me time and money all week.

Thanks to my meal-prep routine, it's easy to make flavorful, balanced dinners all week long. Samina Kalloo As a mom and dietitian, I don't always have energy to cook — but I don't like relying on takeout. I swear by an hourlong meal-prep routine that helps me plan easy, creative dinners all week. I usually spend between $100 and $150 on groceries a week, and eat any leftovers for lunch. Even though I'm a dietitian who loves making nutritious, creative meals , I don't always have the time or energy to cook an elaborate dinner. I've spent plenty of evenings standing in front of an open fridge, debating what to make for my family — only to end up ordering takeout or making a spontaneous grocery-store run. Eventually, I came up with a foolproof meal-prep routine, and I haven't looked back since.