Pokémon Sleep Meal Prep Week Vol. 1 Guide: Best Areas and Pokémon to Hunt

Meal Prep Week Vol. 1 begins on November 9, 2026, in Pokémon Sleep.

During this event, Pokémon that can gather ingredients needed for the upcoming new recipes will have increased appearance rates. There will also be bonuses such as 1.25× cooking Energy and Mini Candy Boost, making this a good opportunity to hunt for and train Ingredients specialists.

Personally, I want to prioritize Pokémon that can help with the new Salad recipe while also remaining useful for the strongest recipes we can already make.

In this guide, I’ll cover the event bonuses, Pokémon worth hunting, and how I would choose the best research area for Meal Prep Week.

Meal Prep Week Vol. 1 Dates and Event Details

Meal Prep Week is intended to help players prepare for Bountiful Banquet Week Vol. 1, which begins on November 16.

Pokémon that gather ingredients needed for the new recipes will receive small appearance-rate boosts, including their evolved forms. Some Pokémon that normally cannot appear on Greengrass Isle and Greengrass Isle (Expert) will also become available there temporarily.

In addition, a new Sleep Style Dex goal of 570 sleep styles will be added on November 8 at 7:00 p.m. Reaching this goal will allow players to expand their cooking pots further.

Meal Prep Week Vol. 1 Event Bonuses

The following bonuses will be active in all research areas throughout the event.

If multiple bonuses affect the same Candy or Dream Shard rewards, only the highest multiplier applies.

Cooking Energy Is Increased by 1.25×

All dishes will provide 1.25× their usual Energy during Meal Prep Week.

However, this event does not provide a cooking pot capacity bonus. For most of the week, players will continue making their existing recipes.

The three new recipes are scheduled to be added on November 15 at 7:00 p.m., near the end of Meal Prep Week.

Ingredients Specialists Earn 1.5× Candies and Dream Shards

Researching Pokémon with the Ingredients specialty will reward 1.5× the usual Candies and Dream Shards.

This bonus also applies to Pokémon with the main skill Ingredient Select S, including variations of that skill.

Even if you have already finished hunting for a particular Ingredients specialist, this event can still be useful for gathering the Candies needed to train it.

Mini Candy Boost Returns

Mini Candy Boost will also be available during the event.

This can be especially useful for Pokémon that require a large amount of EXP, such as Larvitar.

However, the increased Dream Shard cost is worth considering, particularly if you are also planning to expand your cooking pot.

Mini Candy Boost will be enabled by default during the event. Turn it off if you want to train Pokémon using the normal Dream Shard cost.

Which Ingredients Should You Prioritize During Meal Prep Week?

The Pokémon featured during Meal Prep Week are associated with the ingredients required for the three new recipes.

However, I don’t think we should choose Pokémon based only on the upcoming recipes.

My priority is to find Pokémon that will be useful for both the new Salad recipe and the strongest dishes currently available.

Warming Ginger, Snoozy Tomato, and Glossy Avocado Are My Main Targets

Three new recipes are scheduled to be added on November 15.

The individual quantities of each ingredient have not yet been announced.

Of these recipes, I’m most interested in the new Salad, which requires a total of 121 ingredients.

The total ingredient count does not determine a recipe’s strength by itself, but there is a reasonable chance that this will become one of the strongest Salad recipes in the game.

For that reason, I would prioritize Pokémon that can gather the following three ingredients:

• Warming Ginger
• Snoozy Tomato
• Glossy Avocado

The new ingredient, Snackable Nuts, will also be necessary. However, we still need more information about the Pokémon that will gather it and the number of Nuts required per dish.

The New Salad May Be Difficult to Make Consistently at First

Even if the new Salad becomes the strongest recipe, that doesn’t mean players will immediately be able to make it three times every day.

Snackable Nuts are a completely new ingredient, and players will need time to find and train Pokémon capable of gathering them.

Depending on how many Nuts are required for each serving, maintaining a reliable supply could be difficult.

During Bountiful Banquet Week, Ingredients specialists will receive a special bonus allowing them to gather additional Snackable Nuts. However, we should not assume that the same supply rate will remain available after the event.

Because of this, I expect existing high-level recipes to remain important for some time.

Greengrass Corn, Fancy Egg, and Plump Pumpkin Are Still Worth Hunting For

Some of the other featured ingredients are also valuable, even if they are not used in the new Salad.

For example, Greengrass Corn is used in existing high-level recipes, including Greengrass Corn-based Salads and Desserts.

Fancy Egg and Plump Pumpkin also have useful roles in existing recipes.

If you haven’t secured reliable Pokémon for these ingredients, Meal Prep Week could be a good opportunity to do so.

On the other hand, I am less interested in prioritizing Slowpoke Tail specifically for the new Dessert.

Slowpoke Tail is extremely difficult to gather in large quantities. Even if the new Dessert is powerful, I suspect it may be something players make occasionally when they have enough ingredients, rather than a recipe they can rely on every day.

Until we know the new recipes’ exact Energy values and ingredient requirements, I think it makes more sense to prepare for the new Salad while strengthening our existing cooking teams.

Best Pokémon to Hunt During Meal Prep Week Vol. 1

Here are the Pokémon I would pay the most attention to during this event.

For Ingredients specialists, I generally evaluate their first and second ingredient slots rather than recommending Pokémon solely because of something they can gather at Lv. 60.

Unlocking the third ingredient slot takes considerable time, and a mixed ingredient spread can make it harder to consistently gather the ingredient you actually need.

Larvitar — A Long-Term Warming Ginger Specialist

Larvitar is one of the Pokémon I would consider hunting if I needed a reliable source of Warming Ginger.

Its final evolution, Tyranitar, can contribute to existing high-level Curry recipes and may also become useful for the new Salad.

That makes Tyranitar particularly appealing because its value does not depend entirely on how strong or accessible the new recipe turns out to be.

The main drawback is its substantial training requirement.

If you haven’t found a good Larvitar yet, Meal Prep Week offers an opportunity to begin hunting while also gathering Candies and making use of Mini Candy Boost.

Trapinch — Glossy Avocado for Both New and Existing Recipes

Trapinch is another Pokémon I would prioritize, particularly if I needed a Glossy Avocado specialist.

Glossy Avocado is required for the new Salad and is already used in existing high-level Curry recipes.

That means a well-trained Flygon could be useful even before the new Salad becomes practical to make regularly.

Trapinch will also temporarily appear on Greengrass Isle and Greengrass Isle (Expert) during Meal Prep Week.

If you still need an Avocado specialist, I think Trapinch is one of the most attractive targets during this event.

Shinx — Another Option for Snoozy Tomato

Shinx is worth considering if you need a Pokémon that can gather Snoozy Tomato.

There are already other options for this ingredient, including the Bellsprout evolution line.

If you have a strong Tomato specialist and are satisfied with its performance, there is no need to hunt Shinx just because it is featured.

However, raising Pokémon of different types that can gather the same ingredient can be useful, particularly for Expert research areas where type matchups may influence your team choices.

Personally, I already have a Victreebel that gathers Tomatoes, but I would still like to raise a Luxray as another option.

This event seems like a good opportunity to expand my choices rather than simply replace an existing Pokémon.

Stufful — A Valuable Greengrass Corn Specialist

Stufful is another Pokémon I would recommend considering during Meal Prep Week.

Its evolution, Bewear, is an excellent candidate for gathering Greengrass Corn, an ingredient that remains important for several existing high-level recipes.

Although Greengrass Corn isn’t used in the new Salad, there is a good chance many players will continue relying on existing dishes until Snackable Nuts become easier to obtain consistently.

That makes a strong Bewear valuable regardless of how the new recipes perform.

Stufful will also temporarily appear on Greengrass Isle and Greengrass Isle (Expert) during the event.

If you haven’t raised a reliable Corn specialist yet, I would give Stufful fairly high priority.

Happiny and Delibird — Options for Fancy Egg

If you’re struggling to gather enough Fancy Eggs, Happiny and Delibird are worth considering.

Fancy Egg is already used in existing recipes, so investing in an Egg specialist doesn’t have to depend on the upcoming new Dessert.

Happiny can evolve into Blissey, making it a potential long-term investment.

I wouldn’t prioritize these Pokémon over an ingredient specialist I urgently need, but if your Egg supply is insufficient, Meal Prep Week offers a useful hunting opportunity.

Pumpkaboo — A Plump Pumpkin Specialist

Pumpkaboo is worth hunting if you still need a reliable source of Plump Pumpkin.

Plump Pumpkin is included in the new Curry/Stew recipe, which requires 39 ingredients in total.

However, I wouldn’t hunt Pumpkaboo solely because of that new recipe.

I would first consider whether I need more Pumpkins for recipes that are already available.

Personally, I haven’t finished hunting for a Pumpkin specialist, so Pumpkaboo is one of my targets during this event, alongside Shinx.

Other Featured Pokémon Depend on Your Current Team

There are plenty of other featured Pokémon worth considering.

If you already have a reliable Tyranitar, for example, you probably don’t need to prioritize Larvitar again.

Likewise, players without a Tomato specialist might prefer Bellsprout over Shinx.

The most important thing is to identify the ingredients your current team cannot gather consistently, then choose Pokémon that can solve those problems.

For more detail on how I evaluate ingredient spreads, Natures, and Sub Skills, see my guide:

Pokémon Sleep Ingredient Specialist Selection Guide: Ingredient Sets, Natures, and Sub Skills

Best Research Areas for Meal Prep Week Vol. 1

All research areas will have event bonuses, so choosing where to go depends on which Pokémon you want to hunt.

Personally, I consider Taupe Hollow and Old Gold Power Plant particularly attractive because they have featured Pokémon that gather ingredients required for the new Salad.

However, other areas may be better if your existing cooking team still needs improvement.

This table highlights selected featured Pokémon rather than every Pokémon available in each area.

Taupe Hollow — Best for Ginger and Avocado Specialists

Taupe Hollow is one of my top recommendations for this event.

It has both Larvitar, which can gather Warming Ginger, and Trapinch, which can gather Glossy Avocado.

Both ingredients are needed for the new Salad and have uses in existing high-level Curry recipes.

That makes Taupe Hollow particularly appealing if you’re still missing one or both of these ingredient specialists.

Larvitar also takes considerable time to train, so finding a good one early can be worthwhile.

However, if you’ve already raised a strong Tyranitar and have a reliable Avocado specialist, another research area may be more useful.

For more information about Pokémon worth hunting in this area, see:

Best Pokémon to Hunt at Taupe Hollow (Japanese Guide)

Old Gold Power Plant — Best for Tomato and Pumpkin Specialists

Old Gold Power Plant is another area I would strongly consider.

Shinx and Pumpkaboo are both featured here, allowing you to hunt for Snoozy Tomato and Plump Pumpkin specialists during the same week.

Tomatoes are needed for the new Salad, while Pumpkins remain useful for existing recipes.

Personally, I plan to visit Old Gold Power Plant during Meal Prep Week.

I already have a Victreebel for gathering Tomatoes, but I want to raise a Luxray to have another Pokémon type available.

I also haven’t finished hunting for a Pumpkin specialist, so being able to search for both Shinx and Pumpkaboo makes this area especially attractive to me.

Of course, not everyone needs multiple Pokémon that gather the same ingredient.

If you already have reliable Tomato and Pumpkin specialists, there may be better places to spend the week.

For a more detailed look at this area’s Pokémon, see:

Best Pokémon to Hunt at Old Gold Power Plant (Japanese Guide)

Lapis Lakeside — Best for Greengrass Corn

Lapis Lakeside is an excellent option if you want to hunt Stufful.

Greengrass Corn remains important for existing high-level recipes, even though it won’t be used in the new Salad.

Since it may take time to establish a reliable supply of Snackable Nuts, I expect many players to continue making their current strongest recipes.

For that reason, I would still give a strong Bewear considerable value.

Bellsprout is also featured at Lapis Lakeside, making this area worth considering if you need a Tomato specialist.

Snowdrop Tundra — Best for Fancy Egg

Snowdrop Tundra has several featured Pokémon associated with Fancy Egg, including Happiny, Delibird, and Snover.

If your Egg supply is insufficient, Happiny or Delibird could be worthwhile targets.

Fancy Egg is used in existing recipes as well as the upcoming new Dessert, so there are reasons to hunt for an Egg specialist beyond the new event.

However, if you already have enough Eggs, I wouldn’t choose Snowdrop Tundra solely because of Meal Prep Week.

You can also use the event to continue hunting for Pokémon that are normally valuable in this area.

For more detail, see:

Pokémon Sleep: Best Pokémon to Hunt at Snowdrop Tundra | Who Is Worth Your Biscuits?

Greengrass Isle and Greengrass Isle (Expert) — More Featured Pokémon Than Usual

One of the special features of Meal Prep Week is that several Pokémon will temporarily appear on Greengrass Isle and Greengrass Isle (Expert).

For example, Trapinch and Stufful will become available in both areas during the event.

This gives players more opportunities to hunt for Pokémon they would normally need to find elsewhere.

However, Greengrass Isle has a large number of featured Pokémon.

That means it isn’t necessarily the best choice if you are trying to find one specific Pokémon.

I would consider these areas if I had several different targets or wanted to take advantage of the unusual appearance pool.

After the event, some of these Pokémon will no longer appear through normal sleep research in these areas.

Eligible Incense can still be used to encounter the specified Pokémon there until November 23, 2026, at 3:59 a.m.

Other Research Areas Are Also Worth Considering

Amber Canyon is another attractive option if you’re looking for multiple ingredient specialists.

Trapinch, Larvitar, and Happiny are among its featured Pokémon, making it possible to hunt for Avocado, Ginger, and Egg specialists.

Cyan Beach has featured Pokémon such as Bellsprout, Cutiefly, and Comfey. While I wouldn’t necessarily prioritize it for the new Salad, it can still be a good choice depending on your current targets.

For more information about Pokémon worth hunting at Cyan Beach, see:

Best Pokémon to Hunt at Cyan Beach (Japanese Guide)

Ultimately, I don’t think there is one research area that everyone should choose during Meal Prep Week.

The best destination depends on whether you want to prepare for the new Salad, improve your existing cooking team, or collect Candies for Pokémon you’re already raising.

New 570 Sleep Style Dex Goal and Cooking Pot Expansion

A new Sleep Style Dex goal requiring 570 sleep styles will be added on November 8, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.

Players who reach this goal will be able to expand their cooking pots further.

This is particularly relevant because the upcoming Salad recipe requires 121 ingredients in total.

Having a larger cooking pot could make it easier to prepare high-level recipes without relying as heavily on cooking pot expansion skills or the Sunday cooking bonus.

The exact additional capacity and Dream Shard requirements should be checked once the feature becomes available.

If you’re close to reaching 570 sleep styles, it’s worth checking your Sleep Style Dex progress before Meal Prep Week begins.

What to Do During Meal Prep Week Vol. 1

Here are the main things I would consider doing during the event.

Take Advantage of the Extra Candies

If you’ve already found strong Ingredients specialists, you don’t necessarily need to spend this event hunting for replacements.

Instead, you could choose a research area where you can collect Candies for the Pokémon you’re already training.

The 1.5× Candy bonus can be particularly useful for Pokémon like Tyranitar, which require a large amount of EXP.

Use Mini Candy Boost Carefully

Mini Candy Boost can accelerate training, but it also consumes significantly more Dream Shards.

With another cooking pot expansion becoming available, players who are short on Dream Shards should consider their priorities before spending too much on training.

You don’t have to use the full daily limit of 50 Candies.

Prepare Ingredients for Bountiful Banquet Week

Bountiful Banquet Week Vol. 1 begins on November 16.

If you want to try the new Salad, consider saving some Warming Ginger, Snoozy Tomato, and Glossy Avocado in advance.

However, Snackable Nuts won’t be added until November 15 at 7:00 p.m.

Because we still don’t know the exact quantities required for each ingredient, there’s no need to completely change your ingredient stockpile before more details become available.

It’s also worth keeping ingredients for the high-level recipes you already make consistently.

Final Thoughts: Hunt Pokémon That Will Remain Useful Beyond the New Recipes

Meal Prep Week Vol. 1 begins on November 9, 2026, and offers a good opportunity to hunt and train Ingredients specialists.

My main focus is on Pokémon that gather Warming Ginger, Snoozy Tomato, and Glossy Avocado for the upcoming Salad.

However, the addition of a powerful new recipe doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll be able to make it consistently from day one.

Greengrass Corn, Fancy Egg, and Plump Pumpkin specialists can still be valuable for preparing existing high-level recipes.

Personally, I’ll be visiting Old Gold Power Plant to hunt for Shinx and Pumpkaboo.

If you’re missing a Ginger or Avocado specialist, Taupe Hollow may be a better choice. If you need a strong Corn specialist, Lapis Lakeside is worth considering.

Rather than hunting every featured Pokémon, I recommend choosing an area based on the ingredients your team currently struggles to gather.

That way, you can prepare for the new recipes while improving your cooking teams for the long term.

Official sources:

• Pokémon Sleep — Meal Prep Week Vol. 1
• New Ingredients, Recipes, Sleep Style Dex Goal, and Events Confirmed