Using the definite article for generalizations

I'm wondering about the usage of the definite article in cases where the thing being referred to is an abstraction or generalization of some kind.

I'm aware of the most important rules for using the definite article and when not to use it. However, there seem to be cases not covered by the most commonly taught rules.

For example, is the following sentence grammatically correct?

This is what will be used during meal preparation.

The sentence omits the article before the "meal preparation" syntagm.

If this sentence was a part of a series of instructions which referred to a specific meal preparation process, then it would be natural to write something like this:

Place a pan on the stove. This is what will be used during the meal preparation.

However, when talking about meal preparation in general (like in this sentence), it is natural to elide the definite article. However, I feel like I'm doing this by ear without grammatical justification. Is, perhaps, preparation considered uncountable in this specific case? Why?

Is there a specific rule that governs this omission? Can you point me to a resource (a webpage or a book) where I could find all of the rules?

Solution 1:

Used in this sentence, "preparation" is an uncount noun (OALD). As, also, the use is generic, no article should be used: when-to-use-the-article-the-with-uncountable-nouns. However, you will find that a small minority do use the article; this can be seen from this ngram: during the meal preparation.

Keeping "during" in the research text aims at not duplicating the results for "the meal preparation" in "meal preparation", and, as well, to provide a source short enough to be examined; otherwise,"during" has no incidence on the use of the article.

It can be checked from the meanings in the list that corresponds to "during the meal preparation" that most cases are generic and that, preferably, no article should be used, but, as said above, they represent a very small proportion; therefore, the findings correspond essentially to the rule. It is then preferable to go by the above rule (When to Use the Article THE with Uncountable Nouns).