Meal Prep for the Busiest of Weeks

Meal prep is one of the best thing you can do when you are getting and staying healthy. It can save you so much time and energy, as well as help you stick to your healthy habits, even on the busiest of weeks. If you find you are often too tired by the end of the day to prepare dinner, or too tired when you wake up to make breakfast and prepare lunch, meal prep will help you tremendously. The tricky part isn’t in the actual prep work, it’s getting started.

Prepping meals for a week can seem like a daunting task, especially if you are new to the kitchen or just getting started with eating healthy.  What can seem like a task that will take up your entire day or weekend, can be done in just a hour or two, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the weekend and even more time to enjoy your week.

The best way to take the overwhelm out of meal prep and planning to figure out the reasons to do it and have an action plan for getting it done. You just might find out that once you get started, you enjoy the process and the amount of stress is relieves during your busy week.

Reasons for Meal Prep:

• Save time:
  • Meal prep will save you tons of time during the week, especially those super busy ones. Instead of spending extra time thinking about what to cook, stopping for ingredients, chopping and preparing your ingredients and then, finally, cooking, you’ll have most of that taken care of before you even start your week.
• Save money
  • Planning and preparing your meals can save you money big time. You are less likely to eat out when you have a meal already waiting for you to cook or eat at home. A drive-thru meal might seem cheap, but most meals at home cost even less to prepare, and are better for your health in the long run.
  • You’ll also save money on your actual groceries, if you shop wisely. Plan your meals so you are using the same ingredients in different ways, this way you don’t have to buy tons of different items.
• Stress less
  • This one is pretty simple. When you take time to prepare, there is need to stress. You’ll have your meals planned out, so there isn’t the daily stress of “What will we eat?” or “What do I need to pick up?“. It also cuts the stress of running out of time when you are trying to get out the door in the morning or relax after work. If breakfast and lunch, are ready for you to grab-n-go, you don’t have to worry about  missing out on those meals. If dinner is either ready or prepped, you can make it quickly and still have time to enjoy your evening.
• Waste less
  • Another aspect that appeals to some meal preppers is the idea of less waste. If you plan your meals, you are less likely to overbuy at the grocery store. This saves you money, but also saves on waste. Overbuying at the store can lead to unused ingredients during the week that don’t always last until the next week. You might throw out fresh produce or meats that have gone bad before you get to use them. With some planning, the amount being tossed is much less.

Meal Prep Basics:

• Plan ahead
  • The biggest part of meal prep is planning what you want for the week. Try to add a little variety each week, so you don’t get burnt out on the process. Shoot for 1-2 breakfast meals, 1-2 lunches and 3-5 different dinner meals.
  • Each week, sit down and make a list or chart to help you map it out your meals. Go for at least one different or new dinner than the previous week and switch out your lunches or breakfast options. Think about what sounds good that week and then build a few more recipes off of those ingredients. Example: If you are craving fajitas, use the same veggies and protein to make stir-fry later in the week.  
• Multi-use ingredients
  • As mentioned before, to save money, time and waste less, plan meals that use similar ingredients. If you are making a pot of rice, make enough for two meal that week. If you bought a bag of produce, try using it in a few different dishes. This will make it easier to plan and easier to shop.
• Schedule some time to make your meals
  • Preparation takes time, but in the end it saves you even more time. Schedule an hour or two (maybe right when you get home from shopping) to make and prep your meals for the week. Make it a little more enjoyable by catching up on your favorite shows while you prep or listening to your favorite music while you work.
• Prep your ingredients
  • Whether you are planning on assembling your dish immediately for the week  or just getting ingredients ready for when you do need them, prepping can save you tons of time.
  • For meals you are going to assemble, usually your grab-n-go items, gather your ingredients as well as your storage devices. Prepare your ingredients and assemble them into the containers. I prefer to use glass containers, so I can see what is in my meal, but also to prevent any possible chemicals leaching into my food as it sits in the fridge for a few days. Label them if needed (with dates or just what is in them). Store them in the refrigerator where you can see them, so you remember to grab them when you need them.
• Cook once, eat twice
  • Another way to plan and prep ahead is to cook your ingredients once and eat twice. This can be done 2 different ways:
    • Leftovers: You can eat your leftovers by simply reheating them, or by turning them into a different meal. If you roast chicken breasts for one meal, consider throwing a few extra onto your pan so you have them ready to top salads or use in another dinner later in the week.
    • Freezer Meals: You can also make double of some dishes and freeze them. That way, you have a few dishes ready to go for weeks that you have absolutely no time, or when you just want to take it easy one night. This works best for items like soups, which can be reheated and “melted” quickly, or casseroles like baked pasta or enchiladas, that you can pop in the oven to reheat while you do other things.

Meals to Prep:

• Breakfast
  • Overnight Oats: Overnight oats are oats that are “cooked” overnight by sitting in your fridge. They soak up the liquid overnight and seem cooked in the morning. You can make these in a large batch, so you can scoop some out to heat up or eat cold in the morning, topped with your favorite nuts, fruits, etc. You can also make smaller batches and store them in jars, with your favorite toppings already on, so you can grab one and eat it on the way to work or once you get there.
  • Kefir Parfait: Similar to overnight oats, this parfait uses kefir, a yogurt-like drink, to soak and soften the grains in the dish. Rice and quinoa work well in this recipe. These work best when portioned out for each day and topped with berries and granola. If this doesn’t quite sound like your idea of a parfait, check out the more mainstream, but super delicious and healthy, recipe at the bottom of this post. 
  • Granola bars: These are a simple snack or breakfast (when paired with a juice or smoothie) that you really can grab-n-go. These use all -natural ingredients and are lower in sugar and processed items than most regular granola bars.
  • Smoothies and Juices: These are pretty quick to make, especially if you have your ingredients prepped ahead of time (for juicing, it is often the cleaning up that takes more time). Chop up any fresh ingredients that you’ll use and freeze the ones that you’ll want to be cold (bananas) for your smoothies. You can store them by ingredients or even by juice/smoothie recipe. If you need even more time, you can make these on your prep day and freeze them in jars, taking them out to thaw the night before (either in the fridge or on the counter)
  • Hard-Boiled Eggs: Not glamorous, but pretty easy. Boil some eggs and grab on or two to go with your other breakfast options (just 2 eggs without anything else alone won’t quite cut it for a meal). These go great with a juice, piece of toast with avocado or even a smaller portion of overnight oats.
• Lunch
  • Mason jar salads: Salads in a jar are super easy to make and store. You can include any items you like, but it is good to have a mix of fresh greens, veggies, protein, grains or healthy crabs (nuts and seeds can work) and healthy fats. Store the most durable ingredients on the bottom of your jar with the salad dressing and the ingredients that might wilt on the top, away form the dressing. Make enough for the week and store upright in your fridge. Shake and pour into a bowl when you are ready to eat.
  • Bento box: These are simply like a lunch box for adults. Grab a container with a few different sections or dividers. Add some protein, some (healthier) fats, some veggies and maybe something crunchy. I like to include a yogurt and apple on the side for a snack or to make the meal bigger. My favorite items to include in the box are hummus, carrots, grape tomatoes, grapes, cheese cubes, pita chips, multi-grain tortilla chips and diced grilled chicken. Make enough for the week and stack them in the fridge, ready to go ahead of time. If you eat at home, you can prep the ingredients and scoop them out onto your plate when you are ready for lunch.
  • Salads to assemble: If you are eating at home or have somewhere to store ingredients at work, you can also pack your salad ingredients separately and grab a bit from each container when you are ready to eat. This works well with items that are hearty and can store without wilting, like hard boiled eggs, broccoli, cauliflower, diced chicken and canned items (chickpeas, tuna, etc).
  • Soup: Make a large batch of soup when you are prepping your meals and have lunch (or dinner) ready for the week. Portion it into jars or containers with the amount you want, pack it up for lunch and heat it when you are ready. This is really great in the winter when salads don’t always seem as appetizing.
  • sandwiches to assemble
• Dinner
  • Roasted Veggies: For a super simple meal or side dish, prep your veggies ahead of time. When you are ready to cook, place your veggies onto a tray, add some olive oil, salt and pepper, and pop into the oven to roast. You can eat this over a bowl or rice for a vegetarian meal, or add in some roasted chicken or tofu (perhaps roast at the same time) for a simple but very satisfying meal.
  • Chicken or other protein: If you know you are going to use chicken, tofu or another protein in a few dishes over the week prep and prepare them all at once. It is easier to prep and maybe reheat (or use cold in a salad) than to completely cook again. Marinate ahead of time, cook ahead if you can and have it ready to go when you are ready to make your meal.
  • Enchiladas: Dishes that can be prepped ahead of time and either reheated (if frozen) or heated on the day you are ready to eat them are perfect for weeknights. Enchiladas don’t take much time to assemble and can be reheated easily. This also works for pasta dishes, like lasagna or baked ziti.
  • Noodle and Rice Bowls: These bowls are really great because they cut down on prep time, with many items being made ahead of time, and they use one bowl, so dishes are super simple. Make rice ahead of time for rice bowls and throw in some sauteed veggies or fresh veggies, going for either Asian or Mexican flavors. Rice noodles cook in just a minute, so by the time you have started heating your veggies, the noodle are ready to add. Prep as much as you can ahead of time, add fresh and cooked ingredients and lay around with your bowls. The great thing about these is the possibilities are endless and you won;t get bored easily.
  • Stuffed Sweet Potatoes: Sometimes it is best to just keep it simple, add a few ingredients and have a satisfying meal in no time. These sweet potatoes are like stuffed baked potatoes. They are topped with (canned) black beans, a few diced veggies and some sour cream. Super easy and ready in no time, especially if your veggies are already chopped and waiting.
• Snacks
  • Trail Mix: Portion out pre-made or homemade trail mix, so you can grab it and pack it to take with you. Keep it simple with nuts, dried fruits, spices, etc.
  • Yogurt: Get pre-portioned (or portion your own) yogurt for a quick snack. Look for high protein, low sugar varieties (organic and grass-fed are best).
  • Apple Slices: Slice some apples and pack some nut butter for a simple but satisfying snack. You can even pair it with chocolate chips for a little more enticing treat.
  • Cheese cubes and stuff: Pack a few cheese cubes, nuts and dried fruit (you could use trail mix) for a bit heartier and filling snack.

Pack you meals in your bag (in the fridge) ahead of time if needed and enjoy a week or healthy, simple eating, ready when you are.

If you are looking for even more, make sure to download the Meal Plan Guide, with all the info here, plus 5-day meal prep plan (already planned and linked to recipes) and blank 5-day meal prep plan. You can also sign up to join my Meal Plan and Prep Webinar on Thursday, April 14th @2pmEST. Reserve your seat here.

Enjoy!