It’s been a long time since I meal prepped. I definitely have missed having everything prepared that will help me put together my planned meals every week. Meal prepping is a regular post on my website. I show you the meal plan for the week which includes breakfast lunch and dinner. Links are provided to the recipes for some items on the menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. If it is a new menu item, the link for that recipe may not appear until later, so that my family has the chance to tell me if it is a keeper or not.
For some people, meal prepping means preparing meals and portioning those meals into containers to reheat. For others, it means to only prep lunches or breakfast so they can grab and go. To me, meal prepping means thawing meats, chopping and slicing the vegetables at the beginning of the week, preparing dressings and marinades, shell shrimp or soaking fish in milk or preparing any snacks or other components of a meal that I have on the menu ahead of time.
Meal prepping saves me time throughout the week, money at the grocery store and any dilemma about what’s for dinner. There is no reason for anyone in my home to stare into the abyss of the refrigerator with the doors open, wondering what there is to eat.
With that being said, let’s get to it!
The Menu
Monday – Skillet Chicken and Artichokes, Broccoli Cauliflower Salad, Green Beans
Tuesday – Almond Chive Baked Tilapia, Cauliflower rice, Salad, Yellow Squash
Wednesday – Chicken drumsticks with wing sauces, Leftover Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Thursday – Hamburger Steaks with Onion Gravy, Grilled Eggplant with Peppers and Onions, Salad
Friday – Roasted Vegetable and Goat Cheese Pizza, Salad
Saturday – Ordered to go food
Sunday – Chicken Meatballs, Green Bean Casserole and salad
Breakfast – Migas Tacos, Confetti Omelet Casserole
Lunches – Avocado Egg Salad, Leftovers, Frittata with Vegetables and Fontina Cheese
Snack – Keto Melting Moments Cookies, Baked Brie with Blueberry Ginger Chutney, Layered Mexican Dip
Meal Helpers – DIY Curry Butter
Thawing
I like to locate all the meat that I will need for the week, so I don’t spend wasted time searching for it in the deep freezer. I will set out the meat I need earlier in the week and leave the items I need for later in the week in the freezer, but I put them in a place where I can find them.
If you are not familiar with my method, I list the items I need first and then list the recipes for which that item is needed.
Chicken breast – Skillet Chicken and Artichokes
Ground Beef – Hamburger Steaks with Onion Gravy
Tilapia – Almond Chive Baked Tilapia
Blueberries – Brie with Blueberry Ginger Chutney
Ground chicken – Chicken meatballs, Individual Green Bean Casseroles
Chopping
Chopping all the vegetables and storing them in containers or resealable bags in the refrigerator saves time when meals come together.
Red Onion – Skillet Chicken and Artichokes, Avocado Egg Salad, Chicken Meatballs
Red Pepper – Skillet Chicken and Artichokes
Celery – Avocado Egg Salad
Mushrooms – Chicken Meatballs
Asparagus – Frittata with Vegetables and Fontina Cheese
Onion – Colorful Omelet Casserole, Brie with Blueberry Ginger Chutney
Broccoli – Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Cauliflower – Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Slicing
Slicing vegetables and other items save time in the kitchen when dinner rolls around.
Onion – Hamburger Steak with Onion Gravy, Green Bean Casserole
Red Onion – Grilled Eggplant with Peppers
Red Pepper – Grilled Eggplant with Peppers
Green Pepper – Grilled Eggplant with Peppers
Orange Pepper – Grilled Eggplant with Peppers
Preparing
Mixing up dressings, marinating meats and preparing starch-resistant rice, potatoes or pasta prevents that “uh-oh, I forgot to do that” syndrome, causing a change of plans for dinner last minute.
Boil eggs – Avocado Egg Salad
Trim Asparagus – Frittata with Vegetables and Fontina Cheese
Form Meatballs – Chicken Meatballs
Make Chutney – Blueberry Ginger Chutney
Soak tilapia in milk – Almond Chive Baked Fish
Making Ahead
Only make complete dishes ahead that can take sitting in the refrigerator or freezer for a few days without sacrificing flavor or texture.
Avocado Egg Salad
Frittata with Vegetables and Fontina Cheese
Curry Butter
Keto Melting Moments Cookies
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Confetti Omelet Casserole
Individual Green Bean Casseroles
Keepin’ It Real
At the end of the day, there are dishes! Lots of them!
