Weekly Meal Prep to Simplify Healthy Eating

Meal prepping is a game-changer for healthy home cooking. By tackling prep tasks in advance, you can put together delicious homemade meals in minimal time during the busy week. In this guide, I’ll walk through a full weekly meal prep with breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks.

Benefits of Meal Prep

Meal prepping offers many advantages:

• Saves time – no need to decide what to cook each day
• Encourages healthy eating – prep nutritious meals over convenience foods
• Saves money – prep food at home vs. takeout
• Reduces food waste – use ingredients before they spoil
• Saves stress – meals ready to eat without fuss

A little upfront effort pays off all week long. Let’s look at how to prep everything from scratch.

Overview of Weekly Meal Prep

Here’s what we’ll be prepping this week:

Breakfasts:

• Banana Oat Muffins

Lunches:

• Chicken Salad Wraps

Dinners:

• Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes
• Tacos
• BBQ Chicken and Potato Salad
• Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli
• Slow Cooker Roast

Snacks:

• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Fresh Fruit

Plus we’ll do some batch cooking including roasted veggies, homemade dressings and more. Let’s get started!

Banana Oat Muffins

Ripe bananas are perfect for baking. These muffins make an easy grab-and-go breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with papers.
2. In a bowl, mash bananas. Mix in sugar, egg, milk and vanilla.
3. In another bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
4. Stir dry ingredients into wet until just combined.
5. Scoop batter into muffin tins. Bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

These freeze well too. Enjoy for breakfasts throughout the week!

Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes

This family favorite comfort food meal preps beautifully.

Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• Seasonings: garlic powder, onion powder, Italian blend

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, almond flour and seasonings. Mix well.
2. Form mixture into evenly sized balls. Place on a baking sheet.
3. Bake at 400°F 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
4. Allow to cool fully before storing in an airtight container in the fridge.

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 5 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Salt and pepper
• Steakhouse seasoning

Directions:

1. Place chopped potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes and return to pot. Mash until smooth, adding butter, milk, sour cream and seasonings.
3. Transfer to an oven-safe container, cover and refrigerate. Reheat as needed throughout the week.

This hearty meal fills you up without weighing you down. Make it on Sunday for quick dinners during the week!

Tacos

Spice up Taco Tuesday with this easy meal prep.

Taco Meat

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 batch taco seasoning (chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat.
2. Add taco seasoning and tomato paste. Stir to coat beef. Add splash of water if needed.
3. Simmer 5 minutes until thickened. Cool and refrigerate.

Assembly

• Heat tortillas in a dry skillet until warm and lightly crisped.
• Top with taco meat, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, guacamole etc.

Customize tacos to please the whole family! Swap beef for ground turkey or chicken too.

BBQ Chicken and Potato Salad

Fire up the grill for tasty BBQ chicken legs perfect for meal prep.

BBQ Chicken

Marinade Ingredients:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients.
2. Place 6-8 chicken legs in a ziplock bag and pour over marinade. Seal and massage to coat. Refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
3. Grill chicken over medium heat for about 20 minutes until cooked through, turning occasionally and basting with extra marinade.

Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped potatoes (fresh or canned)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 2 tbsp diced onion
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, mayo, celery, onion, mustard, vinegar and seasonings.
2. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to meld.

This classic pairing makes the perfect summer dinner from the grill. Adjust marinade ingredients to suit your taste.

Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli

This creamy pasta dish comes together easily thanks to a no-fuss alfredo sauce.

Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup milk
• Salt and pepper
• Minced garlic

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and cream cheese, whisking until smooth.
2. Stir in milk and seasonings. Slowly add shredded cheese, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat. Let cool before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembly

• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Steam or roast broccoli until tender.
• Combine pasta, chicken, broccoli and alfredo sauce.

This easy from-scratch alfredo sauce makes dinner a breeze. Swap in your favorite veggies too!

Slow Cooker Roast

Let the slow cooker do the work for this hearty roast dinner.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lb beef roast
• 5 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 5 russet potatoes, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup beef broth or wine
• Garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into slow cooker and stir to combine.
2. Cook on low setting for 8-10 hours until beef is fall-apart tender.
3. Shred beef before serving if desired.

The slow cooker allows you to prep the ingredients ahead of time for a fuss-free dinner later in the week.

Snacks and Sides

Having grab-and-go snacks makes healthy eating easier. Here are some to prep:

Hard Boiled Eggs

• Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10-12 minutes. Shock in an ice bath. Store peeled or unpeeled.

Roasted Veggies

• Toss vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower etc. in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400°F until browned and tender.

Homemade Ranch

• Combine 1 cup mayo, 1 cup milk, 3 tbsp vinegar, garlic powder, dried parsley, onion powder, salt and pepper. refrigerate.

Protein Bites

• Mix together oats, peanut butter, ground flaxseed, chocolate chips and honey. Form into balls and refrigerate or freeze.

Cottage Cheese

• Portion into individual containers. Top with fruit, nuts or granola.

Prep versatile items like these ahead of time for quick snacks, sides and breakfasts all week!

Meal Planning Tips

• Mix up lighter meals with heavier meals for balanced nutrition.
• Double up on batch cooked proteins, grains and vegetables to use in multiple recipes.
• Prep recipes with similar ingredients to maximize what you buy.
• Allow for a night or two of takeout so you don’t get bored.
• Incorporate variety into recipes with different herbs, spices, sauces and toppings.

Meal Prep Tips For Efficiency

Follow these tips for streamlined meal prep:

• Review recipes and make a detailed plan before shopping to avoid buying excess ingredients.
• Do chopping and cooking tasks in an assembly line fashion instead of making entire recipes from start to finish.
• Prioritize cooking proteins, grains and versatile veggie batches that can be assembled into different meals.
• Let items cool completely before portioning out to prevent food safety issues.
• Freeze meal portions immediately so backups are ready whenever you need them.
• Store produce pre-washed, chopped and prepped in containers so it’s ready to cook later.
• Clean up as you go to prevent a huge mess and sink full of dishes at the end.

A little strategic planning makes the meal prep process smoother. But don’t be afraid to improvise and get creative too!

Answering Meal Prep FAQs

How long does meal prep last in the fridge?

Most meal components will last 3-5 days refrigerated. Soups, chilis and casseroles can sometimes go 5-7 days. Store delicate proteins only 1-2 days.

Can you freeze meal prep items?

Yes! Portion into individual containers and let cool completely before freezing for at least 24 hours. Thaw in fridge before reheating.

What are good meal prep containers?

Look for BPA-free plastic containers or glass options. Tight sealing lids prevent leaks or spills. Divided dishes keep ingredients separated.

Should I cook vegetables and proteins together or separately?

Cook veggies and proteins separately. Store them together right before eating for best texture and food safety.

With some planning, meal prepping can transform your weekly routine. Eat healthy foods instead of takeout, save time and reduce food waste!