Saved by meal prep!

I have your meal prep solutions for next week. Here’s what you need to do:

• Decide if you want 1 or 2 meals for lunches.
• Decide if you want 1, 2 or 3 meals for dinner.
• Decide which meals you want for which.
• Bookmark this page for all the shopping, recipes & steps!

This week I actually meal prepped to take examples to my church. I don’t typically do this much of a variety! I am pretty skilled at reusing items in order to make the most of what I buy (#onabudget).

What’s pictured?

• Red chili
• White lightning chili
• Greek bowls
• Taco bowls
• Pinwheels
• Sammiches

Let’s dig deeper.

I’m from Texas so it took a long time for me to change my chili over to turkey and beans. In fact, I might’ve been excommunicated, I’m not sure. Nonetheless, having a healthy option that still feels comforting and is super tasty is a MUST for me for a healthy lifestyle.

Shopping list:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 2 cans Black beans
• 2 cans Chili beans
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (I double that)
• 2 onions
• 1 bunch green onions
• 2 large jalapeños
• 2 cloves or 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 TBSP Chili powder (or 2 if you’re crazy)
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 2 tsp Oregano
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Choose ONE accessory: Cheese or Greek Yogurt

Recipe:

• Chop onions, jalapeños, garlic.
• Dump in with ground turkey & a bit of olive oil. Brown.
• Add beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin & oregano, salt & pepper.
• Bring to boil, simmer for 30 minutes.
• Serve with cheese, chopped green onions and/or tbsp of Greek yogurt.

Meal prep:

• Put 1.5 cups of chili in microwave-proof container.
• In a separate container, put ONE accessory (cheese or yogurt).
• In a separate container, put 2 TBSP green onions.
• Package all together in one lunch container.
• This should make enough for you to meal prep for a week and freeze some for emergencies.

This is one of my favorites of all time!! I had to make it today to use the rest of the chicken from the greek bowl chicken. But I always love to make it anyway.

Shopping list:

• 1 lb chicken breasts
• 2 cans great northern beans
• 2 cans navy beans
• 2 cans green chiles
• 2 onions
• 2 large jalapeños
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 2 cloves or 2 tsp minced garlic
• 15 ounces chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder or minced garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (MUCH more if you’re crazy like me)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp cilantro
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Choose ONE accessory: Cheese or Greek Yogurt

Recipe:

• Boil chicken.
• Chop onions, jalapeños, garlic.
• Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil.
• Shred chicken using forks or stand mixer.
• Stir in chicken, broth, and 2 cans great northern beans, 1 can navy beans.
• Coarsely mash remaining can navy beans and stir into chicken mixture.
• Bring to a boil, stirring often; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.
• Add in spices.
• Serve with cheese, chopped cilantro and/or tbsp of Greek yogurt.

Meal prep:

• Put 1.5 cups of chili in microwave-proof container.
• In a separate container, put ONE accessory (cheese or yogurt).
• In a separate container, put 1 TBSP cilantro onions.
• Package all together in one lunch container.
• This should make enough for you to meal prep for a week and freeze some for emergencies.

Greek. Meal. Bowls.

That’s fine. Say no more. I am on board.

In this particular situation, I’ve not photo’d the tzatziki sauce, but it will be in your recipe. I mean, it’s just a big bowl of Grecian goodness that will not leave you bored. At all. It is the more complicated of the bunch, but it’s not that bad. We can do this. I mean, we can’t take a photo without my housedress. But we can make and enjoy this.

Shopping list:

• 1 lb chicken breasts
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 lbs grape tomatoes
• 2 cucumbers
• 1 red onion
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Lemon juice
• 1 cup plain low fat greek yogurt
• Pita bread
• Red wine vinegar
• Dried oregano
• Dried dill
• S&P

Recipe:

• Chop chicken into small pieces. Place in container to marinade with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 TBSP red wine vinegar, 1tsp oregano, 2 tsp garlic, 1 tsp lemon juice, Cook 2 cups brown rice according to packages.
• Start/Cook rice according to package.
• Next, make cucumber salad. Chop & slice 1 & 2/3 cucumbers. Thinly slice 1/2 red onion. Add in 1 TBSP lemon juice, 2 TBSP olive oil, 1 TBSP red wine vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, pressed & 1 tsp dried oregano. Refrigerate.
• Next, make Tzatziki sauce: Mix 1 cup greek yogurt, 1/3 finely diced (or food processed) cucumber, 1 TBSP garlic, 1 TBSP dill, 1 TBSP lemon juice, salt & pepper. Refrigerate.
• In hot oil, fry greek chicken mix until done to internal temp of 160.
• Chop olives, red onion & tomatoes.
• To make the tzatziki sauce, combine Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill, lemon juice, lemon zest and mint in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle with olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld; set aside.
  Divide rice into meal prep containers. Top with chicken, cucumber salad, tomatoes and tzatziki sauce.

Meal prep:

• Put 1/5 chicken mixture in microwave-proof container.
• Put 1/5 rice in microwave-proof container.
• Using 5 small separate containers or baggies, put 1/5 cucumber salad mixture in microwave-proof container.
• Using 5 small separate containers or baggies, put 1/5 tzatziki mixture in microwave-proof container.
• Using 5 small separate containers or baggies, put 1/5 olives & tomatoes mixture in microwave-proof container.
• Using 5 small separate containers or baggies, divide pita bread into 5 small servings.
• Package all together into 5 separate lunch containers.

This is a fun lunch. It’s ambitious but whimsical. Who wouldn’t want to eat this? Fun pinwheels that are limited only by your imaginations, yummy fruits & veggies. A homemade trail mix that is simple yet will delight your taste buds.

Shopping list:

• Wraps (either whole wheat or veggie wraps)
• Deli meat
• Cheese OR avocado
• Greenest leafy veggie you can tolerate (Kale, spinach, romaine)
• Tomato
• Mustard or sugar free Italian dressing
• Veggies of choice (shredded cucumber/carrot, pickles)
• Berries of choice
• Unsweetened or salted nuts of choice
• Carrots
• Sugar free peanut/almond butter

Meal prep:

• Lay out 5 wraps. Only “prep” 1/2 of the wrap.
• Drizzle small amount of mustard/dressing on the 1/2 side.
• Place 4 pieces of deli meat on the 1/2 side.
• On top of the meat, layer cheese/mashed avocado, spinach, tomatoes & veggies evenly.
• Roll pinwheel from 1/2 side to clean side.
• Cut in 1 inch sections.
• Place pinwheels together in 5 separate meal prep containers.
• Using 5 small separate containers or baggies, place 1 cup chopped carrots.
• Using 5 small separate containers or baggies, combine about 10 nuts & 1 cup berries.
• Scoop out 2 tsp peanut/almond butter into 5 separate containers.
• Place pinwheels, carrots, nut butters, berry/nut mix together into 5 meal prep containers. Viola!

I’ve thrown this one in there for the person prepping for kids / unable to commit to based on time / food choices. It’s also SUPER budget friendly. EVERYONE can accomplish this. And it’s better than 99% of what you or your kids will get at school / restaurants. I mean…you CAN do this y’all. ZERO cooking required.

Shopping list:

• Bread
• No sugar nut butter
• Low sugar jelly
• Berries of choice
• Pineapple
• Carrots
• Cucumber
• Hummus

Meal prep:

• Using two pieces of bread, make 5 PB&Js. Cut each into four triangles.
• In a separate container, combine 5 1/3 cup berries & 1/3 cup pineapple portions.
• In a separate container, put 5 2 TBSP hummus portions.
• In a separate container, put 5 1/2 cup chopped carrots portions.
• In a separate container, put 5 1/2 cup chopped cucumbers portions.
• Package all together in one lunch container.

Can you ever go wrong with tacos? With burritos? I don’t think you can. In fact, my husband always compliments this meal!

Shopping list:

• 1 lb ground turkey or beef
• 2 TBSP tomato paste
• 1 can/bag corn
• 1 can/bag black beans
• 3 tomatoes
• 2 onions
• 3 large jalapeños
• 2 tomatoes
• Brown rice
• Cheese
• 2 cloves or 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp Chili powder (or WAY more if you’re crazy like me)
• 1 tsp Oregano
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Choose ONE accessory: Cheese or Greek Yogurt or Avocado
• Optional Dressing: 2 TBSP Herdes salsa + 1 TBSP Mayo

Recipe:

• Cook 2 cups brown rice according to packages.
• Mince 3 tomatoes, 2 jalapeños, 1 onion. Add lime juice, Salt & pepper. Place in separate refrigerated container (this is Pico de gallo).
• Chop 1 onion, 1 jalapeños, garlic.
• Brown meat in hot oil. Add in & sauté jalapeños, onion and garlic.
• Season with garlic, chili powder, oregano, S&P. Add in tomato paste. Mix evenly.
• Sauté (or mix in to above) corn & black beans.
• Shred cheese to equal 5 ounces or 1 & 1/4 cups (or dice 1 avocado).

Meal prep:

• Put 1/5 meat mixture in microwave-proof container.
• Put 1/5 rice in microwave-proof container. Add in corn / beans if needed.
• Put 1/5 pico de gallo mixture in microwave-proof container.
• Divide cheese, avocado or even 1 cup greek yogurt into 5 portions for accessories.
• In a separate container, put ONE accessory (cheese or yogurt).
• Add in 2 TBSP dressing for each meal if desired.
• Package all together into 5 separate lunch containers.