5 Ways to Meal Prep for the Week

It’s the weekend. And for those of you who shop and plan for meals and meal prep for the week, here’s a few ideas to make life easier along the way.

Whether you are meal prepping for school lunches or working from home or away, take a step back and make your life easier.

Sandwiches are the norm for most folks, but let’s add a bit of variety or fun to your normal routine.

Idea #1 Begin with Eggs

The first tip is planning to make boiled eggs to keep for the week. It’s the basis of sooo many ideas as you will see in ideas to follow! A good boiled egg is simply one that is covered with cool water, brought to a rolling boil, covered with burner off and the timer set to 20 minutes. I love to cool immediately adding ice to the water to prevent that grayish green layer between the white and yellow.

Then label and tuck in the fridge for use for some of the next recipes to follow. And….aren’t these farm fresh eggs beautiful?!!!

And now, add that chopped boiled egg to a small can of drained tuna with a bit of celery and mayo. Serve with veggies and crackers!

Idea #2 Meal Prep with Rotisserie Chicken

Chicken salad is my favorite. My chicken of choice is the rotisserie chicken breasts from Sam’s Club that you can actually buy separately. A rotisserie chicken will still work, but the breasts packaged separately are my favorites –Love them!

Just debone and skin, slice into bite sized pieces and add in that boiled egg (chopped) with a couple of T. of mayo or Miracle Whip. You can add a T. of pickle relish to add sweetness, if you prefer. And I love chopped celery and cilantro tucked in. Serve with lettuce and crackers for a delightful change.

Idea #3 Meal Prep with Canned Chicken

You know that chicken salad recipe above? Well…let’s change that up a bit. If you can’t find rotisserie chicken breasts…move on down to the canned chicken aisle at Sam’s and pick up the Member’s Mark canned white chicken in water. you can find here. Drain and add in that egg and mayo again. This time, let’s add curry powder to taste and a bit of fruit. Chopped nuts are especially a great addition. Sliced red seedless grapes are a winner to this recipe…and if you’d rather change it up…add a chopped apple to the mix. Yum! Make a sandwich or croissant or enjoy with crackers.

Idea #4 Freeze Grilled Burgers

Although you won’t need a boiled egg for this recipe, this is just simply an idea that is frequently served in this house. When grilling, a huge batch of burgers is always created. And that can be of the turkey or beef variety. Then I simply wrap individually in parchment paper, tuck in a ziploc and label with contents and date. It’s soooo easy to microwave (play with your settings- ours is power level 6 for 3 minutes) and then add cheese and your usual toppings.

Makes grilling so handy for meal prep purposes! And grilled burgers on a cloudy day always makes things brighter!

Idea #5 Use Leftovers Tucked in the Freezer

Now this is a no brainer. I’m simply going to remind you to do something to stretch your budget and keep your fridge cleaned out. You know that extra serving of soup, chili, pot roast, casserole–you get my drift–from this week’s meals that will get lost in the back and mold before you find it again????!! Make yourself happy, and if it is freezable, place that little bit of happy in a freezer container to have later. Don’t forget to label and date.

You know what I love about this process? I get to enjoy something again at a later date and not feel like I am having “leftovers”.

And if those items available make for an easy Caprese salad, that’s included in the plan. Heirloom tomatoes, basil, mozarella and a great balsamic vinegar. What could be better?

Just planning for the future with a great meal prep solution that saves time and money.

Happy meal prep time, friends! Hope I have reminded you to have fun in the journey and that you will be happy when your feet are under your table.