A Meal Plan for One Week of Meal Prep!

Let's face it...we all know life is too busy and it just isn't practical to spend a whole day on your weekend in the kitchen. This meal prep is an example of a way to prep meals for one person for the M-F work week and not get bored (or spend your entire weekend doing so). Trust me, when I first started meal prepping (if you include grocery shopping, prepping, and cleaning up,) I spent almost all day to have things ready. I didn't mind it at first, but now, my goal is to spend as little time as possible, unless I just feel like being a chef that day!

I prepare my breakfasts, lunches, and often dinners for the M-F workweek. I prep everything on the weekend in advance so all I have to do is grab and go each day. I do this in order to stay on track with my healthy eating habits and minimize the stress during the week. I work an hour from home, so after 2 hours worth of commute time, it is not realistic to try to make my lunch for the next day after I get home from work in at 7:30 pm. Most of the time, I prefer to have a dinner meal ready too because I am hungry when I get home! And, since mornings are rushed, it only makes sense to have everything ready in advance!

I have no problems eating pretty much the same thing (assuming I like it!) for 4-5 days in a row. That being said, I know most people want to have a bit more variety than the same thing for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks 5 days in a row. So, the issue is how do you get in and out of the kitchen without spending forever prepping a gazillion different things, while also having enough variety so that you aren't bored?

Keep in mind that this will take some time, but most people spend anywhere from 15-30 minutes a day preparing each meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). So really, you will be spending less time over all. It is just in one chunk when you prep this way.

The way this specific prep is designed, I try to keep things from going to waste! It is set up so that you can use things that are leftover from the recipes for other meals and snacks. So for example, you'll be using plain Greek yogurt for the smoothie packs and the bagel recipes, but then you can use the leftover Greek yogurt for snacks along with leftover fruit from your smoothie packs (as you will see in the example below). Another example is the hummus which you will have leftover from the chicken salad recipe which you can then use for dipping with veggies. Then, any leftover veggies from the other recipes (like the personal pizza) or from your snacks can be chopped up and tossed in salads! You get the idea! Let's get started!!

The Prep Process and Tips:

1. Start by making your grocery list. First, go to the links for each recipe and look at what is needed. Next, see what you have on hand, and add only what you need to the Grocery List Planner. Don't forget to add miscellaneous items like veggies of choice for your snacks, salad, and Personal Pan Egg White Pizza, eggs/carton egg whites, salad greens, and sandwich toppings. Also, Remember your Bagel Seasoning if you don't have it yet, and things like cocoa powder and oats to make out flour, etc. Print and go shopping!

2. When you are ready to prep, block off some time and gather your kitchen tools! Keep in mind, there is no right or wrong order, but I have outlined a process that should streamline things!

3. Make 1 batch of The Easiest Shredded Crockpot Chicken. Recipe yields 2 cups. You'll use 1 cup (half of it) it to make the Hummus Chicken Salad. Then divide the remaining 1 cup into three containers with 1/3 cup serving each to use for salads and a sandwich. (Alternatively, you can buy a precooked Rotisserie chicken and shred it yourself).

4. Chop any veggies so they are ready for making the chicken salad, adding to salads, for the Personal Pan Egg White Pizza, and for snacks with leftover hummus. Set aside what you will use for the Hummus Chicken Salad, and store the rest for recipes and snacks. I like to keep my chopped veggies and greens for salads in air-tight containers and usually put paper towels at the bottom so they don't wilt from moisture.

5. Prepare Make Ahead Freezer Smoothie Packs. Store in the freezer as directed.

6. Make Everything Bagels. Store in the fridge in a air-tight container until ready to use.

7. Prepare Hummus Chicken Salad as the crockpot chicken should be cooled by now.

8. Prepare Low Carb Cauliflower Rice Meal Prep Bowls. Divide into 4 containers.

9. Prepare 1 Minute Individual Chocolate Mug Cake Mix if making for desserts. Store as directed in recipe link.

10. Prepare Blueberry Protein Oatmeal Squares if making for snacks. Store or freeze as directed in the recipe link. I like to put them in individual sandwich Ziploc bags, and if freezing, put those in a freezer safe Ziploc bag so they stay fresh longer.

11. You can mix up the dry ingredients for the Giant 1 Minute Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookie in advance if you want, or the morning when you are ready. The Personal Pan Egg White Pizza is designed to be your Friday night fun meal and you can just prep it when you are ready to eat. Alternately, you can forgo this meal for a dinner out!

12. Once done, organize everything in the fridge so you can see it and can grab and go with what is needed quickly. Also, I try to clean things as I go so I'm not left with all dishes at the end. Keep in mind it will take a few runs to find your own best methods for everything, but each time will be more smooth!

The Daily Meal Plan:

Day 1

Breakfast: Make Ahead Freezer Smoothie Packs (You can 1/2 recipe, or prep full recipe and save 2 packs to have on hand for snacks or another week of meal prep).
Lunch: 1/3 cup The Easiest Shredded Crockpot Chicken over mixed greens and chopped veggies of choice.
Dinner: Low Carb Cauliflower Rice Meal Prep Bowls

Day 2

Breakfast: Toasted Everything Bagel with toppings of choice (Greek yogurt cream cheese, sliced tomato, smoked salmon, etc).
Lunch: Low Carb Cauliflower Rice Meal Prep Bowls
Dinner: 1 serving Hummus Chicken Salad over mixed greens and chopped veggies of choice.

Day 3

Breakfast: Giant 1 Minute Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookie
Lunch: Low Carb Cauliflower Rice Meal Prep Bowls
Dinner: 1/3 cup The Easiest Shredded Crockpot Chicken on an Everything Bagel as the bun. Add any sandwich toppings that you enjoy (mixed greens, sliced tomato, mustard, low fat cheese, etc).

Day 4

Breakfast: Make Ahead Freezer Smoothie Packs
Lunch: 1 serving Hummus Chicken Salad on an Everything Bagel as the bun.
Note: Add any sandwich toppings that you enjoy (mixed greens, sliced tomato, mustard, low fat cheese, etc).
Dinner: 1/3 cup The Easiest Shredded Crockpot Chicken over mixed greens and chopped veggies of choice.

Day 5

Breakfast: Toasted Everything Bagel with toppings of choice (Greek yogurt cream cheese, sliced tomato, smoked salmon, etc).
Lunch: Low Carb Cauliflower Rice Meal Prep Bowls
Dinner: Personal Pan Egg White Pizza

Snack Ideas:

Blueberry Protein Oatmeal Squares (These freeze well, so if you have leftovers, you can freeze them for another week).
Greek yogurt and fresh/frozen berries. Can sprinkle with with cinnamon, PB2, protein powder, etc.
Raw veggies and hummus. You can use the leftover hummus and the celery and peppers from the chicken salad recipe as snacks. Also, stock up on other veggies like carrots, snap peas, cherry tomatoes, etc. (Tip: pre-chop your veggies, as you are more likely to eat them if they are ready to go!)
Hard boiled eggs / whites with Everything Bagel Seasoning, Salad Supreme seasoning, or salt and pepper.