Meal Prepping: Menu #1
In the month of January, I'm going to be sharing full meal prep outlines to help simplify your meal prep work, as well as share some of my favorite finds from local grocery stores including HyVee, Aldi, Trader Joe's, and more!
Meal prepping is one of the ways that I stay on track and sane during the week. It keeps me fueling my body with real, whole food each week and takes the stress out of meal time.
This week, I'm sharing my meal prep with recipes all from the blog!
Recipes: Breakfast – Egg Bake Lunch – Mustard Chicken & Green Beans Dinners – Most Versatile Casserole Beef + Brussels Saute
Ingredients Needed (Grocery List) 1 dozen eggs
Veggies and protein of choice for the egg bake 2lb chicken thighs 1 bottle no sugar added mustard (I like stone ground) 2lb green beans Real butter and/or coconut oil 1lb Brussel sprouts 4lb ground beef (can also be a combo of ground beef and turkey or pork) 1lb carrots 1 onion 1 butternut squash (or potatoes/sweet potatoes) Sea salt Pepper Ground sage Spices of choice No soy added cooking spray (check labels!) HOW TO PREP ALL THIS FOOD!
The casserole, egg bake, and chicken all need the oven and can theoretically be in there at the same time with the size of pans you use. Set the oven to about 400 degrees.
Steam the butternut squash or potatoes for the casserole using a steamer basket or method of choice
Chicken: put the green beans at the bottom of a greased dish, add salt on top. Melt coconut oil/butter, add mustard and spices. Put chicken on top of green beans and spread mustard mixture over top. Put in oven and bake
That recipe takes so little prep time, it’s good to get it in and out of the way. Don’t forget to set a timer!!!
While the potatoes or butternut squash are steaming, heat a skillet over medium heat and start the casserole (onion, carrots, green beans); add ground beef once the veggies are tender and finish cooking; drain the squash/potatoes, mash with salt and butter, and pour beef/veggie mix into greased pan and top with mashed squash/potatoes and bake
While the ground beef and veggies are cooking for the casserole, you can start prepping the egg bake
Heat another skillet over medium heat and butter/coconut oil and veggies of choice for egg bake; add in protein if uncooked or add cooked protein to large bowl. Crack 12 eggs into large bowl, add spices/salt, and let sit. Once veggies are cooked, let cool 5 minutes and whisk into egg mixture. Pour into greased pan and bake
So you’ve just got three recipes done! The chicken might be about done by now, so it’s time to check it
Lastly, heat a skillet over medium heat and add coconut oil/butter. Buy preshredded Brussel sprouts to make life easier or cut them yourself and add to skillet. Once tender, add ground beef/meat and cook through following recipe.
Pull everything out of the oven.
Portion out 5 breakfasts from the egg bake (or 6)
Portion out 5 lunches from the chicken (or whatever you want)
Keep the 2 dinner recipes in large containers or the dish you baked them in to heat up individual servings during the week.
And there you have it! Tips to make it easier:
BUY PRECUT VEGGIES!! Trader Joe’s has the best selection
Cook multiple things at once (set timers)
Put on music or a podcast and have fun!
Enjoy!
xoxo Olivia
