What to Prep Sunday for Home Cooked Meals all Week Long
Almost every weekend, Dr. B and I spend a couple of hours in the kitchen prepping food for the week ahead. Split between us, it’s only about an hour each in the kitchen, plus cleaning up. We really notice a difference if we are busy or out of town and skip doing our meal prep. When we don’t meal prep, we end up eating out more, or generally spending way more time in the kitchen during the week after work, when we don’t really feel like it.
Since meal planning has become such a routine, I wanted to share exactly what we do so that you can do it too. I promise, you’ll be SO grateful for easy weekday meals!
The Saturday Grocery Shop
On Saturday, we usually go to the grocery store and the fish market. We shop on Saturday so that if we want to start cooking first thing Sunday morning, we can. This also splits up the task of shopping and cooking into two days. We often use a grocery list from one of our recipe books.
The following are usually on our list:
- 1 whole chicken that we spatchcock and roast
- wild caught salmon (from the fish market)
- regeneratively raised meat (we get a monthly box from Wild Pastures so our freezer is always stocked. On Saturday we decide what to thaw for the week ahead)
- veggies in season
- sweet potatoes
- onions
- garlic
- arugula
- spinach
- sprouts- especially broccoli sprouts!
- mixed greens
- bananas
- avocados
- berries
- lemons
- cans of chickpeas and black beans
- jars of lupin beans
- nuts, seeds and nut butters, as needed
What we prep on a regular basis:
- coconut yogurt (we make a batch every week)
- meal prep salads
- cashew milk
- pickled onions that add flavor and brightness to any meal
- banana bread or chocolate banana bread
- a big jar of No Oats
- homemade dressings like this vinaigrette, this peanut dressing, or this better than benihana dressing
- garlic hummus
- a green smoothie for the week
Weekend Meal Prep
The biggest “problem” with a healthy lifestyle isn’t necessarily knowing WHAT to eat, it’s actually doing it. We all know that vegetables are healthy, but the process of deciding which veggies to buy, what to do with them, and then actually turning them into something yummy is where the real effort comes in.
And let’s face it, this really does require effort. Effort that when you’re hungry, busy or tired, you might not want to exert.
This is where meal plans can be so helpful. If I can create a custom meal plan for you, let me know! I also have “already done for you” meal plans in my ebook shop.
We usually start with Dr. B chopping as many veggies as possible and getting them in the oven to roast. A drizzle of avocado oil or olive oil and some sea salt and pepper keeps the veggies simple and ready for any dressings or sauces we make. We roast all of the veggies in a 400F oven. PS – Our favorite spice for sweet potato fries is a sprinkle of cinnamon, chili powder and cumin. Check out all of our favorite spice combinations in my herb salts and spice blends ebook.
While Dr. B is chopping veggies, I often make a batch of banana bread. We will also make some sort of protein like a spatchcocked chicken (or sometimes two) that will provide a protein for lunchtime salads and dinner tacos. I like making a big batch of something cozy during the winter, like this chili or this soup. I’ve also been making lentil zucchini “falafel” regularly which are great for dipping in garlic hummus or adding to salads. See my IG highlights to see how I pack Dr. B’s salads for the hospital.
I love roasting chicken on the weekend because it gives us plenty of meat for salads, tacos or other meals during the week. Put the bones from your spatchcocked chicken in the crockpot overnight to make a beautiful batch of bone broth. We almost always make bone broth to sip throughout the week, add to soups and stews or save in the freezer for later.
Believe it or not, you can actually get 3 different meals out of just 7 ingredients. Check out this post to see how we do it and all the details.
Here are a few other tips to help with your meal planning:
- Cook once, eat twice. Plan to make double or triple what you would normally make for dinner so you have leftovers for lunches (for adults as well as kids) and/or another dinner. You also have the option to freeze some of the leftovers to use the following week if you prefer.
- Be sure to have food defrosted if you’re using any frozen items like meat, chicken, fish, etc. Check what you need for the next day, the night before.
- Make any marinades, dressings, spice mixes or sauces in advance to save time on those busier nights.
Even if you start out just planning a few of your meals each week, it will make a difference. I feel so much less stressed when I know I’m ready for the week and I have what I need to make healthy meals. Taking time to plan your meals will save you time and energy in the long run.
I am here to support you if you need some assistance in creating a meal plan. Whether you want meals to lose weight, set up a low carb or keto diet, want an anti-inflammatory meal plan, are frustrated with multiple allergies and sensitivities, or you are looking for a plan to make life a little less stressful, just sign up here.
Beth and Dr. B
