Anyone into meal prepping?

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lckamnetz
lckamnetz Posts: 6
in Recipes
I prefer to meal prep for my lunch for the week. I'll make a giant meal on Sunday and divide it into 5 tupperware for the week. Always looking for new recipe ideas to keep things varied - does anyone else have any recipes/meal prep ideas?

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  • itodd4019
    itodd4019 Posts: 340 Member
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    I make 5 bags of smoothie mix each Sunday, so in the morning I can just do the blending. Just cut up all the veggies and fruits, and bag them.
  • kimdawnhayden
    kimdawnhayden Posts: 298 Member
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    I like most of my meals fresh so I don't cook chicken in advance unless it's ground chicken. I will cook ground turkey, chicken, and beef in advance. Canned tuna and canned chicken is easy. Also the shrimp that is in the frozen section that's already cooked and deveined is good. Just let it thaw our for a bit or a little zap in microwave. I boil eggs ahead. Also, I don't buy bagged salads, so I wash my romaine good and just take the leaves apart, not chopped yet and store in ziplock with a paper towel inside the bag to keep from getting mushy and chop as needed. I buy the pre packed broccoli and carrots in the produce section so it's ready to go. I'm all about easy and fast. The Abs diet has a little book that has 5 minute meals in it. Lots of good breakfast ideas. I also chop all my onions and peppers and keep in ziploc bag in freezer so they are ready to go. I eat lots of fruit, so that's easy. But I also have some frozen berries from the store to make quick smoothies. If my bananas are about to go bad, I go ahead and peel them and place in the freezer until I need them for a smoothie.
  • JeffInJax
    JeffInJax Posts: 232 Member
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    I do the same thing, the only drawback for meal prepping is having the same thing for lunch 4-5 days in a row, but this has actually been one of the biggest keys to my success so far. Takes away the ? from lunch and usually dinner too. Breakfast is my only up in the air meal generally.
  • busycitystreets
    busycitystreets Posts: 64 Member
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    I like making a batch of zucchini lasagna:http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/02/zucchini-lasagna.html

    I use ground chicken instead of ground beef, or sometimes a mixture of the two. It also freezes very well.
  • Braincatcher
    Braincatcher Posts: 66 Member
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    I don't really prep whole meals ahead of time, since I have a tiny dollhouse fridge, but I chop several batches of carrots, onions, and celery at once so I can get dinner on faster. Those three things seem to be in everything I cook. When I'm canning in the summer, I'll do half-pints of all of the above so I can just open a jar and get started.
  • CorlissaEats
    CorlissaEats Posts: 493 Member
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    When I make shepherds pie, I usually make several individual size ramekins so that I have lunches too. I can freeze or eat that week. I also make lentil stew and freeze for lunches. For the most part though, when I make dinner I plan to get one or two lunches out of it for later in the week. Sometimes I freeze if I have more than I need because there are always days I dont feel like cooking or I go out for dinner.

    Other ideas for meals:
    chili and cornbread
    baked salmon, rice and steamed veggies
    roast beef and mashed potatoes
    Pasta sauce with beef, sauteed Kale and penne (layer and mix after reheating so it doesnt get soggy)
  • kaaaaylee
    kaaaaylee Posts: 398
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    This week I made BBQ grilled chicken, asparagus, and steamed potatoes for some meals, shrimp tacos for others. I also vary dinners with flatbread pizzas and the occasional lean cuisine or going out to eat.
  • lcyama
    lcyama Posts: 209 Member
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    i am the only vegan in my family. i cook up two or three dishes on the weekend, each having 3-4 servings. then i alternate among them for lunches and dinners throughout the week, allowing for one or two meals out.

    most of my go to meals i got from vegetarian times magazine; all can be googled for recipes and are easy to make and not very time-consuming. you'll probably want more carnivorous options, but just to give you an idea, some meals in my regular rotation:

    - roasted broccoli with bulgur wheat
    - roasted brussels sprouts with quinoa
    - vietnamese lemongrass green beans and tofu (with brown rice)
    - walnut stuffed mushrooms (with couscous or brown rice)
    - refreshing quinoa salad
    - leek and lemon fettucine

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