Favorite Meal Prep Idea?

tristen_leigh
tristen_leigh Posts: 214 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm usually only successful if I prep all my lunches for the week. If I don't, I get very easily lured into my cafe at work and make bad decisions. My go-to is turkey meatloaf or BBQ chicken tenderloins. I'm thinking about doing turkey meatballs this week.

What is your go-to for meal prep? Love hearing new ideas! Yes, I do go on Pinterest for ideas - just wondering what y'all do! :)

Replies

  • harrybananas
    harrybananas Posts: 292 Member
    Chicken and rice. Been eating this for lunch 90% of the time for the past many years. Different cooking methods and flavorings, as well as condiments, keeps it from being boring though it does happen time to time.
  • tristen_leigh
    tristen_leigh Posts: 214 Member
    harrybananas wrote: »
    Chicken and rice. Been eating this for lunch 90% of the time for the past many years. Different cooking methods and flavorings, as well as condiments, keeps it from being boring though it does happen time to time.

    Do you ever have a problem with your chicken drying out? I find that towards the end of the week my chicken doesn't seem as fresh.
  • DaisyHamilton
    DaisyHamilton Posts: 575 Member
    tristen_leigh wrote: »
    harrybananas wrote: »
    Chicken and rice. Been eating this for lunch 90% of the time for the past many years. Different cooking methods and flavorings, as well as condiments, keeps it from being boring though it does happen time to time.

    Do you ever have a problem with your chicken drying out? I find that towards the end of the week my chicken doesn't seem as fresh.

    Are you prepping a full week at a time? I read somewhere that 4 days should be the max for leftovers/prepping
  • harrybananas
    harrybananas Posts: 292 Member
    tristen_leigh wrote: »
    harrybananas wrote: »
    Chicken and rice. Been eating this for lunch 90% of the time for the past many years. Different cooking methods and flavorings, as well as condiments, keeps it from being boring though it does happen time to time.

    Do you ever have a problem with your chicken drying out? I find that towards the end of the week my chicken doesn't seem as fresh.

    If you leave them in the supermarket packaging, it will dry out. Take the chicken out of its packaging and place it in some bowl of marinade. This will give you great tasting chicken and won't dry out. Or if no marinade, roll them in some oil before storing them.
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
    My best is making extra at dinner and freezing some portions. Then I end up with variety.

    Meatballs are always great to stock up on! I make tons (use smaller ice cream scoop to control portion) and freeze them. They reheat well to either eat alone, on pasta, on veggies, in a sandwich, in soup, etc. So much variety from 1 prep.
  • tristen_leigh
    tristen_leigh Posts: 214 Member
    DaisyHamilton wrote: »
    tristen_leigh wrote: »
    harrybananas wrote: »
    Chicken and rice. Been eating this for lunch 90% of the time for the past many years. Different cooking methods and flavorings, as well as condiments, keeps it from being boring though it does happen time to time.

    Do you ever have a problem with your chicken drying out? I find that towards the end of the week my chicken doesn't seem as fresh.

    Are you prepping a full week at a time? I read somewhere that 4 days should be the max for leftovers/prepping

    It depends on what I make. Usually I can't prep until Monday night anyway so it ends up only being 4 days. With chicken I only do 3 days max because it gets too dry. My turkey meatloaf last week stayed super yummy on day 4.
  • tristen_leigh
    tristen_leigh Posts: 214 Member
    harrybananas wrote: »
    tristen_leigh wrote: »
    harrybananas wrote: »
    Chicken and rice. Been eating this for lunch 90% of the time for the past many years. Different cooking methods and flavorings, as well as condiments, keeps it from being boring though it does happen time to time.

    Do you ever have a problem with your chicken drying out? I find that towards the end of the week my chicken doesn't seem as fresh.

    If you leave them in the supermarket packaging, it will dry out. Take the chicken out of its packaging and place it in some bowl of marinade. This will give you great tasting chicken and won't dry out. Or if no marinade, roll them in some oil before storing them.

    Great ideas. I usually don't marinade anything so I will have to try that.
  • kpeterson539
    kpeterson539 Posts: 220 Member
    I food prep every Sunday for the week. This week was Chicken and Orzo ( http://www.carlsbadcravings.com/one-pot-italian-chicken-and-orzo-recipe/ ) and BBQ Meatloaf ( http://77recipes.com/meatloaf-muffins-with-barbecue-sauce/) with Creamed Cauliflower.
  • serenityfrye
    serenityfrye Posts: 360 Member
    I toss a package of chicken in the slow cooker with a little water and white wine on the weekend and cook on low till it falls apart. I also precook ground turkey and onion. Then I'll toss either of those on a quick salad, with rice and peas, in a tortilla with some egg and avocado, in broth with mixed veg for soup, etc.
  • x3_kayyneww
    x3_kayyneww Posts: 11 Member
    I loveeeeee meal prepping chili! Or slow cooker chicken fajitas :) just pour over a bed of lettuce, YUM!
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    edited February 2016
    I meal prep on Sundays, mainly using my crockpot and 2 pounds of chicken. This week was 1 bottle of franks red hot, 8 oz cream cheese, and chicken. I threw it over rice and put some green beans on the side. It made 6 lunches; 3 for me, 3 for husband.

    Leftover chicken tastes very funky to me; making it in the crockpot with a bunch of flavoring takes that funkiness out.
  • 4pancakes
    4pancakes Posts: 10 Member
    I like casseroles. They usely warm up well. Most recently I made a chicken, wild rice, and broccoli with cheese casserole and froze it in single serving containers.
  • georgifconnor2122
    georgifconnor2122 Posts: 1 Member
    I am enjoying paella this week.... I do my prep on a Sunday for every weekday.

    I alternate from a meat dish one week to vegetable soup the next week.

    This means next week will be butternut squash, sweet potato & chilli soup.

    The following week may be pulled pork?
  • jyvonne27
    jyvonne27 Posts: 91 Member
    rlhax0xj5508.jpeg
    I have been on a salad kick lately. I make 5 mason jars of salads on Sunday night to get me through the week. This week is 1 shrimp, 1 tuna and 3 chicken.
  • tzkully
    tzkully Posts: 77 Member
    tristen_leigh wrote: »
    harrybananas wrote: »
    tristen_leigh wrote: »
    harrybananas wrote: »
    Chicken and rice. Been eating this for lunch 90% of the time for the past many years. Different cooking methods and flavorings, as well as condiments, keeps it from being boring though it does happen time to time.

    Do you ever have a problem with your chicken drying out? I find that towards the end of the week my chicken doesn't seem as fresh.

    If you leave them in the supermarket packaging, it will dry out. Take the chicken out of its packaging and place it in some bowl of marinade. This will give you great tasting chicken and won't dry out. Or if no marinade, roll them in some oil before storing them.

    Great ideas. I usually don't marinade anything so I will have to try that.

    Definitely marinade... Completely changes the taste. I will have a few different on hand at all times even like it marinated in a low cal Italian dressing or a soy sauce and beer.
  • mccraee
    mccraee Posts: 199 Member
    I cook a bunch of chicken breast in the pressure cooker w/ some salsa until I can shred it. Lots of people use the slow cooker instead, same idea. I eat this several times over the next week for burrito bowls. And, I love it on top of shredded raw cabbage (crunch!).

    HB eggs and steel cut oats for breakfasts (the oats freeze fine)

    homemade hummus & lots of raw veggies

    chili, soups, casseroles.
  • dcshima
    dcshima Posts: 529 Member
    tristen_leigh wrote: »
    DaisyHamilton wrote: »
    tristen_leigh wrote: »
    harrybananas wrote: »
    Chicken and rice. Been eating this for lunch 90% of the time for the past many years. Different cooking methods and flavorings, as well as condiments, keeps it from being boring though it does happen time to time.

    Do you ever have a problem with your chicken drying out? I find that towards the end of the week my chicken doesn't seem as fresh.

    Are you prepping a full week at a time? I read somewhere that 4 days should be the max for leftovers/prepping

    It depends on what I make. Usually I can't prep until Monday night anyway so it ends up only being 4 days. With chicken I only do 3 days max because it gets too dry. My turkey meatloaf last week stayed super yummy on day 4.

    @tristen_leigh try this recipe for NON-dry chicken breasts, http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-moist-tender-chicken-breasts-every-time-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-36891

    They keep in ziploc or glass containers 4-5 days.
  • kalmf
    kalmf Posts: 351 Member
    jyvonne27 wrote: »
    rlhax0xj5508.jpeg
    I have been on a salad kick lately. I make 5 mason jars of salads on Sunday night to get me through the week. This week is 1 shrimp, 1 tuna and 3 chicken.

    Wow! That's fantastic. Do the vegetables stay crisp in the jar?
  • gin_7
    gin_7 Posts: 19 Member
    I love turkey meatballs!!!!!! I prep those. I do chicken and veggies. I only do 4 days. But I also only work 4 days a week. Crockpot is great!!! I use it for pulled pork;)
  • the_great_unknown
    the_great_unknown Posts: 194 Member
    Thanks for these tips! I am going to try that chicken and orzo. I just prepped tonight. I made a cheater tortilla espanola from this recipe, but I added a medium sauteed onion. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/23096/nans-potato-and-egg-frittata/
  • jyvonne27
    jyvonne27 Posts: 91 Member
    karinf wrote: »
    jyvonne27 wrote: »
    rlhax0xj5508.jpeg
    I have been on a salad kick lately. I make 5 mason jars of salads on Sunday night to get me through the week. This week is 1 shrimp, 1 tuna and 3 chicken.

    Wow! That's fantastic. Do the vegetables stay crisp in the jar?

    Yes they do, just have to be sure to keep the lettuce or spinach at the top, far away from the dressing.
  • tristen_leigh
    tristen_leigh Posts: 214 Member
    jyvonne27 wrote: »
    rlhax0xj5508.jpeg
    I have been on a salad kick lately. I make 5 mason jars of salads on Sunday night to get me through the week. This week is 1 shrimp, 1 tuna and 3 chicken.

    These look amazing! I'm totally stealing this idea. Thank you! :)
  • tristen_leigh
    tristen_leigh Posts: 214 Member
    georgifconnor2122 wrote: »
    I am enjoying paella this week.... I do my prep on a Sunday for every weekday.

    I alternate from a meat dish one week to vegetable soup the next week.

    This means next week will be butternut squash, sweet potato & chilli soup.

    The following week may be pulled pork?

    I like the idea of switching between meat and veggie meals. I was vegetarian for years and it definitely makes me feel better to take a "meat break" from time to time. Thank you!
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    Steamed salmon fillets work well when batch prepared (they don't dry out and taste great chilled).

    I like them with slow roasted red peppers or guacamole.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    Something you could try is using the ground turkey you use for meatloaf to make spring onion (scallions) and chilli burgers (I have these without a bun, and with any roasted or mashed root veggies).

    In fact, mashed root vegetables - sweet potato, potato, carrots, parsnip, etc works pretty well for prepping ahead of time and heats up well in the microwave.
  • tristen_leigh
    tristen_leigh Posts: 214 Member
    Thanks for so many great ideas! I currently have a VERY small kitchen and no room for a crockpot without lots of hassle. BUT I will have an awesome big kitchen in a month and will be meal prepping for my boyfriend and I instead of just myself so I can't wait to bust out my crockpot regularly then. :)

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