What are your SUPER easy meal preps?

And no, I don't mean like 6 ingredients, 20 minutes, one pot.

I mean as simple as scrambling 24 eggs, baking 2 pounds of bacon. Boom there's breakfast for the week.

Anyone got ridiculously easy recipes like that?

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I've done boiled eggs for grab and go, but I've never made more than about 3 days worth. My wife and I will also frequently make a batch of quinoa or rice or something to have for lunches during the week...but again, that's usually gone between the two of us in a few days. I do usually make extra meat or chicken or fish or whatever we're having for dinner to take for lunches the next day...maybe two, but that's largely the extent of my prep unless I'm making a big stew or casserole or something.

    Scrambled eggs and the like aren't particularly great reheated later...and really, for most things I have a 72 hour rule...after 3 days or so, the risk of food poisoning rises exponentially as bacteria starts to breed, and that's pretty much a non-starter for me.
  • MaltedTea
    MaltedTea Posts: 6,286 Member
    At one point, I bought 5 tubs of skyr and ate that every weekday.

    Baked oatmeal is also really simple and good.

    These days, I just buy skinless chicken breasts in bulk so that I can wet brine them for a day (prior to seasoning with the week's flavor of choice. This week? Piri piri). Flip the oven on for 20-30 min, roast some chopped veggies at the same time and you've got a week of high protein goodness.

  • teamhugcpt
    teamhugcpt Posts: 24 Member
    Toss frozen riced cauli/broccoli with cooked chicken breast and Anthony’s cheddar cheese powder (optional but really good). Top with shedded cheddar and microwave about 3 minutes. Also works great with tuna or shrimp. Really good with hot sauce or just fresh black pepper.
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
    Japanese-style curry over rice. You can buy the curry roux in blocks and it's barely more work than Kraft dinner, makes 12 servings easily.
  • BarbaraHelen2013
    BarbaraHelen2013 Posts: 1,940 Member
    OliveSalt wrote: »
    Rice and beans! Good foundation to rice bowls, or soup, or burritos, or a breakfast scramble, or casserole... The list goes on. If you have a batch of rice and beans in the fridge, you can make anything. Just add veggies, or sauce, or cheese, or protein however you like!

    Please be careful with keeping cooked rice in the fridge over a number of days! The bacteria inherent in rice produces a toxin that is the most common cause of food poisoning and can be severe. (Often referred to as ‘fried rice syndrome’).
    Personally, if I’m making a rice based dish and want to save some of the batch it goes into the freezer as soon as it’s cool enough - never ever more than an hour.
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I've done boiled eggs for grab and go, but I've never made more than about 3 days worth. My wife and I will also frequently make a batch of quinoa or rice or something to have for lunches during the week...but again, that's usually gone between the two of us in a few days. I do usually make extra meat or chicken or fish or whatever we're having for dinner to take for lunches the next day...maybe two, but that's largely the extent of my prep unless I'm making a big stew or casserole or something.

    Scrambled eggs and the like aren't particularly great reheated later...and really, for most things I have a 72 hour rule...after 3 days or so, the risk of food poisoning rises exponentially as bacteria starts to breed, and that's pretty much a non-starter for me.

    This needs to be said more often in this era of ‘meal prepping’ popularity! I sometimes shudder at pictures I see online showing a meal prep where any number of foods included are really not safe to be kept for more than 2 or 3 days, at the outside, in the fridge. I’ve never had food poisoning but I gather it’s not a lot of fun! 😱
  • anna_nintey3
    anna_nintey3 Posts: 843 Member
    Slow cooked butter chicken and rice > broccoli or cauli or sweet potato or white or brown rice :)
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,352 Member
    I'm a freezer girl. Bag o' meat, bag o' veg, bag o' starch, bottle of sauce and microwave. You can get frozen chicken, shrimp and fish pretty commonly. Tons of veg choices in the freezer section. Rice, potatoes, or even the "riced" vegetables are all in freezer bags now or sometimes I buy those pre-cooked on the shelf. It's fast, edible and eliminates a considerable portion of the misery of both cooking and clean up, especially if you're just cooking for one.
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,155 Member
    Good tips about the rice, I never knew that!

    I really like grilled/broiled chicken breast for quick lunches. I cut into serving size pieces and marinate it in a little bit of oil and vinegar and spices (or bottled Italian dressing). I broil when it's cold out, grill when it's warm. I freeze it on a sheet pan so the pieces don't stick together, then put the pieces together in a big bag in the freezer, and I can just pull one piece out whenever I want.
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    edited March 2021
    OliveSalt wrote: »
    Rice and beans! Good foundation to rice bowls, or soup, or burritos, or a breakfast scramble, or casserole... The list goes on. If you have a batch of rice and beans in the fridge, you can make anything. Just add veggies, or sauce, or cheese, or protein however you like!

    Please be careful with keeping cooked rice in the fridge over a number of days! The bacteria inherent in rice produces a toxin that is the most common cause of food poisoning and can be severe. (Often referred to as ‘fried rice syndrome’).
    Personally, if I’m making a rice based dish and want to save some of the batch it goes into the freezer as soon as it’s cool enough - never ever more than an hour.
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I've done boiled eggs for grab and go, but I've never made more than about 3 days worth. My wife and I will also frequently make a batch of quinoa or rice or something to have for lunches during the week...but again, that's usually gone between the two of us in a few days. I do usually make extra meat or chicken or fish or whatever we're having for dinner to take for lunches the next day...maybe two, but that's largely the extent of my prep unless I'm making a big stew or casserole or something.

    Scrambled eggs and the like aren't particularly great reheated later...and really, for most things I have a 72 hour rule...after 3 days or so, the risk of food poisoning rises exponentially as bacteria starts to breed, and that's pretty much a non-starter for me.

    This needs to be said more often in this era of ‘meal prepping’ popularity! I sometimes shudder at pictures I see online showing a meal prep where any number of foods included are really not safe to be kept for more than 2 or 3 days, at the outside, in the fridge. I’ve never had food poisoning but I gather it’s not a lot of fun! 😱

    Point of order: Cooked rice is fine to be stored if you can cool it uniformly. The problem is that if you pack a big container full of hot or warm rice and stick it straight in the fridge/freezer, the middle will stay in the bacterial growth "danger zone" (40F-140F) much longer than the outside will. Spread your cooked rice out in a relatively thin layer on a baking sheet, or break it out into individual serving containers, and it will cool more uniformly and be safe to store for a week.

    Point of order. Having worked as a lab technician in a food lab at Proctor & Gamble for a couple of years, I would have to differ. When the rice comes out of the pan at around 200 degrees it is as bacteria free as it will ever be, Spreading it out in a non sterile environment will assure bacteria will be incorporated into the rice. Because bacteria is floating in the ambient air EVERYWHERE. Freezing it will help but spores are not killed by freezing, only made dormant.

    I'd say the last thing one should do is spread it our on trays in the kitchen.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    OliveSalt wrote: »
    Rice and beans! Good foundation to rice bowls, or soup, or burritos, or a breakfast scramble, or casserole... The list goes on. If you have a batch of rice and beans in the fridge, you can make anything. Just add veggies, or sauce, or cheese, or protein however you like!

    Please be careful with keeping cooked rice in the fridge over a number of days! The bacteria inherent in rice produces a toxin that is the most common cause of food poisoning and can be severe. (Often referred to as ‘fried rice syndrome’).
    Personally, if I’m making a rice based dish and want to save some of the batch it goes into the freezer as soon as it’s cool enough - never ever more than an hour.
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I've done boiled eggs for grab and go, but I've never made more than about 3 days worth. My wife and I will also frequently make a batch of quinoa or rice or something to have for lunches during the week...but again, that's usually gone between the two of us in a few days. I do usually make extra meat or chicken or fish or whatever we're having for dinner to take for lunches the next day...maybe two, but that's largely the extent of my prep unless I'm making a big stew or casserole or something.

    Scrambled eggs and the like aren't particularly great reheated later...and really, for most things I have a 72 hour rule...after 3 days or so, the risk of food poisoning rises exponentially as bacteria starts to breed, and that's pretty much a non-starter for me.

    This needs to be said more often in this era of ‘meal prepping’ popularity! I sometimes shudder at pictures I see online showing a meal prep where any number of foods included are really not safe to be kept for more than 2 or 3 days, at the outside, in the fridge. I’ve never had food poisoning but I gather it’s not a lot of fun! 😱

    I've personally never really understood the whole prep for a week thing. I like my food to be at least freshish and I can really only do the leftover reheated meal thing for one meal in a given day. Bacteria issues aside, most stuff starts to look odd and unappealing after a few days anyway...not to mention, I get bored eating the same thing everyday.
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    OliveSalt wrote: »
    Rice and beans! Good foundation to rice bowls, or soup, or burritos, or a breakfast scramble, or casserole... The list goes on. If you have a batch of rice and beans in the fridge, you can make anything. Just add veggies, or sauce, or cheese, or protein however you like!

    Please be careful with keeping cooked rice in the fridge over a number of days! The bacteria inherent in rice produces a toxin that is the most common cause of food poisoning and can be severe. (Often referred to as ‘fried rice syndrome’).
    Personally, if I’m making a rice based dish and want to save some of the batch it goes into the freezer as soon as it’s cool enough - never ever more than an hour.
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I've done boiled eggs for grab and go, but I've never made more than about 3 days worth. My wife and I will also frequently make a batch of quinoa or rice or something to have for lunches during the week...but again, that's usually gone between the two of us in a few days. I do usually make extra meat or chicken or fish or whatever we're having for dinner to take for lunches the next day...maybe two, but that's largely the extent of my prep unless I'm making a big stew or casserole or something.

    Scrambled eggs and the like aren't particularly great reheated later...and really, for most things I have a 72 hour rule...after 3 days or so, the risk of food poisoning rises exponentially as bacteria starts to breed, and that's pretty much a non-starter for me.

    This needs to be said more often in this era of ‘meal prepping’ popularity! I sometimes shudder at pictures I see online showing a meal prep where any number of foods included are really not safe to be kept for more than 2 or 3 days, at the outside, in the fridge. I’ve never had food poisoning but I gather it’s not a lot of fun! 😱

    I've personally never really understood the whole prep for a week thing. I like my food to be at least freshish and I can really only do the leftover reheated meal thing for one meal in a given day. Bacteria issues aside, most stuff starts to look odd and unappealing after a few days anyway...not to mention, I get bored eating the same thing everyday.

    I could not agree more. Refrigerated stuff takes on a kind of slimy coating just from the condensation that clings to it the minute it comes out of its wrap. However, I can see rice prepared for a few days ahead so it just needs to be tossed into the skillet for stir fry with frozen shrimp, seafood or whatnot. Spoon a serving portion right into a ziplock bag for a quick meal.
  • Mazintrov13
    Mazintrov13 Posts: 135 Member
    I hear this about rice all the time but I’ve been batch cooking it in my rice cooker for about 2 years now, making enough for 5-6 nights and putting it all into a glass container, letting cool on the bench before refrigerating and have never had food poisoning?
  • LtHammerhead
    LtHammerhead Posts: 33 Member
    1lb meat, I can rinsed beans, 1 jar salsa, 1 cup rice, 1/4 cup taco seasoning and 1 cup stock into the instapot.
    Go for a run.
    Return to delicious bowlrito. Freeze extras.
  • pessxx
    pessxx Posts: 1,456 Member
    edited April 2021
    I do this recipe when I want to make meal prep, 2-3 muffins per box for example

    Salmon "muffins" i called them muffins because i put them in muffins form, but they do not contain flour

    400g salmon raw cut in little chunks 208 calories per 100g *4=832 calories -- i do chunks cause i do not like the salmon mashe
    3 medium eggs 63 calories x 3 medium eggs = 189 calories
    2 small potatoes boiled 226 calories- for keto you can replace potatoes with a little almond flour like 2-3 tbsp
    minced fresh parsley 2tbs 6 calories
    2 tbs hot sauce 10 calories

    We mix everything add a little salt and pepper, it
    really depends if the hot sauce does not have already these - too salted or spicy
    A big form of muffins of 8
    we spray with olive oil spray the forms of muffins before,
    then put the composition.
    They stay in oven , medium temperature till they got a little brown
    on the surface, not very brown cause the salmon will get too dry

    1 muffin 158 calories

    they look like here
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/823358/what-do-your-meals-look-like-show-me-pictures/p1000
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    Those salmon muffins look wonderful. I could see a slice of bacon or some jalapenos in there too. Your recipe is on the menu this evening here.
  • Poobah1972
    Poobah1972 Posts: 943 Member
    Nothing easier and more tasty then some roasted Chicken Legs or Thighs... Hmmmmm
  • brightsideofpink
    brightsideofpink Posts: 1,018 Member
    Chicken and salsa in a crockpot or instapot. Sometimes I add taco seasoning or a little cream cheese. Shred.
    I also do shrimp, green beans and watered down stir fry sauce (I find it too salty) on the stovetop pretty often.
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 920 Member
    Microwavable rice (I like the Veetee Jasmine Rice but there are lots of options at most grocery stores). On your prep day you can cook up a bunch of chicken (I almost always use chicken thighs) or salmon (or whatever protein source you want), and you can chop/sauté a bunch of veg and then --- BOOM.

    Portion all that out - add some condiments (I like a little teriyaki/soy, hot sauce, vinegar, honey......whatever you like).

    Done.
  • meeppeepneep
    meeppeepneep Posts: 56 Member
    * Tiny amount of oil for the pan
    * Frozen veggie mix
    * Frozen, cut up, protein
    * Salt, pepper, whatever spice you want
    * Heat in pan until as crunchy as you want them to be. Takes 5-10 minutes.
    * Put in bowl
    * Optional, add sauce or dressing at a sensible point of the process. There's even frozen veggie mixes that already have sauce on them.
  • changes8413
    changes8413 Posts: 5 Member
    Newby at meal prep and I struggle to get enough protein in. The posts have been helpful. I guess I'm a little picky in the meat, poultry, and fish area.
  • meeppeepneep
    meeppeepneep Posts: 56 Member
    @changes8413 Cheat by adding a protein shake, or just adding protein powder to meals where possible.
  • SchweddyGirl
    SchweddyGirl Posts: 244 Member
    Salad prep all your veggies and proteins on Sunday, then just make them day of. Once you learn how to store your veggies, they can stay fresh for the whole week. This allows you to mix and match what you feel like having that day. Want a southern salad? Toss together the lettuce, some defrosted frozen corn, black beans, and whatever veggies you want. Then mix some taco seasoning in with some ranch dressing. You can mix and match to your hearts content.