How to Meal Prep a Month’s Worth of Meals in One Weekend

Clean out your freezer and clear your weekend – it’s time for some massive meal prep! Before my daughter was born last year, I searched for easy and healthy meals I could make in advance and stash in the freezer. Now that she’s a few months old, I can tell you that this pre-planning and meal prep has been a lifesaver.

Even if you’re not learning to master the art of eating one-handed while nursing, it’s always convenient to have a few meals at the ready for busy days. And by “a few meals,” I mean 50! Ready to get going? Start by purchasing the following ingredients:

Produce

  • 1 medium head of cauliflower
  • 1 small head of broccoli
  • 1 large carrot
  • 3 large red bell peppers
  • 1 bag of kale
  • 1 bag of spinach (3 cups)
  • 1 bunch of cilantro
  • 1 bag of chopped sweet potatoes or butternut squash
  • 5 medium yellow onions
  • Garlic (or garlic chips from the spice aisle)
  • 1 container of cooked lentils

Dry Goods/Canned

  • 1 bag of brown rice
  • 8 cans of chickpeas/garbanzo beans
  • 1 can of black beans
  • 1 jar of spaghetti sauce
  • 1 bag/box of spaghetti
  • Olive oil
  • Vegetable oil

Bread/Bakery

  • 30 large tortillas
  • 12 large pita pockets (make sure they aren’t flatbreads – you need them to open)

Dairy

  • 2 bags of shredded cheese, such as cheddar or Monterey Jack (3 ½ cups total)
  • 1 bag of shredded mozzarella
  • 12 large eggs
  • Unsalted butter

Spices

  • Allspice
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Chili powder
  • Cinnamon
  • Cumin
  • Garam masala
  • Garlic chips
  • Garlic powder (no salt)
  • Ground ginger
  • Salt
  • Turmeric

Frozen

  • 1 large bag of hashbrowns

Meat

  • 1 lb of ground turkey meat

Other

  • Aluminum foil
  • Gallon-size zip-top freezer bags
  • Sharpie

Freezing Tips

Let the filling cool completely before filling each tortilla or pita. For tortilla wrapping tips, check out this demo. Wrap each serving in foil, place in a freezer bag and squeeze out the air before sealing. Write the contents on the outside of the bag with a sharpie. Be sure to include a “use by” date as well (three months from the date they were made).

How to meal prep for a month of meals

Now for the fun part. Get cooking!

Curried Cauliflower Chickpea Wraps from The Muffin Myth

Makes 8

Keep some full fat plain yogurt on hand to serve with these spicy wraps. I mix garlic chips with the yogurt for added flavor. The instructions say this recipe makes six wraps, but I usually get eight to 10 wraps total.

Freezer-Friendly Roasted Vegetable Burritos with Black Beans and Rice from the Kitchn

Makes 10

Sometimes I add chopped chicken (cooked) to this recipe as well. I typically get 10 servings out of this recipe, two more than the recipe states.   

Spiced Lentil, Sweet Potato and Kale Whole Wheat Pockets from the Kitchn

Makes 6

I skipped the homemade dough in favor of store-bought pita pockets and substituted pre-shredded sweet potatoes for the whole sweet potatoes. Just follow the cooking directions on the bag of shredded sweet potatoes – I boiled them until soft.

Breakfast Burritos from the Kitchn

Makes 12

These burritos are incredibly versatile; I’ve enjoyed them for breakfast, lunch and dinner (not all on the same day!). I made a couple of changes to the recipe for convenience’s sake and to align with my personal preferences. Instead of whole potatoes, I used a hashbrown mix. I also substituted a yellow onion for the red onion, omitted the milk and added a strip of cooked bacon to each burrito.

Scrambled Chickpea and Spinach Pitas from the Kitchn

Makes 12

Just one small change here: I used vegetable oil rather than coconut oil. Feel free to use whichever oil you prefer.

Baked Spaghetti (courtesy of my mom)

Makes 12

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and brown the turkey over medium-high heat, breaking it up and stirring occasionally.
  3. While the turkey is cooking, heat a large pot of water to boiling. Break the spaghetti in half and cook until al dente.
  4. Drain the spaghetti and return to the bowl. Add the cooked turkey and an entire jar of spaghetti sauce (I recommend the arrabiata sauce from Trader Joe’s). Stir until combined.
  5. Pour the mixture into an 8 ½ x 11 glass baking dish. Spread approximately 1 ½ cups of mozzarella or parmesan cheese on top.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheesy crust is nicely browned.
  7. Cool completely, cut into 12 squares, wrap each individual square in aluminum foil, place in a ziplock bag and freeze for up to three months.
Eat Recipes

About Kelsey Schagemann

Kelsey is a former NCAA Division III cross country and track athlete who exchanged sneakers for spin shoes in her twenties. Hailing from the great state of Oregon (by way of St. Louis, where she spent her childhood), Kelsey has made Chicago her home since 2006. She can often be found at the helm of her daughter’s stroller, walking miles throughout the city. Her other favorite fitness activities include spinning, yoga, lifting weights and biking. As a freelance writer, Kelsey works with universities, nonprofits, websites and magazines (visit bit.ly/kelseyschagemann for more information). In her spare time, she enjoys trying new recipes, traveling with her family and keeping the library in business. Kelsey holds a BA in English from Kenyon College and an MA in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

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