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).
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
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and brown the turkey over medium-high heat, breaking it up and stirring occasionally.
- While the turkey is cooking, heat a large pot of water to boiling. Break the spaghetti in half and cook until al dente.
- 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.
- Pour the mixture into an 8 ½ x 11 glass baking dish. Spread approximately 1 ½ cups of mozzarella or parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheesy crust is nicely browned.
- 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.
