Favorite Batch Cooking/Meal Prep Recipes & Tips - Dana Monsees Nutrition (2024)

Spoiler alert: prepping some ingredients and food at the beginning of the week will make your life sooooo much easier.

  1. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE FANCY.
  2. Come up with a rough meal plan for meals you want to make during the week.
  3. Grocery shop on Sundays or Mondays.
  4. Clean and chop up veggies when you get home from shopping so you save on prep time during the week!
  5. Prep some single-ingredient recipes (like hard-boiled eggs, sweet potatoes, roasted veggies), etc. that you can throw together in an easy meal in a pinch.
  6. (interlude): turn on some jams and dance in the kitchen. Ooobviously.
  7. Prep or (keep on hand) some of your favorite sauces and spices, so you can have some variation in flavors all week, even if you’re eating the same base ingredients.

Think of it this way – your life is stressful enough already, with everything you have going on. Food should NOT become another huge stressor on your plate (pun totally intended), so make it easier on yourself by doing some Meal Prep at the start of your week! You’ll thank me later. Ya welcome, friends.

So after I’ve done some meal planning and grocery shopping, on either a Sunday or Monday…

  • 1 large protein
  • 1-2 veggies, roasted / steamed / sautéed
  • 1 breakfast option
  • 1 batch of a starchy vegetable or grains forstaying power + blood sugar balance
  • 1-2 sauces or spice blends that you can use on recipes later in the week.
  • Optional: chop up some veggies for recipes you’ll need later in the week to save on prep time!

Then, I’ll use these ingredients to throw together easy meals throughout the week – for quick breakfasts, take-to-work (or heat up quick) lunches, or quick dinners if I know I’m in a pinch for time!

Check out this HOW TO BUILD A POWER BOWL post & infographic for step-by-step instructions on how to build an easy meal throughout the week.

As an example (all recipes linked below!):

Protein: Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork OR Easy Balsamic Roasted Chicken
Breakfast option: 8 Hard-boiled eggs / Smoked Salmon Frittata
Veggies: Baked Zucchini/Onions/Peppers
Roast sweet potatoes (whole or wedges) + batch of rice
Chop cauliflower for roasting later in week
Sauce it up: Avocado green goddess dressing / OR homemade mayo
Spice blend: Homemade Paleo Ranch Seasoning

Throw the pork in the crock pot and let it go. Preheat the oven for the sweet potatoes and veggies, then boil some water for the eggs while you chop up the veggies, potatoes, and cauliflower. Put the eggs in (set a timer!), pop the veggies/potatoes on a baking sheet and then put them in the oven (set another timer!), then while everything is cooking, make your sauce/dressing and spice blend for the week. BOOM DONE.

I also ALWAYS keep on hand some of my favorite freezer staples,

…like Cauliflower Rice, Fire Roasted Red Peppers, and Chili-Lime Chicken Burgers from Trader Joe’s, or frozen shrimp on hand that I can throw together in a flash in case I don’t have anything prepped and am effing starving. Which does tend to happen when life gets CRAY. Same goes for pantry stuff – I always have canned tuna and salmon for easy protein options, and some homemade mayonnaise or Primal Kitchen Foods mayo and Tessemae’s Dressings so I can make a quick (delicious) salad if need. Oh, and snack options too. Like RXbars, jerky, mixed nuts, and and fruit with nut butter. Because snacks = lifesavers sometimes!

PRO TIP: Take some shortcuts to save yourself time.

Buy pre-chopped veggies, pre-made sauces and spice blends, can even buy hard-boiled eggs at Trader Joe’s, or grab some salad/veggie stuff from a salad bar/hot bar like Whole Foods! Just make sure to double-check your ingredients.

So, following the formula (“they’re more like guidelines, anyway”…s/o to Kiera Knightley for that awesome line in Pirates of the Caribbean, ha!)…

Power Up with Proteins

Easy Balsamic Roasted ChickenThe Easiest Slow Cooker ChickenBuffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken
Spatchcocked Chicken with Herbed Ghee Rub
Ginger Garlic Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Smoky Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
Roasted Salmon with Ginger-Scallion Sauce
Lemon Dill Salmon

Salmon Cakes with Caper-Dill Aioli
My Favorite Tuna Salad
One Pan Summer Greek Shrimp Skillet

No recipe needed!

Grilled or Sautéed chicken breasts or thighs
Cook up some ground meat in a skillet with your favorite spice blend! beef, pork, sausage, turkey, chicken…you pick!

Get your Veggies on!


RoastedBrussels Sprouts RiceOven-Roasted Cauliflower Rice
Curry Cauliflower Rice (AIP)
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Chimichurri

Turmeric Roasted Cauli Rice
Bacon-Braised Red Cabbage with Apples

Nutty Green Parsnip Rice

Zucchini Ginger Soup

Simple Asian Sautéed Kale
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

No recipe needed – just cook and add your favorite spices!

Grilled or Roasted in-season veggies! (Favorite combo: zucchini + onions + peppers)
Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Cauliflower
Steamed Broccoli
Roasted Spaghetti squash
Roasted Fall/Winter Squash: Delicata, Butternut, Acorn, etc.

Make-Ahead Breakfasts for when “ain’t nobody got time to make breakfast in the morning”

Smoked Salmon Frittata with Caper Aioli

Butternut Squash Breakfast Sausage
Chicken Hash Browns

Roasted Garlic Chicken Sausage
Sweet Potato Sausage Egg Bake
Taco Egg Muffins
Breakfast Sausage Scotch Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs (great for snacks too!)

Post-Workout Goodness aka GIMME DEM CARBS MMKAY


Ginger-Garlic Sweet Potato Wedges

Sweet Potato Toast

The BESt Roast CarrotsDill Roasted Carrots with Coconut Tzatziki Sauce
Sunny Sweet Potato Hash

No recipe needed!

Baked (whole) sweet potatoes
Make a mix of roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and squash!

Condiments to add some spice in yo lifeee

Homemade Paleo Ranch Seasoning
Pantry Staple: Primal Palate Spice Blends
Smoky BBQ Seasoning

Creamy Cauliflower Hummus
Paleo Ranch Dressing
Chimichurri Sauce
The Ultimate Dairy-Free Pesto

Avocado Green Goddess Dressing
Elote Cafe Onion Slaw
Secret Recipe Guacamole (Avocado Crack Sauce)

Spicy Mango Guacamole
Tahini sauce: mix equal parts tahini, harissa, and a splash of lemon juice with a pinch of salt and pepper!
Pantry staple: Tessemae’s Buffalo Sauce or Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
Pantry Staple: your favorite Salsa

PRO TIP: Not all your meal prep needs to follow recipes (ex. bake some sweet potatoes, hard-boil some eggs, grill some plan chicken and veggies), and you don’t even need to COOK all the food. For example, if I know I’m going to be making Roasted Brussels Sprouts on Wednesday, I’ll chop them up on Sunday and put them in a resealable bag to save myself some prep time when I come home a hangry monster on Wednesday night. It’ll make your life so much easier!

Favorite Batch Cooking/Meal Prep Recipes & Tips - Dana Monsees Nutrition (2024)

FAQs

What are 3 keys to successful meal prepping? ›

Follow these three steps and you'll be planning and prepping nutritious and delicious meals that fit your preferences and lifestyle!
  • Step 1: Make a Menu. First, think about your approach to meal planning — do you: ...
  • Step 2: Stock Your Pantry and Freezer with the Five Food Groups. ...
  • Step 3: Keep a Running Grocery List.
Jul 18, 2019

Is air fryer good for meal prep? ›

One way to use the air fryer for meal prep is to totally prep and cook something ahead of time. This works well if you want to cook some chicken, salmon or shrimp to eat atop salads for lunch throughout the week. It also works well for quickly cooking a variety of veggies to have on-hand for lunches or dinners.

How do you meal prep for success? ›

Hands-On Prepping Tips
  1. Create a mise en place in your fridge. ...
  2. Batch-cook in your Instant Pot or crockpot. ...
  3. Use extra fruit and veggies for easy weekday snacking. ...
  4. Position time-sensitive ingredients at the front of the fridge. ...
  5. Overnight oats are a breakfast lifesaver. ...
  6. Make sauces and dressings first.
Nov 4, 2022

What are the best carbs for meal prep? ›

Carbs from veggies: All leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, vegetables like artichokes, swiss chard, sweet potato, green banana are all healthy carbs that pack plenty of fiber, vitamins and complex starch that keeps your meal prep nutritious.

How many ounces of chicken should be in a meal prep? ›

For meat, account for about 25% cooking loss. For example, 4 oz. of cooked chicken x 3 servings = 12 oz. cooked chicken, so plan to purchase about 16 oz.

What is the disadvantage of Airfryer food? ›

Potential Weight Gain: Overconsumption of air-fried foods, despite their lower fat content, can still contribute to weight gain due to calorie-dense preparations. Carcinogen Production: Certain cooking oils and high-temperature cooking in air fryers can produce carcinogenic compounds, posing long-term health risks.

What is not recommended in air fryer? ›

Those beer-battered onion rings, fries, fish cutlets, plus tempura veggies and more are not well suited for a crisp in the air fryer. The batter will drip down into the base of the machine, making a big mess to cleanup afterward. Not to mention, it could even set off the alarm on models with alert systems.

Can you batch cook in an air fryer? ›

The air fryer can also make a batch of deviled eggs in about 25 minutes. All you need to do is place cold eggs in the air fryer (don't crowd them) and cook at 250 degrees for 15 minutes.

What foods are good for meal prep? ›

Here are some foods to consider in your meal prep: Lean proteins: Chicken, beef, pork, turkey, seafood, eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, and cottage cheese. Whole grains: Brown rice, oats, buckwheat, quinoa, and barley. Pulses: Beans, chickpeas, lentils, and peas.

Is rice safe for meal prep? ›

“While there are no specific FDA food safety guidelines for storing cooked rice, most ready-to-eat foods can be held in proper refrigeration temperature for three to four days,” says cookbook author, registered dietitian, and certified athletic trainer Dana Angelo White, MS, RD ATC.

What is the key to meal prepping? ›

Keep meal prep simple

The key to easy meal prep is start simple. Make one-pot recipes or focus on one main dish. Avoid the temptation to spend a whole day cooking elaborate meals. Too many recipes can complicate your meal prep fast, and you may not want to do it again if it was too hard the first time.

Which meat is good for health? ›

Meats such as chicken, pork, lamb and beef are all rich in protein. Red meat provides us with iron, zinc and B vitamins. Meat is one of the main sources of vitamin B12 in the diet.

What is the best day to meal prep? ›

Sunday and Wednesday are two common choices. Determine how much you want to prep. Experiment with prepping for two or three days before attempting five. You may not like eating the same or similar things the whole week.

What are the 3 essential factors of food preparation? ›

The four major steps for healthful food preparation are 1) cleaning food contact surfaces, 2) separating raw from cooked foods, 3) cooking foods thoroughly, and 4) storing foods in proper keeping temperatures.

What are 3 factors to consider when planning a meal? ›

These include meal occasion, who will be eating, whether the food will be eaten out or at home, dietary needs, religious, cultural or ethical beliefs, the cost and availability of ingredients; current healthy eating advice and/or personal preferences.

What are the three 3 keys to a healthy eating plan? ›

If not, try our performance-nutrition tips to ensure you're getting the fuel you need to feel and perform your best. The 3 keys to optimal nutrition are balance, quality, and timing. To maintain balance, eat from all or most of the food groups. Eat the right amount for your activity and performance goals.

What is the rule of 3s meal plan? ›

The Rule of 3's is made up specifically of these guidelines: Eat at least three meals and up to three snacks a day (you might think of this as a breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal plan) Eat at least three food groups per meal (and two per snack) Allow no more than three hours between eating.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Terrell Hackett

Last Updated:

Views: 6111

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (72 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Terrell Hackett

Birthday: 1992-03-17

Address: Suite 453 459 Gibson Squares, East Adriane, AK 71925-5692

Phone: +21811810803470

Job: Chief Representative

Hobby: Board games, Rock climbing, Ghost hunting, Origami, Kabaddi, Mushroom hunting, Gaming

Introduction: My name is Terrell Hackett, I am a gleaming, brainy, courageous, helpful, healthy, cooperative, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.