I can't believe it's already Week 4 of Meal Prep Sunday! Time is FLYING!
If you're new to Meal Prep Sunday then welcome. I am SO excited you're here.
Making healthy cooking quick, easy and..most importantly...super tasty, is my biggest passion in life!
Too often healthy eating is associated with depreciation, boring food and complicated expensive recipes.
I am here to BUST this myth!
Meal Prep Sunday is all about fitting healthy eating into your life - no matter how busy you are.
No more wondering what to eat, spending hours in the kitchen, skipping meals or grabbing Uber Eats in exhaustion.
All I need from you is 2-3 hours on a Sunday? How easy is that?
Let's dive into Week 4...
Meal Prep Guidelines
Each Meal Prep Sunday Plan contains one daily plan, which you can use from Monday to Wednesday or full the whole week. It's completely up to you.
For each recipe I provide, you'll need to work out how many serves you need. This is determined by how many days you follow the plan and also how many people are following the plan along with you. For instance, if you and you're partner (2 people) decided to follow the plan from Monday to Wednesday (3 days), you would need to make 6 servings of each recipe.
To be clear, each plan isn't a diet or weight loss plan but a guide to easily incorporate balanced and healthy eating into your life. However, because each plan is packed with goodness you may notice a change in your energy, overall wellbeing and potentially your weight over time depending on you normal eating routine.
If there's a recipe you don't like then simply swap it out for one of my many others. Simply look for recipes that you can easily batch cook, keep in the fridge and reheat if you need.
After you've portioned out any warm or hot meals into containers, make sure you give them some time cool on your bench, before putting the lid on or putting them in your fridge. Putting hot into the fridge straight away, can cause bacteria to form and no one wants that.
REGULAR
This Week's Meal Prep Plan:
Breakfast: Mixed Berry Chia Pudding
Snack 1: Carrot Sticks (1-2 Carrots) and Hummus (2-3 Tbsp)
Lunch: Sesame BBQ Chicken
Snack 2: 2x Reece Peanut Butter Cups
Dinner: Salmon with Lemon and Chive Dressing and Greek Salad
Meal Prep Method:
1. Read through this whole post first - so there's no risk of missing anything - and then work out how many days and how people are following the plan so you know how many serves you need to make of each recipe.
2. Go through each recipe and construct your shopping list for the week. What's great about meal prepping is you don't need a million different ingredients because you're making the same meals.
3. Go food shopping!
4. Once you're home, make sure you're kitchen is clear and ready for cooking, and then get out all the ingredients and containers you need. This is also the time you can put on some music, a podcast or a movie - or maybe you just want silence - whatever you need to enjoy the next couple hours.
5. Let get into it - we're going to start by doing the pre work for your breakfast and dinner. First we'll focus on your Mixed Berry Chia Pudding. Simply follow steps 1 and 2 of the recipe, and then put the mixture in the fridge, we'll come back to it later.
6. Now let's marinate the chicken for your Sesame BBQ Chicken. Simply follow steps 2 and 3 of the recipe, and then put the marinating chicken to the side, we'll come back to it later.
7. It's time to get your snacks sorted for the week. For your Reece Peanut Butter Cups I want you to follow steps 1 and 2 of the recipe and then put them in the freezer - we'll come back to this recipe in a couple minutes.
8. While you're Reece Peanut Butter Cups are freezing, I want to get your carrots and hummus ready. Now with this snack you may want to just take a bag of carrots and a container of hummus and put them in the fridge at work (if you have one) - this way you can chop up the carrot and grab the hummus as you need it. Otherwise, cut up all the carrots you need and then seperate each serving into a container before adding the hummus to one side of the each container.
9. Now Reece Peanut Butter Cups should nearly be finished in the freezer so let's complete step 3 of the recipe and then pop them in the fridge so they can set - we'll come back to them at the end.
10. It's time to get your dinner ready for the week. Now with the salmon, I think it's best to cook it fresh! So right now we're going to prep your Lemon and Chive Dressing for your salmon and your Greek Salad. For your dressing, follow step 4 of the recipe and then put it in a container in the fridge. For your salad simply follow the recipe and then also put it in a container in the fridge. (Note: If you're following this plan for more than 3 days then you may want to make a fresh batch of salad on Wednesday). Now each night all you have do is put the salmon on a tray and then bake in the oven for 20 minutes (aka Steps 1-3 of the Salmon with Lemon and Chive Dressing recipe) - which is crazy easy! and then serve up with your dressing and salad!
11. Now let's finish off your Sesame BBQ Chicken. By this time your chicken should have finished marinating so follow step 1 and then steps 4-8 of the recipe. Once you're done seperate each serve in seperate containers and then leave the food to cool on your kitchen bench for your.
12. By now your Reece Peanut Butter Cups should be set so you can choose either seperate each serve (2 Cups) into individual containers to take to work or you can put them in one big container to keep at work and grab as you need it's up to you!
13. You're nearly done! We're going to finish off your Mixed Berry Chia Pudding by following steps 4 -5 (Don't worry if the mixture hasn't been there for the full 3 hours as it will continue to thicken after blend it with your berries). Once your done seperate each serve into individual containers so you can easily grab your breakfast as you rush out the door to work.
15. Now it's time to clean up! Once you're done, pop your Sesame BBQ Chicken in the fridge (should have cooled down by now) and you are FINISHED!! YAY! You just smashed Meal Prep Sunday!! Take a moment to feel proud of what you just accomplished - you've just set yourself up for a happy and healthy week, which is truly amazing! Go put you're feet up and take some time to relax. You've earned it!
VEGETARIAN / VEGAN
This Week's Meal Prep Plan:
Breakfast: Mixed Berry Chia Pudding
Snack 1: Carrot Sticks (1-2 Carrots) and Hummus (2-3 Tbsp)
Lunch: Vegan Meal Prep
Snack 2: 2x Reece Peanut Butter Cups
Dinner: Vegan Bolognese with pasta (Feel free to serve with some cheese if you eat dairy)
Meal Prep Method:
1. Read through this whole post first - so there's no risk of missing anything - and then work out how many days and how people are following the plan so you know how many serves you need to make of each recipe.
2. Go through each recipe and construct your shopping list for the week. What's great about meal prepping is you don't need a million different ingredients because you're making the same meals.
3. Go food shopping!
4. Once you're home, make sure you're kitchen is clear and ready for cooking, and then get out all the ingredients and containers you need. This is also the time you can put on some music, a podcast or a movie - or maybe you just want silence - whatever you need to enjoy the next couple hours.
5. Let get into it - we're going to start by doing the pre work for your breakfast and dinner. First we'll focus on your Mixed Berry Chia Pudding. Simply follow steps 1 and 2 of the recipe, and then put the mixture in the fridge, we'll come back to it later.
6. Now let's get your pumpkin ready for your Vegan Meal Prep as that's going to be baking in the oven for 35 minutes. Simply follow steps under Roasted Pumpkin and then put a timer on for 35 minutes. When then timer goes off simply turn off the oven and we'll come back to the pumpkin later.
7. It's time to get your snacks sorted for the week. For your Reece Peanut Butter Cups I want you to follow steps 1 and 2 of the recipe and then put them in the freezer - we'll come back to this recipe in a couple minutes.
8. While you're Reece Peanut Butter Cups are freezing, I want to get your carrots and hummus ready. Now with this snack you may want to just take a bag of carrots and a container of hummus and put them in the fridge at work (if you have one) - this way you can chop up the carrot and grab the hummus as you need it. Otherwise, cut up all the carrots you need and then seperate each serving into a container before adding the hummus to one side of the each container.
9. Now Reece Peanut Butter Cups should nearly be finished in the freezer so lets complete step 3 of the recipe and then pop them in the fridge so they can set - we'll come back to them at the end.
10. Let's get your dinner ready! This Vegan Bolognese is AMAZING! But before you follow the recipes that before sure to first start by cooking your pasta as per the instructions on the packet. Then simply follow all the steps to make your Vegan Bolognese. Once both your pasta and sauce are done, mix them through together and then serve up into individual containers or one big container. Allow your dinner to cool before popping it in the fridge.
12. Now by this time your Roast Pumpkin should be done, and we can finish cooking your Vegan Meal Prep. Follow the steps for your Turmeric Rice and Bean Mix and then seperate each meal into individual containers. Remember to let the food cool with the lids off before you putting in the fridge.
13. By now your Reece Peanut Butter Cups should be set so you can choose either seperate each serve (2 Cups) into individual containers to take to work or you can put them in one big container to keep at work and grab as you need it's up to you!
14. You're nearly done! We're going to finish off your Mixed Berry Chia Pudding by following steps 4 -5 (Don't worry if the mixture hasn't been there for the full 3 hours as it will continue to thicken after blend it with your berries). Once you're done seperate each serve into individual containers so you can easily grab your breakfast as you rush out the door to work.
15. Now it's time to clean up! Once you're done, pop all your meals in the fridge (which should have cooled down by now) and you are FINISHED!! YAY! You just smashed Meal Prep Sunday!! Take a moment to feel proud of what you just accomplished - you've just set yourself up for a happy and healthy week, which is truly amazing! Go put you're feet up and take some time to relax. You've earned it!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and what you would like to see more in Meal Prep Sunday. I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing your feedback! Be sure to also share your creations with me on Instagram so I can like, comment and share! Use the tag @leahitsines and hashtag #leahitsines to reach out.
Leah x
