I love to spend a few hours at the beginning of the week planning healthy meals, creating a grocery list, and meal prepping for the upcoming week. This is one of the best things I do that helps me stick to my goal of eating healthier and at home more often. I also find the time in the kitchen can be relaxing when I have a plan and am not in a rush or tired after a long work day. Here are some tips on how to meal prep efficiently and the healthy recipes I prepped for this week!
I love to spend a few hours at the beginning of the week planning healthy meals, creating a grocery list, and meal prepping for the upcoming week. This is one of the best things I do that helps me stick to my goal of eating healthier and at home more often. I also find the time in the kitchen can be relaxing when I have a plan and am not in a rush or tired after a long work day. Here are some tips on how to meal prep efficiently and the healthy recipes I prepped for this week!
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for the Week
Step One: Planning
First you’re going to pick your meals for the week.
What I’m prepping this week:
Greek meatballs with tzatziki sauce, Greek cucumber tomato salad, and pickled onions
I like to change it up a lot so we don’t get bored of eating the same foods! If you want to browse more meal prep ideas, check out my meal prep plan from August:
Next, it’s time to go shopping! I like to plan my grocery list according to the store’s sections so I don’t miss anything. If you’re planning to make the recipes above, then this grocery list is perfect for you.
The app I use to make my grocery lists is called PlanTo Eat, and it’s so helpful.
Bakery:
Pitas
Condiments:
1/2 cup Apple cider vinegar
Hummus
Tzatziki (Trader Joe’s has my favorite one!)
Dairy:
1 cup Cottage cheese
8 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup Plain Greek yogurt
Dry Goods:
2 tablespoons chopped or sliced almonds
1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs
Gluten free crackers
Frozen:
Frozen brown rice
Meat:
1 pound Lean ground beef
2 cups Shredded chicken (I like buying a rotisserie chicken to save time)
Breakfast Sausage
Produce:
Arugula
Avocado
1/2 cup Chopped celery
Fresh chives
9 Eggs
1 clove Garlic
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon parsley
6 Lemons
1/4 cup Mint
3 tablespoons grated white onion
3 Red onions
1 cup Red bell pepper
2 cups Persian cucumbers
2 cups Roma tomatoes
Items you probably have already:
Ground cinnamon
Ground coriander
Ground cumin
Dried oregano
Dijon mustard
Olive oil
Black pepper
Sea salt
Step Three: Food Prepping
1. Breakfast: High Protein Egg Bites Recipe
Ingredients for 12 egg bites:
Cooking spray
8 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup feta cheese
¼ teaspoon fine salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
Fresh chives, roughly chopped
Directions:
Mist the cups of a silicone muffin pan lightly with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
In a blender, blend together the eggs, cottage cheese, feta, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Divide the egg mixture into the cups of the muffin pan filling each about 3/4ths full. Sprinkle in spinach, mix. Top with the chopped chives. You can add any other mix-ins, such as veggies or bacon, to the cups at this stage.
Bake for 20-22 min or until muffins are slightly firm to touch in the center. Remove the muffin pan from the oven. The egg bites will be puffed up but they will settle down into the cups a bit after removing from the oven. Let the egg bites cool a few minutes before removing them out of the pan.
Recipe Notes
Store in airtight container for up to 5 days
Reheat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
You can add more veggies, chopped ham, bacon or another protein option you like!
In a large bowl, whisk together the panko, parsley, grated onion, garlic, lemon zest and juice, egg, spices, salt and pepper, and feta.
Add the ground beef to the mixture and combine.
Form tablespoon sized meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with the tzatziki (I love Trader Joe’s!), hummus, pickled onions and tomato cucumber salad. I like to eat mine over a mix of brown rice and arugula. You can also eat them in a pita.
Mist the cups of a silicone muffin pan lightly with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
In a blender, blend together the eggs, cottage cheese, feta, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Divide the egg mixture into the cups of the muffin pan filling each about 3/4ths full. Sprinkle in spinach, mix. Top with the chopped chives. You can add any other mix-ins, such as veggies or bacon, to the cups at this stage.
Bake for 20-22 min or until muffins are slightly firm to touch in the center. Remove the muffin pan from the oven. The egg bites will be puffed up but they will settle down into the cups a bit after removing from the oven. Let the egg bites cool a few minutes before removing them out of the pan.
Notes
Store in airtight container for up to 5 daysReheat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.You can add more veggies, chopped ham, bacon or another protein option you like!
Add chicken, celery, onion, Greek yogurt, almonds, mustard, parsley, pepper and salt into a large bowl.
Toss to combine. Taste and add more yogurt, salt and pepper, if needed.
Place salad in an airtight container in the fridge. The salad will keep for 3-5 days.
Notes
I like to eat mine with gluten free crackers but you can also make a sandwich, lettuce wraps, eat in a pita or over greens.If you want a sweeter taste, add honey and/or grapes.I doubled this recipe to have enough for the week! I like to eat a larger portion of this to increase my protein intake at lunch!
1/3cuppanko breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs
1/4cupchopped parsley
3tablespoonsgrated white onion
1clovegarlic grated
Zest of 1 lemon
2tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
1egg
1teaspoondried oregano
1/2teaspoonground coriander
1/2teaspoonground cumin
1/4teaspoonground cinnamon
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2ouncesfeta cheese crumbled
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
In a large bowl whisk together the panko, parsley, grated onion, garlic, lemon zest and juice, egg, spices, salt and pepper, and feta.
Add the ground beef to the mixture and combine. Form tablespoon sized meatballs.
Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with the tzatziki (I love Trader Joe's!), hummus, pickled onions and tomato cucumber salad. I like to eat mine over a mix of brown rice and arugula. You can also eat them in a pita.