Raise your hand if you pin a dozen recipes to meal prep but never actually end up cooking any of them. Okay, I can't see your hands, but it's a common problem that I can relate to. In 2017 I embarked on a food lovers' budget plan that relied heavily on weekend meal prep, and even though it's been going pretty well, it's easy to get bored of what you eat for days on end. I'm on day four of a rotation of lemony chicken orzo soup, Canal House lentils, cilantro-lemon-chive rice, and slow-roasted salmon and I'm thisclose to throwing it all in the trash and ordering takeout.
The biggest problem in meal prep is trying to take on too much. I was snowed in last weekend and managed to tackle six dishes, but that's far from the norm. Don't be afraid to dream a little smaller, as they say. My next planned course of action is to make big batches of customizable food over the weekend and repurpose them into new and exciting dishes quickly for weeknights and lunches. Here's what I'm thinking:
Slow-Cooked Pork
Pork shoulder is an affordable cut of meat that is best cooked low and slow. It also freezes well if you want to portion out about a pound per bag. The best way to freeze meat is in a vacuum-sealed bag, but if you don't own a vacuum sealer, just get out as much air as possible and double-freezer-bag your food.
Repurpose it in:
Chicken Stock
If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can make chicken stock on the stove, too. There are so many ways to cook with chicken stock that go beyond just soup, and you can also freeze it to use later. For a punchier version, try spicy chicken stock that makes healthy, feel-good soup.
Repurpose it in:
Roasted Vegetables
Our roasted vegetable matrix will tell you how to roast all your favorite veggies. Once you have a few trays at your disposal, you can add them to so. many. dishes. Print out our chart and hang it on your fridge for a daily reminder.
Repurpose it in:
- Bento Boxes (with items from other categories)
- Cacio e Pepe e Roasted Vegetables
- Roasted Vegetable Tart
Grains
For a base for lunch bowls, cook some rice or another grain or seed of choice like quinoa, farro, or couscous. Season it simply with salt and pepper, or add in other spices and herbs. Grain bowls are a blank canvas for anything you meal prepped, like roasted meats and vegetables or beans.
Repurpose it in:
Beans
Psst, you don't have to soak your dried beans. For our easy pot o'beans, just sauté some onion, char a jalapeño, dump in some dried (and super-cheap!) beans with water, and let 'em cook for a few hours. And yes, you can also sometimes use canned beans, but if you have time on the weekend, it's worth cooking a big batch of dried. Dried are cheaper than canned per serving, especially if you buy in bulk.
Repurpose it in:
Condiments and Dressings
Once you make your own salad dressings you'll wonder why you wasted so much money on the store-bought stuff. In fact, you can prep a dozen condiments and meal mix-ins—from miso-turmeric dressing to horseradish-pumpkin seed pesto—in a few hours. Not that ambitious? Just whip up a batch of all-purpose vinaigrette or Caesar dressing for salads and wash and prep all of your vegetables and herbs at the start of the week.
Repurpose it in:
- Garbage Salad
- Tuna, chicken, or egg salad
- Stir-fried rice bowl with roasted veg, toasted nori mayonnaise, cilantro, avocado, egg, and miso-turmeric dressing
Snacks
Buy a bunch of nuts, dried fruit, and whatever you love to eat in store-bought trail mix and make your own at home. You can get a little fancy with chile peanut and pumpkin seed snack mix or make BA's party mix (even if you're eating it solo). Washing and cutting up fruit like strawberries or a pineapple is an easy way to keep your snacks healthy, and any of these options are better than the overpriced work vending machine.
You can also rely on these cheap recipes:
