5 Meal Prep Recipes You Can Cook Once & Eat All Week
Welcome to smarter cooking! This collection is all about making one foundational recipe that transforms into multiple delicious meals throughout the week. Each "hero" component is designed for versatility, saving you time, reducing food waste, and making healthy eating effortless.
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The Big-Batch Shredded Chicken
(Makes ~5 cups | Ready in 45 min | ~130 Calories per ¾ cup | Est. WW Points: 0)
The Hero Component: Perfectly cooked, versatile shredded chicken ready for any cuisine.
Base Recipe:
3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, quartered
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
½ tsp salt
Water to cover
Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover the chicken by 1 inch.
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a bare simmer. Poach for 20-25 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F internally.
Remove chicken, let cool slightly, then shred with two forks. Discard aromatics or save broth for soup.
Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze in 2-cup portions.
3 Ways to Use It:
BBQ Chicken Salads: Toss 1 cup shredded chicken with 2 tbsp sugar-free BBQ sauce. Serve over greens with corn, black beans, and red onion.
Chicken & Veggie Wraps: Mix 1 cup chicken with 2 tbsp Greek yogurt, Dijon, and herbs. Wrap in a tortilla with spinach, shredded carrots, and cucumber.
Quick Chicken Fried Rice: Sauté 1 cup chicken with mixed veggies, 2 cups cooked brown rice, 1 egg, and 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce.
Grocery List (Base + 3 Meal Ideas):
3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 4 garlic cloves
Whole black peppercorns, bay leaf
For BBQ Salads: Sugar-free BBQ sauce, mixed greens, canned corn, canned black beans, red onion
For Wraps: Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, dried herbs, whole wheat tortillas, spinach, carrots, cucumber
For Fried Rice: Mixed frozen vegetables, cooked brown rice, eggs, low-sodium soy sauce
My Go-To Gear:
Cuisinart Chef's Classic 12-Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot with Lid – Large capacity pot with even heat distribution, perfect for poaching a big batch of chicken with aromatics.
OXO Good Grips Meat Shredding Claws – Quickly shreds poached chicken into perfect strips in seconds, no two forks needed.
ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE – Instant-read thermometer ensures chicken reaches a safe 165°F internally without overcooking.
Versatile Lentil & Veggie Mixture
(Makes ~6 cups | Ready in 40 min | ~150 Calories per 1 cup | Est. WW Points: 0)
The Hero Component: A hearty, protein-packed plant-based base.
Base Recipe:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups brown or green lentils, rinsed
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 5-7 mins until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 min.
Add lentils, broth, thyme, and paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25-30 mins until lentils are tender.
Season with salt and pepper. For a firmer texture, drain any excess liquid.
3 Ways to Use It:
Stuffed Bell Peppers: Mix 2 cups lentil mixture with ½ cup marinara. Stuff into halved bell peppers, top with a sprinkle of cheese, bake at 375°F for 25 mins.
Lentil Tacos: Sauté 2 cups mixture with 1 tbsp taco seasoning. Serve in taco shells with lettuce, tomato, and Greek yogurt.
Quick Lentil Soup: Sauté 1 chopped zucchini, add 3 cups broth and 2 cups lentil mixture. Simmer 10 mins. Blend half for creaminess if desired.
Grocery List (Base + 3 Meal Ideas):
Brown or green lentils, low-sodium vegetable broth
1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 3 garlic cloves
Dried thyme, smoked paprika, olive oil
For Stuffed Peppers: Bell peppers, marinara sauce, shredded cheese (optional)
For Tacos: Taco seasoning, taco shells or tortillas, lettuce, tomato, Greek yogurt
For Soup: 1 zucchini, additional broth
My Go-To Gear:
OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Fine Mesh Strainer – Rinses lentils thoroughly before cooking to remove any debris or excess starch.
Braun MultiQuick 7 3-in-1 Immersion Blender – Blends half the lentil soup or roasted veggie pasta sauce directly in the pot for a creamy finish without extra dishes.
Pyrex Simply Store 9-Piece Glass Food Storage Set – Heat-resistant glass safely stores hot lentil soup without warping, staining, or absorbing odors, and goes straight from fridge to microwave.
Quinoa or Farro Base
(Makes ~6 cups cooked | Ready in 25 min | ~160 Calories per ¾ cup quinoa | Est. WW Points: 4-5)
The Hero Component: A nutty, fiber-rich whole grain foundation.
Base Recipe (for Quinoa):
2 cups dry quinoa, rinsed well
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
½ tsp salt (optional)
Instructions:
Combine quinoa, broth, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Let cool before storing.
3 Ways to Use It:
Grain Bowls: Layer 1 cup quinoa with shredded chicken (from Base #1), roasted broccoli, avocado, and a tahini-lemon dressing.
"Leftovers" Fritters: Mix 1 ½ cups quinoa with 1 egg, ¼ cup flour, ½ cup shredded zucchini, and herbs. Pan-fry into patties.
Breakfast Porridge: Heat ¾ cup cooked quinoa with ½ cup milk, 1 tsp maple syrup, and cinnamon. Top with berries.
Grocery List (Base + 3 Meal Ideas):
2 cups dry quinoa
Low-sodium broth
For Grain Bowls: Broccoli, avocado, tahini, lemon (plus chicken from Base #1)
For Fritters: Eggs, all-purpose flour, 1 zucchini, fresh herbs
For Porridge: Milk of choice, maple syrup, cinnamon, fresh berries
My Go-To Gear:
OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Fine Mesh Strainer – Fine mesh rinses quinoa completely before cooking to remove the bitter outer coating.
Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Half Sheet Pan – Essential for roasting broccoli and other grain bowl toppings evenly with crispy edges.
OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop – Perfectly portions quinoa fritter mixture into uniform patties for even pan-frying.
Roasted Vegetable Medley
(Makes ~8 cups | Ready in 35 min | ~60 Calories per 1 cup | Est. WW Points: 0)
The Hero Component: Sweet, caramelized summer vegetables.
Base Recipe:
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 bell peppers (any color), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red onion, cut into wedges
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Toss all vegetables with olive oil and seasonings.
Spread in a single layer. Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway, until tender and browned.
3 Ways to Use It:
Pasta Sauce: Blend 3 cups roasted veggies with 1 cup marinara sauce. Heat and toss with whole wheat pasta.
Frittata Filling: Sauté 1 cup roasted veggies. Pour over 4 beaten eggs in a skillet, top with cheese, and bake at 375°F until set.
Veggie Wraps: Spread hummus on a tortilla. Top with 1 cup roasted veggies and fresh spinach.
Grocery List (Base + 3 Meal Ideas):
2 zucchini, 1 eggplant, 2 bell peppers, 1 red onion
Olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder
For Pasta Sauce: Marinara sauce, whole wheat pasta
For Frittata: Eggs, shredded cheese (optional)
For Wraps: Hummus, whole wheat tortillas, fresh spinach
My Go-To Gear:
Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Half Sheet Pan – Heavyweight construction roasts vegetables at high heat for perfectly caramelized, tender results.
Reynolds Kitchens Unbleached Parchment Paper Roll – Prevents vegetables from sticking and makes cleanup effortless after roasting.
Braun MultiQuick 7 3-in-1 Immersion Blender – Blends roasted vegetables with marinara directly in the pot for a quick, smooth pasta sauce without extra dishes.
Big-Batch Turkey Meatballs
(Makes 24 meatballs | Ready in 30 min | ~45 Calories per meatball | Est. WW Points: 1)
The Hero Component: Lean, flavorful protein bites.
Base Recipe:
1.5 lbs 93% lean ground turkey
½ cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients gently with your hands.
Form into 24 equal meatballs (about 1.5 tbsp each). Place on baking sheet.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, until cooked through.
3 Ways to Use It:
Spaghetti & Meatballs: Serve 5-6 meatballs over whole wheat spaghetti with marinara.
Meatball Subs: Place 3-4 meatballs in a whole wheat sub roll, top with marinara and a slice of part-skim mozzarella, broil to melt.
Chopped Pasta Salad: Slice 4-5 meatballs and toss with cooked pasta, chopped veggies, Italian dressing, and chickpeas.
Grocery List (Base + 3 Meal Ideas):
1.5 lbs 93% lean ground turkey
Whole wheat panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan
1 egg, 1 head garlic, fresh parsley (or dried), dried oregano
For Spaghetti: Whole wheat spaghetti, marinara sauce
For Subs: Whole wheat sub rolls, part-skim mozzarella, marinara
For Pasta Salad: Pasta of choice, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, Italian dressing, canned chickpeas
My Go-To Gear:
Priority Chef Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls with Lids, Set of 5 – Large, non-slip base bowl makes it easy to combine all meatball ingredients without the bowl sliding around on the counter.
GreenPan Rio Healthy Ceramic Nonstick 12" Frying Pan Skillet – Perfect for pan-frying leftover meatballs when reheating for subs or pasta salad, with easy cleanup and no toxic coating.
Escali Primo Digital Food Scale – Weighs out equal portions of meatball mixture to the gram so every meatball is perfectly uniform and cooks evenly in the oven.
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