Meal Prepping 201

by Doretta Wright, M.S., R.D., LDN

FirstHealth Diabetes and Nutrition Education

As we discussed in Meal Prepping 101, I generally make 20 meals for each week - that’s lunch and dinner for myself and my husband Monday through Friday.  Occasionally, I will make enough to last us through the following weekend, it all depends on our plans and what we have going on.  I don’t normally prep breakfast because we are both early risers and have plenty of time to make it each morning. 

Remember that prepping is different for everyone and there is no right or wrong way to do it.  If you are making food in advance, you are prepping!  Chances are, you’ve probably already meal prepped before and just didn’t realize it. 

Here's what I prepped this week:

Meal 1: Taco Taters

Baked sweet potatoes filled with the following:

• Ground turkey seasoned with taco seasoning
• Sauteed bell peppers and onion
• Shredded lettuce
• Salsa

Meal 2: Chicken Fiesta Salad

Boiled chicken, shredded over a bed of kale with the following:

• ¼ c corn
• ¼ c black beans
• ¼ c quinoa
• 3-5 cherry tomatoes

Meal 3: Chicken Curry

Chicken, seared on stove top,  then baked in the following:

• Sauteed onions with curry powder, ginger, minced garlic, and cumin
• Tomato sauce
• Sweet potato
• Cauliflower
• Kale

Salad Snacks          

The following assembled together in a large bowl:

• Cucumber, chopped
• Red onion, chopped
• Chopped cherry tomatoes
• Sliced black olives
• Splash of red wine vinegar
• Splash of olive oil
• Splash of lemon juice

Meal 3 was the most complicated and required the most attention, so after prepping all my vegetables and finishing meals 1 and 2, I started meal 3. 

Order of Go:

1. Pre-heat oven, prep potatoes to be baked
2. Put pot of water on to boil for chicken
3. Put pot of water on to boil for quinoa
4. Start washing and chopping veggies
5. Once oven is pre-heated, put potatoes in (set timer!)
6. Add chicken to water when it starts to boil
7. Add quinoa to water when it starts to boil – cover and let simmer
8. Finish washing and chopping veggies
9. Brown ground turkey – set aside
10. Layer containers with kale for Chicken Fiesta Salad
11. Open cans of salt free corn, rinse in colander and add to fiesta bowl
12. Open cans of low sodium black beans, rinse and add to fiesta bowls
13. Add cherry tomatoes to fiesta bowls
14. Check on boiling chicken – internal temp of 165˚F is sufficient, drain and set aside to cool
15. Saute onion and bell peppers for Taco Taters
16. Shred chicken if cool enough – add to fiesta bowls
17. Check on quinoa – if complete, add to fiesta bowls – these are now complete
18. Check on sweet potatoes – should be almost done if not already done. 
19. Once potatoes are done and cool enough, add them to their containers and top with the sauteed onion, bell peppers, shredded lettuce, ground turkey and salsa – these are now complete
20. Once chicken is seared (about 2-3 minutes on each side) set aside.  In same pot, add onion and saute.  Add spices, tomato sauce, sweet potato and cauliflower.  Let cook for 5-7 minutes then fold chicken back in.  Let cook for 10-15 minutes then add kale and allow to cook until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165˚F. Allow to cool
21. Assemble snack salad and portion out
22. Portion Chicken Curry. 
23. Done!

And, that's it! You have completed Meal Prepping 201. Stay tuned for Meal Prepping 301!