Meal Prep For The Week

After the success of (and getting really helpful feedback about) the first meal prep menu I shared in January, I am back today with a complete plan for meal prep for the week ahead! This menu is easier than ever, with less than two hours of meal prep work to do this weekend! 

Meal Prep Menu For The Week

• Monday: Fish with Pineapple Salsa and 10 Minute Coconut Rice with Spinach
• Tuesday: Easy Enchiladas with Mexican Slaw
• Wednesday: Soupe Au Pistou and Baguette
• Thursday: Apple & Ham Quesadillas with Spinach Salad with Mustard Salad Dressing
• Friday: Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, Whole-Wheat cornbread

Instructions For The Meal Prep Plan For The Week

First of all, after some of you were kind enough to help out with feedback on last Meal Prep Menu, I was able to add in some additional helpful features to make this week’s plan even more helpful and user friendly. 

The first thing I added on, was making a printable plan with instructions that you could take into the kitchen with you to do your meal prep. Additionally, I have information on it to help each day of the week. You can download this week’s Meal Prep Plan here. As I said, it is a complete list for you to print and keep with you for the prep on the weekend, plus the details of what to do each day of the week. I’ll also review the information below too! 

The second change I made to this meal plan was that I relied more heavily on freezer meals to make this not only more flexible, but the prep work was even faster! 

This Week’s Shopping List

If you’re ready to get started, you can download your shopping list here. This is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to make this meal plan. Make sure you check your staples before you shop!

Also I recommend reading through the recipes for any ingredient substitutions you may want to make before you shop and adjust the shopping list to meet your preferences. (For example, in the chicken enchilada recipe, you can use either canned jalapeno or canned green chili, depending on your preference for spiciness.)

And with out further ado, let’s get straight to the details on the recipes! 

This Week’s Meal Prep Recipes

MONDAY: Pan Fried Fish with Pineapple Salsa and Coconut Rice with Spinach.

GET THE PAN FRIED FISH RECIPE HERE

• This is the one meal that requires the most hands on cooking on the day you’ll make it. But the good news is it can be done in 25 minutes start to finish. Even faster if you’re a superstar multitasker!
• Follow instructions for the pineapple salsa variation of the fish recipe. Not only is it super fast, but the flavor of the pineapple with the coconut in the rice dish is phenomenal!
• If you’ve never purchased pineapple salsa, it can be found with refrigerated tortillas and guacamole in the deli section of large supermarkets. I love Mitchell’s Fresh brand. If you can’t find it fresh, it will be with the jarred salsas. You can also sub in pico de gallo or another fruit based salsa if you prefer. 
• The exclusive recipe for the Coconut Rice with Spinach can be found on the Meal Prep Plan. I love the convenience of buying pre-cooked brown rice. It is a little more costly though, so if you have extra time on your prep day, feel free to cook brown rice from scratch. You’ll need 1.25 cups short grain brown rice steamed in 2 ½ cups water. Refrigerate it until cool and then seal it shut.
• One more note, if you don’t like fish, sub chicken tenders and use the same method, adjusting the cooking time until they’re cooked through.

TUESDAY: Easy Chicken Enchiladas and Mexican Coleslaw

GET THE RECIPE FOR Easy Chicken Enchiladas and Mexican Coleslaw here.

• For the enchiladas, just combine the chicken mixture and seal it in a container in the fridge. This meal can be swapped for Monday or Wednesday, but the filling doesn’t keep for more than three days.
• If you’re using a rotisserie chicken, make sure you check the expiration date so that it will last until the day you plan to eat the enchiladas.
• You can also chop the cabbage for the slaw ahead. If you want to save time, buy pre-shredded cabbage (you’ll need some for the soup too though so make sure you buy enough for both.)

WEDNESDAY: Soupe Au Pistou with Baguette

GET THE RECIPE FOR THE Soupe Au Pistou here.

• Combine the vegetables for the freezer kit. NOTE: DO NOT ADD ONION. In this menu, I have the winter seasonal veggies added to your shopping list. If you prefer the summer combo, just make sure to note it on your shopping list.
• When you bring the baguette home, wrap it up in a couple layers of plastic wrap and freeze it. Then the evening you’re planning to enjoy it, simply pop it in the oven at 350 about 15 minutes before dinner.

THURSDAY: Apple and Ham Quesadillas and Spinach Salad with Mustard Dressing

GET THE RECIPE FOR THE Apple & Ham Quesadillas and Mustard Salad Dressing here.

• This was one of our favorite dinners of the week and it is so simple.
• There is no specific recipe for the spinach salad. I just marked on the shopping list to grab whatever salad fixings you prefer. We had avocado and red bell pepper in our spinach salad and the taste was incredible with the mustard dressing.
• If you want more mustard in your life add some honey mustard on the side for dipping the quesadillas into.
• If this mustard dressing doesn’t appeal to you, feel free to sub in another. Just make sure to update the shopping list!

FRIDAY: Creamy White Chicken Chili with Whole-Wheat Cornbread

GET THE RECIPE FOR THE White Chicken Chili, and the Easy Whole-Wheat Cornbread Recipe.

• Try to freeze the freezer kit for the chili flat so that it will be easier to break it up to cook it.
• Mix together the dry ingredients for the whole-wheat cornbread. You can store this on the countertop or pantry.
• Note I’ve added shredded cheddar to the shopping list to go on top of the chili!

Less Than Two Hours Meal Prep For The Weekend

Make Soupe Au Pistou Kit (20 Minutes)

Combine the vegetables for the freezer kit. [NOTE: DO NOT add onion and garlic to the freezer kit. They get sautéed separately.] Follow the instructions to make the freezer kit bag in the “Meal Prep” section of the notes on the recipe. Press air out of bag and freeze as flat as possible.

Make Enchilada Filling (20 Minutes)

Follow the instructions for step 2 only: Stir Scallions, canned chilis (or jalapenos), chicken, corn, salsa and sour cream in a medium bowl. Transfer the mixture to a resealable container and refrigerate. [NOTE: DO NOT assemble enchiladas. The tortillas will fall apart as they sit in the fridge.]

Chop Cabbage and Make Dressing for Mexican slaw (7 Minutes)

Chop the cabbage and store in a resealable glass container in the fridge. Make the dressing for the slaw in a jar, cover and refrigerate.

Slow Cooker Chili Kit (20 minutes)

Combine chicken, onion, peppers, corn and cornmeal in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Transfer to a 1 gallon freezer bag. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt and cayenne. Press out any excess air, and seal shut. Freeze as flat as possible.

Mustard Salad Dressing (5 Minutes)

Follow instructions for the dressing, and transfer to jar. Cover and store in the fridge.

Whole-Wheat cornbread dry mix (10 min)

Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a resealable glass container. Cover and store on the counter or in the pantry.

Freeze baguette (2 minutes)

When you bring the baguette home, wrap it up in a couple layers of plastic wrap and freeze it.

What To Do With Leftover Ingredients

• Kale salad with rotisserie chicken and mustard dressing for lunch.
• Migas made with scrambled eggs, and crisped corn tortillas topped with salsa for breakfast.
• Cornbread with jam for breakfast.

If you make this menu please come back to leave a review below. I would love to know how it worked out for you and to get feedback about it!