Food Prep on the Weekends
Food prep Sundays are a big thing in the blogging/online health world. I actually tend to prep food all weekend long. I don’t like to spend most of my Sunday in the kitchen so I try to spread it out a bit. I thought I’d give you a quick breakdown of how I plan meals + prepare meals for a busy week. I eat gluten-free and usually grain free/sugar free.
First, I go to the farmers’ market
I usually go to the farmers’ market or the nearby indoor market first. I like to get the produce that’s in season and looks the most appetizing. This past weekend I stopped by the neighborhood farmers’ market on Saturday and picked up:
- Lots of tomatoes
- A quart of sweet onions
- Green beans
- 3 large sweet potatoes
- Beets to juice
- Garlic
- Flowers
I figured I’d make a bit batch of tomato basil soup for lunches and know that I always crave sweet potatoes and green beans. I’m a bit sick of zucchini and I regret not getting some white potatoes.
Then I list out what we’ll eat for breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the upcoming week!
I find a scrap piece of paper and a list out Saturday through the following Thursday. I know that by Friday nights, neither of us wants to cook so we usually get takeout. I look at our schedule and decide which nights I’ll have time to spend in the kitchen and the other nights where I might be a bit rushed due to social events or meetings. I also lump in breakfasts and lunches and try to only eat 1-2 varying meals. This week looked like this:
- Breakfasts: Smoothies, bacon and peanut butter/banana crepes
- Lunches: Quesadillas, tomato basil soup, sweet potato hash
- Saturday dinner: Lentil pasta and alfredo sauce
- Sunday dinner: The Domestic Man’s fried chicken + green beans
- Monday dinner: Quinoa bake
- Tuesday dinner: Out with clients
- Wednesday dinner: Honey sriracha chicken + sweet potato
- Thursday dinner: Out for date night
Once my list is complete, I round out what else I need from the grocery
This past weekend I had to grab basil, canned plum tomatoes and bananas. I already had meat + everything else! I try to get all my protein from Whole Foods or the local market/local butcher and then I go to Kroger for almost everything else!
Time to prep!
I try to keep my prep to a minimum. I like fresh food and I don’t like to snack a lot. On Saturday I peeled and shredded two large sweet potatoes and made the tomato basil soup!
I love that I can just grab a container of shredded sweet potatoes and create a quick hash. I love to top with goat cheese, ricotta or bacon. While I did that, I was roasting my tomatoes. The soup takes a bit of time but it’s so delicious.
On Sunday, I made a huge batch of bacon in the oven and made a cup of quinoa in the rice cooker. While it was cooking, I also made about 8-10 crepes/tortillas. I don’t know what to call this but it’s originally a Paleo naan recipe. I always have a frozen batch on hand. I just heat it on a skillet and top with cream cheese/smoked salmon, peanut butter and bananas or straight cheese! I love these because they don’t taste coconut-y at all. Very neutral and delicious. Excuse my poor photo quality on day! Ha! 10pm and on my iPhone.
So that’s how I prepare for a busy week! It prevents us from eating crappy food and spending a ton of money. I leave dinners to be a bit more complex but at any time I can eat a crepe/tortilla, whip up some eggs to go with my bacon, make a sweet potato hash or add quinoa to a salad! Also, that soup is deeeelish.
How to you prepare for the week? Do you tend to make everything day-by-day? Or do you get some of this stuff out of the way before the week starts? Also, link to any great recipes!
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Comments (12)
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I just had a sweet potato hash today for lunch. SO GOOD. It’s tough to pack a lunch for work or for out of the house because I rely so much on my stovetop!
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I don’t have much to say other than I’M CRAVING EVERYTHING NOW. We’ve been growing tomatoes out the wazoo and I’m trying to incorporate them into everything! Tomato Basil soup sounds AWESOME! Definitely adding that to my list of meals this week! Great post!
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HAHA! good. it was all delicious (I ate a little of everything for lunch). Definitely try that soup. It’s so goooood.
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This is awesome, and I’m definitely going to check out some of those recipes. Question – what kind of bacon do you typically buy? I’ve been trying to hunt some down that doesn’t have any sugar and coming up empty.
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I make a meal plan then a grocery list. I make my meals daily (unless its something big, like pasta or quinoa, then I have left overs). But I prep my lunch for work the night before. I make packs of frozen fruits in zip lock bags to throw in the blender with almond milk (that I make sunday) and spinach for my daily green smoothies.
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We always create a meal plan on Saturday or Sunday, then shop for the week SUnday morning. It helps reduce food waste and gives us an idea of what we’re going to eat when. Sunday night I try to make something that will provide leftovers for a few days for lunches. I like keeping baked sweet potatoes on hand for times when I’m hungry and not sure what I want. Did you shred your sweet potatoes by hand or in a food processor?
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I shred them in a food processor! It’s the Hamilton Beach one and super affordable on Amazon!
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Thanks for the link to the potato hash, since I saw that I spent half a day scrolling through A Couple Cooks and have since made their kale and mushroom risotto and their pumpkin hummus penne – SO GOOD! Even the non veggo husband loved them. I made extra and froze them for times when I can’t be bothered to cook!
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I love their blog so much. I will need to try the pumpkin hummus penne! I found lentil pasta and it’s delicious. YUM!
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Liz @ I Heart Vegetables
I think I would be much better at packing my lunch if I had prepared food in the fridge! I tend to just make things as I eat them, which probably isn’t the most efficient way! Love the idea of the shredded sweet potatoes!