Pictured:

2 lbs dry pinto beans: $2.38 (Grocery Outlet)

30 flour tortillas: $3.79 (Costco)

2 rotisserie chickens: $9.98 (Costco)

2 cabbages: $2.99 (Costco)

Onion: $0.79 (Grocery outlet)

Cilantro: $0.79 (Grocery Outlet)

2 limes: $0.50 (Grocery Outlet)

1 bag of mozzarella (half of a 2-pack): $7.32 (Costco)

Serranos: $2.29 (Grocery Outlet)

1. Cook the dry beans in the instapot: rinse 2lbs dry beans, add 14 cups water and aromatics, high pressure 27 minutes, then let them sit at least another 20 minutes before releasing pressure.

2. While the beans cook, take the meat off the rotisserie chickens and chop the veggies. Squeeze lime over chicken.

3. Refry the cooked beans with a couple of tablespoons of garlic and olive oil, add additional seasoning and blend (I use an immersion blender so I can keep some of the beans whole).

4. Build burritos! I wrap them in foil and then vacu-seal them in packs of 4 for the freezer.

I only used 1 cabbage, 7 serranos out of the bag, etc, so total cost of ingredients used (excluding seasoning) was $27.51.

$27.51 total ingredients ÷ 30 total burritos= $0.92 per burrito

I also had cabbage, cheese, and 10oz of chicken leftover, and I made a stock with the chicken bones and veggie scraps. I am in the SF bay area so prices are crazy- I'm so grateful for Costco and Grocery Outlet!

Makes 4 servings, approx.

Korean Beef:

• 1lb ground beef
• 1tbsp gochujang
• ½tsp soy sauce
• ½tap dark soy sauce
• ½tsp sesame oil
• 4 cloves garlic, grated or minced
• ⅓tsp dried ginger (or use fresh, I was out)
• Sliced whites of 4 green onions
• ⅓tsp sugar
• ⅓tsp white pepper
• ⅓tsp msg

- Mix together well, cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours to marinate. To cook, preheat pan on med-high, sear on one side until crust forms before breaking up and stirring around pan.

Garlic Miso Veggies:

• Veggies of choice (1 head cauliflower, 2 carrots, 2 yellow peppers, 2 onions, ~8 green onion greens, 1 head cabbage is what I had/used)
• 1tbsp miso paste
• 7-8 cloves garlic, grated or minced
• 1tbsp soy sauce
• 1tsp dark soy sauce
• 1tsp oyster sauce
• 1tbsp honey
• 1tsp white pepper
• ⅓cup canola or neutral oil
• 1tsp rice vinegar
• 1tsp salt

- Mix all ingredients until combined and there are no miso or honey lumps, pour over veggies, toss to coat. Place on a lined sheet tray and toast at 450°F for 30min

Rice: 3 cups (uncooked) - cook however you prefer

It was my birthday yesterday. I moved here a few months ago so no friends. I was sad and bored so I cooked. I cooked the whole fucking day. Now I have 40 meals in my freezer so I guess I got that going for me.

Edit: Recipe and ingredients for the food in photo (I made 4 other recipes)

800 g lean beef mince

750 g drained kidney beans

200 g drained chickpeas

300 g dry rice

400 g diced peppers

300 g green beans

300 g corn

300 g peas

400 g cubed onion

1 kg chopped tomatoes

100 g tomato paste

15 g olive oil

400 ml beef stock

600-900 ml water (depending hpw thicc you like your sauce)

30 g Worcestershire sauce

20 g soy sauce

30 g chipotle paste

Spices

35 g smoked paprika

15 g ground cumin

15–20 g chili powder

3 tsp dried oregano

3 tsp black pepper

salt

1–2 tsp cayenne

10 g cocoa powder

2 tsp ground fenugreek (secret ingredient)

Recipe 1) Brown the beef with the oil then add onions. Mix mix mix until onions soften. 2) Add bell peppers, mix mix mix until a bit soft 3) add ALL your liquids and spices. Simmer a bit 4) Add the rice (i didnt bother washing it) 5) Before rice finishes cooking add ALL the other ingredients (beans, chickpeas, peas, green beans etc) 6) Simmer until the veggies reach your desired consistency And enjoy.

The recipe makes 8 portions. 570 cals each. 40g protein, 12g fat, 82g carbs

First off, I am by no means an expert in Indian or Japanese cuisine, so think of this as more of an ode to these dishes and best effort....

Masala

4 jars premade masala

+ 1 can coconut milk

+ 4 Thai chili peppers

+ 2 cans drained lentils

+ 2 cans drained garbanzo beans

+ 2 cups caramelized onions (I made these in the slow cooker and needed to use them up)

+ 1 jar Thai red pepper paste

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

6 sweet potatoes, roasted at 400 for 60 minutes, then scooped and mashed

+ 2/3 cup chopped walnut

+ 1.5 cup diced figs

Roasted cubed eggplant.

The chicken katsu is just store bought spicy breaded chicken patties.

Roasted cashews (roasted at 400 until toasted), chopped fresh mint and tarragon for garnish.

Roasted the bones and threw them in with carrots, onions, celery and whole peppercorns.

Simmered for 8-9 hours.

Lasanha 3 meals for 2 people + pocket buns 3 meals for 2 people + Ginger pork 3 meals for 2 people + sesame seed cookies (a batch of around 20 cookies for the week)

Lasanha (no bechamel sauce)

Lean minced beef + lean mince pork,

Lasanha sheets,

Cottage cheese,

Fresh mozzarella (light),

Parmesan (just for the top).

Tomato sauce:

4 cans of tomatoes,

2 carrots,

4 Bell peppers,

2 onion,

6 cloves of garlic,

1 tbs of olive oil

5 fresh leaves of basil.

We cooked 3 trays to freeze and we are one.

It was lovely and my mother didn't even noticed it was different.

...

Pocket buns

The dough:

Flour

Low fat Greek yogurt

Spices ( powder garlic, powder onion, black pepper, salt)

The dough as the same amount of flour and Greek yogurt.

...

The filling:

Lean minced beef + lean mince pork,

Cream cheese light,

Pickles,

Broth,

Mustard,

Ketchup,

Spices ( powder garlic, powder onion, black pepper, salt)

...

Ginger pork shogayaki

Pork,

Fresh grated ginger,

Sake,

Soy sauce,

Fresh grated garlic,

Potato starch,

Honey,

Spring onion

My favorite recipe of pork right now!

To freeze I do not add the potato starch, only add it the day I'm going to cook it.

...

Sesame seed and honey cookies

extremely easy, for extra flavor brown the butter

Ingredients:

200 g Four,

80 g Sesame seeds,

100 g Butter,

100 g Honey,

100 g Brown sugar,

1 egg,

1 tsp Vanilla extract,

Pinch of Baking powder,

Pinch of Bicarbonate of soda,

More sesame seeds for the outside,

Salt

Mix all wet ingredients well,

Mix all dry ingredients well,

Mic them together BUT don't over mix it, the moment you don't see flour you cover and out if in the fridge for 2h

Then pre heat the oven on 200 degrees.

Make balls and roll them on sesame seeds.

Leave space in-between each ball.

Cook for 6 min, turn the trays around and cook more 6 min for softer cookies.

I like them crunchy so I cooked for 8 + 8 min

They keep for 5 days plus on the pantry.

Dish 1 Chicken thighs marinated in Greek yogurt, honey, garlic, and mixed spices. I sautéed red and green bell peppers and red onion, browning them in the pan juices and leftover marinade. I threaded everything onto skewers so it would look nice in the tupperware, though at home I just ate it as is. Served with white rice cooked Greek Spanakorizo-style (spinach, onion, garlic, and plenty of dill). I kept it on the drier side rather than creamy since it reheats much better for meal prep.

Dish 2 Fresh chicken and turkey sausages, potatoes, and green beans. The sausages were pan-cooked with salt, pepper, heavily caramelized julienned onions, white wine, and a touch of Dijon mustard and Greek yogurt. Since I was already boiling water for the green beans, I parboiled the potatoes before popping them into the air fryer. The texture difference is totally worth the extra step. They’re seasoned with salt, garlic powder, and parsley. Nothing fancy about the green beans: just boiled (we like them super tender at home) and finished with a drizzle of raw olive oil.

Dish 3 My twist on the meal prep classic: chicken thighs, rice, and broccoli. I marinated the chicken thighs in oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper for a few hours, then cooked them on an electric griddle. The basmati rice (300 g) was cooked in 600 ml of chicken broth with a teaspoon of turmeric, smoked paprika, ground cumin, plus salt and pepper to taste. Finally, the broccoli was air-fried straight from frozen with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and garlic powder.

This is week 34 of my journey to lose 100 lbs in 2026. I use meal prep to keep on top of my nutrition goals for my weekdays and it has been invaluable. I eat relatively balanced macros focusing on reducing fat and increasing fiber. For this week I have the following:

Breakfast: Keto toast and a banana. 160kcal, 9g protein, 2g fat, 47g carbs, 23g fiber.

Lunch: Potato salad with coleslaw and pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches. 735kcal, 55g protein, 27g fat, 83g carbs, 21g fiber.

Dinner: Teriyaki ground turkey with rice and mac salad. 755kcal, 47g protein, 14g fat, 109g carbs, 9g fiber.

Total macros for each day: 1650kcal, 112g protein, 44g fat, 239g carbs, 54g fiber.

No beans this week except for the lupini beans in the protein pasta. I used the dark meat from two rotisserie chickens for the sandwiches, froze the breasts, and made stock from the carcass, skin, and bones. I'll include the recipe for that as a bonus! Down 1 lbs this week for 61 lbs lost total. Recipes for everything below!

Cajun chicken mac and cheese - this is probably the single most simple and versatile recipe I have right now. Cook 5 oz of protein pasta and 44 oz of frozen grilled chicken breast strips per the package directions. Blend together 16 oz of cottage cheese, 15 oz can of drained cannellini beans, some Cajun seasoning, and cheddar cheese powder. While the chicken is cooking sauté some finely diced trinity (bell peppers, onion, and celery). I used 6 bell peppers, 2 onions, and a whole package of celery. Once everything is ready, combine and simmer for 10 minutes. Divide into 5 containers at 575 calories, 68g protein, and 10g fiber.

I've made a version of this using taco/fajita seasoning and also made a buffalo chicken version with bleu cheese powder.

The yogurt cup this week isn't really anything special. Just 32 oz Greek yogurt blended with a package of no sugar pistachio pudding mix.

I'm newer to vacuum sealing, and what I've done is put stuff in the freezer, but I see people put stuff in the fridge. How long would raw meat last sealed in the fridge? Thank you in advance.

Now that the meals are stored and the kitchen is clean, I can post this week’s prep. Got my lunch for the week, and both my and my wife’s breakfast ready to go

Buffalo Mac and Cheese (makes 7)
Calories: 558
Fat: 8g
Carbs: 57g
Protein: 60g
- 3 pounds of chicken
- 1/2 cup of Franks Buffalo sauce
- 340g large elbow macaroni
- 1 cup Big Daddy Mac Mix
- 3/4 cup fat free ultrafiltered milk
- As much broccoli as you can fit in the container

For this, I cooked the chicken, diced and seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, cayenne, and paprika. While that was cooking I got the broccoli going by tossing it in salt, pepper, and garlic then tossing that in the oven at 400f, and then I got the pasta boiling. Once the pasta hits al dente, I drain that, stir the mac mix and milk together, then combine that with the drained pasta. Once the chicken is cooked through, toss it in the buffalo sauce, then fold it into the mac. Divide the mac and broccoli between 7 equal servings, then refrigerate

Hashbrown Casserole (makes 6)
Calories: Don’t know
Fat: No idea
Carbs: A mystery to me
Protein: Beats me
- Pack of bacon
- 2 lb. frozen hashbrowns
- 8 eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
- Chives (I bought her green onions because idk the difference)

My wife doesn’t do macro counting and doesn’t want me to do it for her, so if y’all wanna know that jazz you gotta do it. Cook bacon to desired texture, then remove from the pan and brown your hashbrowns in the bacon fat at a medium heat. While that’s going, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Once the hashbrowns are done, fold those and the diced chives (green onions) in. After this, you’re gonna make use your ingredients to make a breakfast lasagna. Pour half the egg mixture into a greased 9x13 pan, sprinkle half of the cheese over that, then half of the bacon, crumbled up. Repeat the order for a second layer, then bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Divide evenly between 6 containers

Pepperoni Pockets (makes 20)
Calories: 276
Fat: 6g
Carbs: 36g
Protein: 21g
- 840g all purpose flour
- 800g fat free Greek yogurt
- 2tbsp baking powder (or baking soda. Again, idk the difference)
- 400g low fat mozzarella
- 400g turkey pepperoni, diced
- Your favorite pasta sauce

This is by far the most tedious one this week, but it’s fine because one batch gives me breakfast for 3 weeks. Start by mixing the flour, yogurt, and baking soda, as well as some salt, garlic, and pepper to season the dough. Once mixed into a crumbly dough, knead it until one uniform texture. Afterwards, divide evenly between 20 dough balls, then refrigerate before rolling out. The dough can be incredibly sticky, thus difficult to work with, if room temperature. Once chilled, take each dough ball and roll it flat. Spread dough discs out, and give each 20g of cheese, 20g of pepperoni, and a spoonful of pasta sauce. Once all ingredients are dolloped, take opposite sides of the dough disc then pinch together, then do the same for the perpendicular sides. Pinch until the pocket is fully closed, then set aside and repeat for each serving. Once they’re all closed, placed in a large skillet sprayed with cooking oil over medium heat, and cook covered, flipping after 4-5 minutes. Freeze, then microwave each one for about 2 minutes

BBQ Pork, Green Bean Casserole(ish), and Sweet Potatoes
Makes 5 servings / per serving: 399 cal / 24.3g P / 12.2g F / 45g C
1.25lb Aldi pre-seasoned BBQ pork shoulder pork roast
46g Ray’s No Sugar Added BBQ Sauce
2 cans French-cut green beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
5 sweet potatoes (825g total)
30g salted butter + cinnamon
*I didn’t actually make GBC because it’s too hot to use my oven, but this’ll do for now.

Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese with Green Beans
Makes 5 servings / per serving: 356 cal / 29.2g P / 12.3g F / 33.3g C
One box Goodles Ched Over Heels
1/4 c 1% milk
1/3 c low-sugar ketchup
1 bag frozen green beans
1 lb 93/7 ground turkey
5g nutritional yeast

Ground chicken and bean fajita bowls with cilantro lime rice.

Ingredients:
2lbs ground chicken
1 can of black beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of southwest corn
1 can of black olives
1 yellow, green and red bell peppers
1 yellow onion
4 large jalapeños
1 bag of spinach
6 cilantro lime rice cups
1 pack of Frontera Fajita skillet sauce

Such an easy set and forgot, with great flavour and simple ingredients. I usually like this for a quick grab and go lunch or post workout meal. I’ll drop the recipe below if you’d like to try it out 👇

Makes 12 servings
Cook: 6-7 hours LOW or 3-4 hours HIGH

Macros per serving:

Cals: 350
Protein: 40g
Carbs: 36g
Fat: 8g
Fiber: 6g
Sodium: 380mg

Ingredients I use…

For the Slow Cooker:
4 lbs lean top sirloin, trimmed of visible fat
4 large bell peppers (mix of red, green, yellow), sliced
3 large yellow onions, sliced
16 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced (optional)
8 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp Celtic sea salt (added at the end, not during cooking)

For the Rice:
4 cups dry brown rice
8 cups water
½ tsp Celtic sea salt

For Garnish:
12 slices of sliced provolone
Fresh green onions, chopped
Optional: Red pepper flakes

How I make it…

Phase 1: Slow Cooker Setup

Step 1: Place 4 lbs trimmed sirloin whole (or cut into 2-3 large pieces if needed to fit) in bottom of large slow cooker.

Step 2: Add sliced onions and half the sliced bell peppers around and on top of the meat.

Step 3: Add 8 cloves minced garlic.

Step 4: Pour in 3 cups low-sodium beef broth.

Step 5: Season with:
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp thyme

Step 6: Cover and cook:
LOW: 6-7 hours
HIGH: 3-4 hours

Step 7: Add remaining bell peppers and all the sliced mushrooms during the last 1.5 hours of cooking, so they stay slightly toothsome rather than turning mushy.

Phase 2: Shred/Slice Steak & Finish

Step 8: Once cooked, remove meat and slice thinly against the grain (or shred with two forks if very tender).

Step 9: Return sliced/shredded meat to slow cooker. Stir to combine with vegetables and broth.

Step 10: Taste and add 1 tsp salt at this point, adjusting to your preference. Adding salt at the end (rather than during the long cook) helps you control sodium precisely.

Step 11: If mixture is too thin, cook uncovered on HIGH for 15-20 minutes to reduce slightly.

Phase 4: Cook Rice

Step 12: Rinse 4 cups dry brown rice under cold water.

Step 13:Combine rice, 8 cups water, and ½ tsp salt in large pot. Bring to boil.

Step 14: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 35-40 minutes until tender and water is absorbed.

Step 15: Fluff with fork.

Phase 5: Assemble Bowls

Step 16: Divide rice among 12 bowls or containers (about ½ cup cooked rice per serving).

Step 17: Top each with a generous portion of Philly cheesesteak mixture (about ¾ cup per serving).

Step 18: Place on 1 slice of provolone cheese per bowl

Step 19: Garnish with fresh green onion or chives and optional red pepper flakes.

Hope you enjoy! Always sharing my fitness recipes 🫡

I prepare ingredients and components, not whole meals. That way I can still change things throughout the week. For example, I have sausages planned with romanesco, and green beans to go with different rice bowls. But if I feel more like green beans that day, I can have that with my sausages instead, and use the romanesco with my rice bowl. And I can decide on the day if I want rice, or noodles, or grains, quinoa, etc with my bowl. Or what sauce (gochujang, korean bbq sauce, soy sauce, and so on), which kind of pickled vegetables I want on the side. The possibilities are nearly endless. But they all use the same chicken, the same vegetables I prepped, etc. So I can plan and prep that ahead of time, but still change the details.

In addition to chopping all my vegetables, I made some tzatziki to go with flatbreads, couscous salad with chicken, couscous salad with falafel, and some lettuce wraps with chicken, I made sriracha mayo to go with korean tacos, a rice bowl with korean beef, lettuce wraps, and the falafel if I get bored of the tzatziki, and I made two kinds of marinated chicken, both for two meals each.

In

Bottom is sunflower crunch salad, boiled egg, half an avocado and shredded chicken. Top is Noosa raspberry yogurt, strawberries, Colby jack cheese and salami. The yogurt and berries are my breakfast and the salami and cheese are my snack. He salad complication is my lunch lol. Enjoy.

I am a college student wanting to meal prep lunches for the week, and I found a chicken enchilada recipe I love. Can I freeze cooked chicken enchiladas, and if so, what would be the best method of reheating them?

This is the recipe for better advice: https://www.skinnytaste.com/chicken-enchiladas/

I’m a single 20yo male on a weight loss journey I’ve been meal prepping for probably about a year now but in these past few weeks I’ve definitely been slacking… I work 5 days a week from 4am-12pm so my hours are all whacky too. Getting to the point I hate having to work all week have one Saturday then spend all day Sunday shopping, cooking, weighing, and cleaning. I really enjoy cooking but how can I make my high protein low calorie meals take less time? I’m open to all options. Typically my meal prep looks like overnight oats for breakfast, chicken and rice for lunch and then something like grilled chicken with broccoli or maybe beef and broccoli for dinner.
TLDR; How can I save time on MPS what precooked options are there and what do you recommend?

Hi everyone!

I’m looking to start doing the “LEGO-style” meal prep method, where you freeze individual portions of cooked ingredients (rice, meat, vegetables, sauces, etc.) separately and then mix and match them later.

I’m looking for silicone freezer trays with portioned compartments, preferably similar to Souper Cubes, but available from an EU/European webshop.

My main concern is food safety. There are tons of cheap silicone trays on Amazon, Temu, AliExpress, etc., but I’d rather buy something that is reliably certified as food-grade silicone and suitable for freezing food long-term.

Does anyone in Europe use trays like these and can recommend a trustworthy webshop or brand?

Ideally:

EU/European seller

verified food-grade silicone

freezer safe

dishwasher safe

different portion sizes available

sturdy enough that frozen portions pop out easily

Thanks!

Just what the question says. Im a college student wanting to start meal prepping food, and one of my favorite recipes is sheet pan chicken fajitas with peppers and onions. I have a really weird class schedule so I don’t have enough time to freeze it before cooking and then cooking a serving whenever I want to.

Can I freeze the cooked Chicken, peppers and onions? And if so, what is the best way to reheat them quickly?

18F, just got kicked out of parents house with 0 warning, moved states, staying with a friend but hopefully getting a studio apt. soon. Budget will be tight until I can get a slightly better job.

Looking for ideas and recipes for cheap meal prepping I can do for the week. So far my friend has suggested homemade pizza and chili.

\* Eating restrictions: Can't have lentils, celery, or cucumbers.

\* Eating preferences: I don't like pork chops or ham, other pork products are okay.

I also don't have any kitchen supplies so I'll need to invest in those 🫩 Existing is so expensive. ALSO, need some container/supplies recommendations, because I currently have NOTHING 😔

Please drop your favorite / cheapest recipes that are good throughout the week!!!

Roughly $22 worth of groceries.
Rice: 1 cup rice and 1.5 cup water with 1tsp chicken bouillon, salt, 1tbsp butter, a couple drops of olive oil. bring to boil and then put on lid with low heat for 15 mins, turn off heat for 10 mins with lid on then fluff afterwards.
Beans: 1 large can of refried beans with 2 tbsp butter and 3/4 cup water. Seasoned with cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic.
Veggies/Chicken: Chopped then tossed in olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and pepper (pineapple, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, mushroom, zucchini)
Kebabs: Grilled them for 5 mins a side at 450, or until chicken 165 internal temp.

Fire dpt medic goofy schedule of two days/two nights and four off so two lunches and two dinners.

Lunch: Salmon belly cured in salt/sugar/beet juice for 18hrs. Rinsed and cubed. edamame, raw carrot julienned, red cabbage shredded with a mandolin, diced mango, serrano slices, roasted pistachios, pickled radish, pickled cucumber. Sauce of red pepper/sesame oil/ponzu. On a bed of farro fluffed with togarashi seasoning and a kiwi.

Dinner: Seared a bison ribeye (marinaded 4hrs in honey and worchestershire) 2.5 mins per side and rested for 8 mins. “Cooked” shrimp ceviche style in lime and orange juice for 2hrs chilled in the fridge. Sweet potatoes cubed then tossed in EVOO and cumin before roasting @ 375 for 30 mins. Sauteed black beans and white onion together in ground chipotle from dried jalapenos from my garden. Sauce of lime/honey/cumin/cactus pears/gaujillo. Massaged kale with fEVOO and apple cider vinegar before tossing with pumpkin seeds and radish. Nectarines for side dish.