A little background info on what it means to meal prep: basically taking one day (usually Sunday) to make all your meals for the week ahead of time. A majority of people who do this are doing it for fitness and health reasons; having your Wednesday night supper already made will help you not swing through that drive thru on your way home. It's easiest to make healthy eating choices when you plan ahead.
I personally can't eat the same thing every night for dinner and because I enjoy cooking I like to keep that time open, but I do want the ease and convenience of a ready made lunch! My husband and I were eating quick sandwiches, mostly PB&J, or frozen convenience meals for our lunches. Eating out every day can really add up so we had made the decision to make our lunches, but then it occurred to me that what we were eating was most prepackaged. I most certainly don't always make the healthiest choices, but I do feel strongly about trying to eating real food, not the chemical, preservative filled stuff that comes in boxes and cans. All that being said, whenever it's possible I prep all of our week day lunches (10 total).
The main thing to remember here is that there really isn't a "wrong way" to do this. Some weeks I only make a few days worth of meals or plans change and we end up eating them for supper. Some weeks I don't have it together and we eat Lean Cuisines and one too many Chik-fil-a sandwiches. Balance, right? The important thing is do to what is right for you and to try to eat as much real food as possible.
THESE are the meal prep containers I bought on Amazon. They're microwave and dishwasher safe, and the lids stay on well. I'm not going to include amounts for the ingredients because it's really up to you on how much you make. This time I stuck with red, orange, and yellow bell peppers, zucchini, and red onion, but you can use whatever vegetables you prefer. Keep it simple and convenient.
INGREDIENTS
quinoa
boneless skinless chicken breasts
stock or broth of choice
vegetables options for roasting:
red onion, bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, sweet potato, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower
shallot
garlic
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
dijon mustard
honey
herbs: thyme, rosemary, basil, parsley
garlic powder
onion powder
smoked paprika
salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1) Dice up all vegetables for roasting, keeping them all close to the same size to help even cooking.
2) Place veggies on a baking sheet with some olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.
3) Roast veggies in preheated 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
4) Mince shallot and garlic and place in small pot, saute with a touch of olive oil while rinsing off the quinoa according to package directions.
5) Dump rinsed quinoa in the same pot along with correct amount of liquid. Water is ok to use, but I prefer chicken broth for added flavor.
6) Finish cooking quinoa by following the instructions on the package. Taste for seasoning, will probably need salt.
7) In a small bowl mix together balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, dijon mustard, honey, and herbs if desired. I like dried thyme. Just eyeball this. It doesn't need to be precise.
*Amounts vary here due to how much is being made, but generally speaking a few tablespoons is enough for a sheet pan of veggies. A little goes a long way.*
8) Pour balsamic mixture over veggies, stir to ensure even coating, and place under broiler for a few minutes. Keep a close watch to make sure nothing burns. Vegetables should be just caramelized and not overcooked.
9) Allow quinoa and veggies to cool then mix together and divide into containers. Top with fresh basil or parsley.
10) Any meat can be added if desired. I pan cook diced boneless skinless chicken breast that is seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
Tip: Place lemon wedges in the containers for some added acidity and freshness that food typically needs after being reheated. Just don't forget to remove the lemons before microwaving!
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