Spending a few hours meal prepping each week can save you tons of time in the kitchen! Make it fun by listening to music or a great podcast, and pull out those pots and pans!
By prepping proteins, starches, sauces, and snacks, you will have the bulk of the work done for whipping together yummy recipes in no time that your family will love!
Appliances that you will make life much easier for your meal prepping: oven, stove top, slow cooker, Instant pot, rice cooker, blender, and food processor.
Plant based proteins
Tofu Blocks (opt for firm or extra firm) – Cut tofu into cubes and drizzle with olive or avocado oil and sea salt and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. You can also shred blocks of tofu with a cheese grater and drizzle with oil and seasonings – spread on baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes for a delicious, crispy treat! Or thinly slice, season, and fry in healthy non-stick pan and serve with veggie and rice sides. The options are endless with tofu!
Soy Curls – great replacement for chicken strips in recipes!
TVP – great replacement for ground meat in your favorite recipes!
Beans – having a variety of dried or canned beans is great for busy weeknights. Serve with rice for a complete and easy meal! Chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans, and butter beans are my fave.
Lentils – these delicious legumes are perfect for having on hand for quick and healthy meals!
Plant-based ground “beef” – brown lentils, finely chopped walnuts and mushrooms sautéed with a few tablespoons of gluten free Worcestershire sauce makes a delicious “ground beef” mixture for use in burrito bowls, tacos, cowboy casserole, wraps, or anywhere else you would use ground beef. TVP is also great for this!
Protein Bites – make your own protein bites with nut butter, vegan protein powder, a dash of maple syrup and whatever add-ins you like (mini chocolate chips, raisins, hemp seeds, etc)
Starches
Rice (Brown, White, Wild) – Bake in the oven, boil on stove top, cook in a rice cooker or Instant pot
Potatoes – Bake in oven or in Instant Pot (I love using organic Yukon gold potatoes for their creamy texture)
Sweet Potatoes (Regular or Purple) – Bake in oven, in Instant Pot or microwave in a pinch
Pastas (I like Jovial Gluten Free pastas) – Cook on stove top
Grits (or Polenta)
Jackfruit – Purchase canned and store in the pantry. Perfect replacement for shredded chicken in all your favorite recipes.
Oats – DIY Oatmeal Packets – create your own healthy oatmeal packets by placing 1/2 cup of gluten free quick cooking oats, 1 Tablespoon powdered coconut milk, 1/2 Tablespoon of coconut palm sugar, and pink of sea salt. Store in BPA-free plastic baggies, Mason jars, or small Pyrex containers. When ready to eat, simply add 1 cup of water (or plant based milk for creamier oatmeal) and heat in microwave for 1 minute.
Healthy Fats
Small amounts of healthy fats each day are essential to a healthy diet. Opt for whole foods, like nuts, seeds and avocados (over oils), and when you do use oil, opt for healthier oils like coconut and avocado oil for baking.
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Avocados
- Coconut milk
- Nut butters
- Coconut oil
- Avocado oil
Veggies + Fruit
Roasted Veggies – Drizzle your favorite veggies with olive or avocado oil and sprinkle with sea salt and bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until tender.
Chopped Greens and Veggies for Salads and Veggie Trays – store in Mason jars, glass Pyrex dishes or BPA-free ziploc bags
Chopped fresh fruit (for snacks, juices + smoothies)
Chopped greens (for salads + smoothies)
Smoothie Bags or Jars
-To a freezer bag or Mason jar add: chopped frozen fruit, greens (I like using spinach or kale), seeds (I love using hemp, chia, and flax), and vegan protein powder. When you’re ready for a smoothie, simply pull out your bag or jar, empty contents into a high powered blender, add your plant-based milk and blend away!
Fresh Juices
With a quality, cold press juicer (affiliate link), you can juice and store veggies and fruits and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This is a great way to have fresh juice on hand. Cold-pressed juices provide vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, and phytonutrients directly to your cells and can completely transform your health!
Some of my favorites to juice are:
- Beets
- Celery
- Carrots
- Green apples
- Cucumbers
Sauces & Dips
Having homemade sauces and dips can make a world of difference in sticking with a plant-based diet. They can add so much flavor and creaminess to dishes without dairy or gluten! Here are some of our favorites:
Creamy Mushroom Stroganoff Sauce
Sweets/Treats
Nut butter stuffed dates – this super quick and healthy treat is perfect for satisfying those cravings!
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Aloha Bars (affiliate link) or TruBars (affiliate link) – great to have on hand for a healthy snack or dessert
Yogurt parfaits (I love using Siggi’s Plant-based yogurts) – Just add several scoops to a Mason jar along with frozen fruit, hemp or chia seeds, and a sprinkle of gluten free granola 😋 Store in fridge for a quick and healthy snack or dessert. To really boost the protein, add a scoop of vegan protein powder!
Beverages
Herbal teas – add fresh squeezed lemon or mint to your favorite herbal tea and store in fridge for a healthy drink throughout the week.
Fruit-infused Water – Add berries, citrus fruits, mint, or cucumbers to filtered water and store in fridge for healthy hydration. Store in large Mason jars in the fridge!
Dinner Ideas from Your Healthy Meal Prep:
- Roasted veggie pasta with homemade cheese sauce
- Burrito Bowls with homemade lentil taco meat and toppings
- Giant chopped salad with favorite toppings
- Baked potato with homemade cheese sauce and side of roasted broccoli
- Sheet pan dinners (chopped tofu + veggies roasted for 30 minutes and served over rice or pasta)
- Healthy wraps or sandwiches (from sliced tofu, veggies, greens, and homemade sauces) – serve with side of sweet potato fries
- Black Bean Burgers
- Lentil Soups + Stews
- Veggie Chili
- Lentil Bolognese Pasta
- Cuban Bowls
- Greek Bowls
- Baked sweet potato with roasted chickpeas and drizzled with homemade sauce
- Roasted veggie quesadillas
- Nachos topped with veggies and either Lentil taco “meat” or seasoned soy curls and vegan cheddar
- Chickpea Salad – put in wraps, on sandwiches, or on top of chopped salad
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