There's nothing worse than coming home after a long day of work with absolutely zero clue as to what you're having for dinner. That's when pizza happens for the fourth night in a row. Not that we're saying anything is wrong with that: We love pizza too, but since we already ate it three times over the weekend, it's about time we get in a few healthier meals. Thanks to this super-simple meal-prep plan, you won't have to think about dinner again. Except for like 30 minutes on Sunday. Let's do it.
Step 1:
Hit up the grocery store.
Got a pen and paper and 15 minutes? Write down these eight ingredients. Yep, only eight. We challenge you to time yourself in the store, because this is the shortest grocery list ever.
Shopping List
- 1 bunch kale
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 4 cups baby arugula
- 3/4 cup quinoa
- 1 cup canned black beans
- 8 ounces fresh salmon fillet (or fish of choice)
- 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 avocado
Don't forget your storage containers:
- 5 glass containers (1 for cooked sweet potatoes, 1 for salmon, 1 for chicken, 1 for quinoa, and 1 for black beans)
- 2 large plastic bags for kale
- Plastic wrap for avocado
And a few kitchen staples (you probably already have on hand):
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Sea salt
- Lemon juice
Step 2:
Prep everything in 30 minutes.
After you go to brunch and speed through the grocery store (but before the binge-watching begins), set aside 30-40 minutes on Sunday to prep the simple ingredients.*
1. Cook chicken.
This is the best way to cook chicken so it's not one big piece of dried-up cardboard. *Wait until Tuesday night to cook your chicken. Foodsafety.gov says cooked chicken stays good for up to four days, so it's better to play it safe.
2. Cook salmon:
Whether you want to bake it or pan-fry, we've got you covered.
3. Cook quinoa:
Quinoa is simple. It's a 1 to 2 ratio; if you're cooking 3/4 cup quinoa, you'll need 1 1/2 cups water. Boil it until water dissolves, about 20 minutes, and it's ready for ya.
4. Roast sweet potatoes:
Roasting is so easy. Cube one of the taters and cut fry-shapes with the other. Add them to the same pan but separated, toss with olive oil, and bake for 20-25 minutes.
5. Rinse black beans:
Drain and rinse the black beans from the can and store them in a glass container so they're ready whenever you need them.
6. Prep kale:
Wash and remove stems from kale leaves. Break into smaller pieces (ya know, the size you'd want if you were eating a salad) then store in a large plastic bag with a paper towel to soak up any leftover moisture.
7. Arugula and avocado can stay as is:
No prepping necessary since those boxes of greens typically get triple-washed, and all you have to do with the avo is slice into it.
Step 3:
Enjoy ready-to-eat dinners Sunday through Thursday.
We like eating home-cooked meals Sunday-Thursday and saving Fridays for a night out on the town. We deserve it after being good all week.
Start-Your-Week-Off-Right Sunday Night
- 4 ounces salmon
- 1/2 of the roasted sweet potatoes
- 1 cup arugula
- 1/4 avocado
How to plate: Toss arugula and avocado with olive oil and lemon juice. If you want to heat up the taters and salmon, pop in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Meatless Monday
- 1/2 cup canned black beans
- 1/4 cup quinoa
- 1 cup arugula
- 1/4 avocado
How to plate: Combine all ingredients into a bowl and toss with olive oil and lemon juice.
Taco (Salad) Tuesday
- 4 ounces chicken, shredded
- 1/2 of the cubed, roasted sweet potato
- 1/4 cup canned black beans
- 1/4 avocado
- 2 cups kale
How to plate: Heat up the chicken and sweet potatoes in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Toss kale with olive oil and sea salt and massage so kale starts to soften. Add to a bowl and then top with avocado, beans, and shredded chicken. Shake as much hot sauce on it as you'd like and enjoy sweet potatoes on the side.
Workout Wednesday
- 4 ounces salmon
- 1 cup sautéed kale
- 1/4 cup quinoa
- 1 cup arugula
How to plate: This one requires 4 minutes of cooking if you prefer cooked kale over raw: Sauté the kale in olive oil with sea salt for 4 minutes, until wilted. Microwave the salmon for 1-2 minutes. Combine quinoa with arugula and a drizzle of lemon juice, then pair with salmon and kale.
Thirsty Thursday (a Good Meal to Soak Up Happy Hour)
- 4 ounces chicken
- 1 cup arugula
- Sweet potato fries
- 1/4 avocado
- 1/4 cup quinoa mixed
- 1/4 cup black beans
How to plate: Before you go out for happy hour, get in a big meal by adding warmed-up chicken over a bed of arugula, a side of sweet potato fries, and a combo of quinoa, black beans, and avocado smothered in hot sauce (if you want). We bet you'll even have leftover fries for those late-night munchies when you get home.
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