Meal Prep Week 9

Another full list of meal prep ideas I made this week to help inspire you for the week ahead! This week we have a protein and fiber filled salad and my favourite chocolate baked oat cups!

WOW can you believe we've already done 9 weeks of FREE meal prep together? I started this series as someone who absolutely hated the idea of meal prep. Over the course of the past 9-weeks we've done this together it's gotten easier and I've realized meal prep doesn't need to be overly complicated or boring!

Everyone has a different idea of what meal prep means. For me, it's a mix of prepping full meals and ready-to-grab ingredients to make creating healthy snacks and meals easier during the week when I have no time. Hopefully these have been helpful!

How I Meal Prep as a Dietitian

I typically try to follow a formula that i includes 5 simple components. Please keep in mind this may not work for everyone and you absolutely do not have to make every single thing. This is a good base outline to help simplify meal prepping/ ingredient prepping to set you up for success during the week!

1. 1x grab and go breakfast. Something that's easy to reach for when you are running out the door!
2. 1-2 x balanced snacks (ideally one sweet + one savory).
3. 1x versatile protein for lunches. I try to choose protein options that I can use in multiple meals. However sometimes (like this week) that looks more like an easy salad that contains a protein!
4. 1x fiber-filled carbohydrate source to easily pair with meals. Think rice, quinoa, pasta, etc. I decided to make it even easier for myself by adding the quinoa directly into this weeks salad.
5. 3-4 fruits and vegetables. Having your fruits and veggies chopped and ready to go makes it so much easier to reach for them!

Week 9 Meal Prep Plan

This week's meal prep was a bit simpler than normal. I had just gotten back from vacation and was REALLY lacking motivation but wanted to have a few staples on hand. I provided some recipes below if you would like to make additional options as well.

Breakfast

My oat cups are one of my very favorite breakfasts to make for a great fiber-filled meal prep option! I recently created a chocolate version and they are PERFECT for when you wake up with a sweet tooth but are still looking for something balanced.

These would be great paired with some fresh fruit and a protein such as hard boiled eggs, Greek yogurt or even these:

Lunch

This week I decided to prep a versatile protein and an easy veggie and fiber-packed salad! This is a great option as it can be eaten alone, added to a wrap, or served on a bowl for an easy topping!

I made a big batch of this salad and added quinoa for additional protein and fiber!

Snacks

In my opinion the most crucial part is prepping at least one snack. When I'm hungry I tend to reach for whatever is the easiest, so making balanced options available and ready -to-grab is key!

Sweet:

Savory:

I kept it really simple this week and opted for store-bought hummus to pair with my chopped vegetables. However if you are in the mood to make a homemade dip you can try one of these:

Dinner Ideas

I don't usually prep anything for dinner but I do like having a plan for what we are going to be eating every day! I like to choose 4 easy meals (Friday's are always for leftovers) and add them to a list to hang on the fridge!

Fruits and Vegetables

I usually try to wash and cut about 3-4 different fruits and vegetables. These will change depending on what's on sale or what's in season! I truly find the weeks I do this I find myself so much more likely to actually reach for them and add them to my snacks and meals.

This week I prepped:

• Chopped carrots and bell peppers. Store carrot sticks in an airtight container filled with water to keep them crispy and prevent drying. Bell peppers should be kept dry.
• Strawberries (one of my favorite seasonal produce options in June). Fill a bowl ⅔ full with cool water and mix in 1 teaspoon (6 g) of baking soda per 2 cups (473 ml) of water, add berries and allow to soak for about 5 minutes. Rinse and dry thoroughly. Store in a glass container or jar with a paper towel at the bottom to catch excess moisture.
• Watermelon. It's OFFICIALLY the start of watermelon season and I am HERE for it! I picked up this watermelon on sale for a sweet snack (watermelon also tastes amazing paired with a little Greek yogurt dip). My tip for cutting it: cut the melon in half, placing the flat side down on the cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice the melon lengthwise about 1 inch apart. Turn the cutting board and repeat to get long watermelon sticks. This makes it easier to slice off the rind and slice the melon into your desired bite sized pieces. Store in an airtight container in the fridge (storing in a colander will also help the watermelon from going soggy as it will drain excess water)!

** Groceries have been very expensive recently so I do want to note frozen vegetables and fruits are 100% an amazing option which also make meal prep even easier!! I also have an entire blog post of budget-friendly shopping tips!

Storage containers:

Storage Containers:

• 9 piece- glass container set with lids - these are great because it comes with small, medium and large options!
• 5 piece- glass container set with lids- I find medium containers are the most versatile, so if you are looking for just the medium sized, these are a great option!

More Meal Prep Inspiration

Not ready to commit to the e-book? Catch up on past FREE weekly meal prep

• Week 1 Meal Prep Round-Up
• Week 2 Meal Prep Round-Up
• Week 3 Meal Prep Round-Up
• Week 4 Meal Prep Round-Up
• Week 5 Meal Prep Round-Up
• Week 6 Meal Prep Round-Up
• Week 7 Meal Prep Round-Up
• Week 8 Meal Prep Round-Up