4-Day Meal Prep
4-Day Meal Prep is certainly the way to your success when it comes to having your meals planned for the week. We’re all busy and the thought of having to plan out meals may feel like just one more chore to add to your already long list of things to do. I know! However, I find that taking the time to plan for meals each week – and writing out a grocery list – means that I ultimately save TIME. It saves MONEY. It means fewer less-desirable CALORIES. And, it means less STRESS.
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why do I believe in meal prepping
To me, 4-Day Meal Prep is planning my MEALS efficiently which means saving time and money. You’ll be eating delicious foods with quality ingredients and fewer less-desirable calories. You’ll learn how to SMART SHOP and you won’t have to run to the grocery store as frequently. It also means less food waste because you’ve only bought the items you need to prepare. Even if you already know your way around the kitchen, it’s always a good thing to enhance your skills and learn new techniques.
Planning your meals and cooking more at home is the foundation of good health. If health is important, you’ll make time to take care of yourself – right? The last thing you want is to get overwhelmed with hard-to-find ingredients and complicated recipes. Today, I’m sharing with you 4 simple but delicious recipes.
In this blog, you’ll find 3 recipes ideal for your 4-day meal prepping. Get the recipe for One Pan Chicken Fajita, Chicken and Bok Choy Stir Fry, and Chicken Cacciatore. For meat substitutions, you can use beef or pork. You can also use shrimps for stir-frying. If you’d like to make them vegetarian, use tofu, steak mushrooms, beans, or any veggies you like.
tips on how to meal prep efficiently
PLAN AND SHOP FOR YOUR 4-DAY MEAL PREP
- PLAN – look at your calendar and see what day you can shop and prep. It could be on the weekend or on one of the weekdays you’re free.
- SHOP – read through the grocery list, print, and write down the things you need for the week. Stick to it! We tend to compulsively buy things we don’t need when we don’t have our grocery list.
- Don’t forget to check your pantry and fridge for the items you already have.
- Most of what you need to buy should be closest to its whole natural state. I encourage you to read the ingredients of each packaged item you’re buying to make an informed decision. Make sure you’re able to read all the ingredients. If not – you probably shouldn’t be buying them.
COOK ONCE EAT TWICE
- Plan to make double or triple what you would normally make for dinner so you have leftovers for lunches or other dinners.
- Cook grains, like rice ahead of time for the week, then refrigerate and use them later in the week (add a little water when reheating the rice).
- Chop your veggies on the weekend or the night before to prep ahead of time and place them in storage containers in the fridge.
- Make marinades, sauces, dressings, and spice mixes in advance to save time on those busier nights. If you’re freezing your meat make sure to defrost them by removing them from the freezer and transferring them to your cooler or fridge. This way they can be readily available when you need them.
Here are easy recipes that will help your week go smoothly:
join meal prepping made easy 4-week plan
3 easy and delicious dishes for 4-days of meal prepping
4-Day Meal Prep
Equipment
- Wide pan
- Stockpot
- baking sheet pan
Ingredients
FOR ONE PAN CHICKEN FAJITA
- 1 pound skinless, boneless, chicken breast, cut into strips
- 1 bell pepper, seeds removed and cut into strips
- 2 cup cauliflower florets
- 3 tablespoone olive oil
FOR THE SPICES
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
FOR THE CHICKEN AND BOK CHOY STIR FRY
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound skinless, boneless, chicken breast, bite-sized pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 cups roughly chopped bok choy
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
FOR THE CHICKEN CACCIATORE
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cups baby Bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 small yellow potatoes, peeled, cut into small cubes
- 1 bell pepper, deseed, diced
- 3 Roma tomatoes, small diced
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper or red chili pepper flakes
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ONE-PAN CHICKEN FAJITA
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Place the chicken, bell pepper, onion, and cauliflower in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet pan.
- Combine all the spices. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and veggies. Sprinkle the blend of spices, and toss to coat well.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the chicken reaches the internal temperature of 165ºF and the veggies are tender.
- Make a Fajita bowl and avocado, corn, and rice. Then squeeze fresh lime juice. Or serve it with tortillas.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CHICKEN AND BOK CHOY STIR FRY
- Heat a wok or wide pan with oil. Add the chicken, and cook until browned. Then push on one side of the pan.
- Add the garlic and saute for a minute. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, and rice vinegar. Stir to combine, and simmer until the sauce thickened.
- Add the bok choy, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Stir to combine, and cook until the bok choy are slightly wilted. Serve with steamed rice.
FOR THE CHICKEN CACCIATORE
- Heat the pot with oil. Add the chicken, and brown on both sides for about 2-3 minutes. After getting a nice seared, remove the chicken from the pot and set them aside.
- Ust the same pot, and add more oil if needed. Add the onion and mushrooms, and saute until tender. Add the garlic, potatoes, bell pepper, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, balsamic vinegar tomato paste, and brown sugar, then stir to combine.
- Add the chicken back into the pot and add the chicken broth. Stir, cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through (165ºF internal temperature) and the potatoes are tender.
- Add the frozen peas, and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Video
Notes
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Hi there! Nice to meet you. My name is Jen.
I’m a mom of 2 wonderful girls. I love to prepare and cook home-cooked meals. Cooking and planning your meals might sound like another chore added to your already long list of things to do. Believe me, I’ve been there. However, cooking more meals at home is worth all the effort. After years of cooking for my family and teaching culinary classes, I can honestly say that I have more control over the quality of the ingredients I use. That means I’m eating a lot better. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring and you don’t have to eat the same thing repeatedly. There are ways we can do and naturally enhance the flavor of our food and enjoy home-cooked meals.