Two Week Meal Prep For Under $50
Two-Week Meal Prep For Under $50 can be done in simple steps (WEEK ONE). Plan your meals and make a list of the ingredients you’ll need. Look for budget-friendly options such as chicken, rice, beans, and seasonal produce. Shop at discount stores, cook in large batches and portion out meals into containers for easy grab-and-go options. Utilize leftovers to reduce waste and save money. With a little planning and creativity, meal prepping for two weeks can be affordable and delicious!
5 Reasons Homemade Meals Are Superior to Store-Bought Options
- You all know cooking at home allows us to control the quality of ingredients. Resulting in fresher and more flavorful meals.
- Homecooked meals can be tailored to suit personal dietary preferences and restrictions. Ensuring that the final product is both delicious and suited to one’s specific needs.
- Cooking at home enables us to experiment with various recipes and techniques, fostering creativity in the kitchen. This can lead to the discovery of new unique and mouth-watering dishes.
- Preparing food at home can be a cost-effective solution as it generally proves to be less expensive than purchasing pre-made meals or eating out.
- Cooking homemade meals brings family and friends together, strengthening bonds, and creating memories. The shared experience of preparing and enjoying food together can be enriching and fulfilling, adding a deeper level of satisfaction to the dining experience.
OTHER IDEAS YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT:
A Week’s Meal Prepping for Less than $50
How To Plan Your Meals With Ease
- Decide what dishes you’d like to make for the week:
Search for the recipes, look in your recipe collection box, go to Pinterest, search on Google, or use apps to get ideas for a week of meal prepping.
- Check your pantry and refrigerator:
After you decide on the dishes you’re going to make, check the ingredients you have available in your fridge and pantry before going grocery shopping.
- Write down the ingredients you need (this is your grocery shopping list)
Prioritize your list, and make sure it’s in the budget. Look for sales and discounts on groceries. You can also look for deals on meat and produce and plan your meals around those items. It’s also worth considering meat cuts that are less popular or in less demand as they may be available at a lower cost. For example, buy chicken breasts or thighs that are bone-in and skin-on. Chicken drumsticks are also cheaper than other cuts of meat.
- Batch Cooking:
Batch cooking is a great strategy for meal prepping because it saves time and money. By cooking large quantities of food at once, you can portion it out for multiple meals throughout the week. This helps reduce the amount of time spent cooking and cleaning up each day. Batch cooking also allows for greater variety in meals, as you can mix and match different dishes throughout the week. Overall, it’s a convenient and efficient way to stay on track with healthy eating habits.
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Ingredient NOTES For Week One Meal PrepPing
BAKED CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES
THE CHICKEN:
- Chicken Thighs: The thighs are bone-in and with skin. When preparing the chicken, cut one thigh into 4 pieces using a sharp knife (or clever) and a mallet to aid the knife. Here’s the video on how to cut your chicken thighs into pieces.
- Spices: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, sage, dried thyme, brown sugar, sea salt, and ground pepper.
- Mayonnaise: The mayonnaise adds creaminess and flavor to the chicken. It also helps tenderize the meat.
- Dijon Mustard: The mustard boosts the flavor and adds tanginess to the dish which contrasts the flavor well.
THE VEGETABLES:
- Potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Bell pepper: Remove the seeds and cut into bite-size pieces.
- Onion: Cut the onion into bigger chunks.
- Carrots: Cut the carrots into 1-inch cubes.
- Olive oil: The oil helps the vegetable to caramelize.
CHICKEN ADOBO
- Chicken drumsticks: Cut the drumsticks into two pieces.
- Garlic: Use a lot of garlic, and mince them.
- Soy sauce: Use less soy sauce if you’re not using low-sodium.
- Oyster sauce: The oyster sauce is a savory sauce that adds umami flavor to the dish.
- Rice vinegar: You can’t have Chicken Adobo without adding vinegar. It adds a tangy flavor that contrasts the brown sugar and saltiness of the soy sauce.
- Dried bay leaves: These dried herbs have a similar flavor to thyme but with a more complex and intense aroma. It has a unique taste that adds a delicious depth of flavor to many dishes.
PICADILLO
- Ground pork: Picadillo usually uses ground beef but ground pork is more economical for this dish.
- Potatoes: Peeled and diced.
- Carrots: Cut into smaller dice.
- Olive oil: Add more oil to the pan when the pan starts drying before sauteing the rest of the ingredients.
- Onion: Chop one onion
- Garlic: Minced
- Bell pepper: Cut the bell pepper into smaller dice.
- Spices: The spices are smoked paprika, sea salt, and ground pepper.
- Tomato paste: The tomato paste gives richness and adds more savory flavor to the dish.
- Honey: The honey contrasts the tanginess of the tomato paste and balances the flavor with a hint of sweetness.
- Dried cranberries: You can also add raisins or any dried fruit you like or eliminate it.
ROTINI PASTA WITH MEAT SAUCE
- Olive oil:
- Onion: Chopped
- Garlic: Minced
- Ground pork: You can substitute it with ground beef or any ground meat you like.
- Spices: Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, red chili pepper flakes, and sea salt
- Honey: To balance the flavor
- Brown sugar: For a hint of sweetness
- Pasta sauce: Tomato basil pasta sauce or any pasta sauce you like
- Parmesan cheese: Shredded or grated
How to Make The dishes for week one meal prepping
Time needed: 2 hours
WEEK ONE MEAL PREP
- ONE PAN-BAKED CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES
Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet pan with foil or parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, dried sage, dried thyme, sea salt, ground pepper, and brown sugar. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and a tablespoon of combined spices. Toss to coat the chicken well. Place the potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, and onion on a prepared baking sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of spices. Add the chicken to the baking sheet pan, and spread them out for even baking. Bake for 55 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (165ºF internal temp.)
- CHICKEN ADOBO
Place the chicken in the pot, and season with garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and bay leaves, stir to combine. Cover the pot and simmer the chicken for 15-20 minutes. Remove the cover and continue simmering for another 10 minutes or until the sauce reduces to about 1/2 a cup and it starts to thicken.
- PORK PICADILLO
Heat the pan with oil, and add the potatoes and carrots, then cook until fork tender. Remove from the pan and set them aside. Use the same pan, and if the pan starts drying, add more oil. Add the onion and saute until tender, then add the garlic and continue sauteing until fragrant. Stir in the bell pepper and ground pork, and cook until the pork is no longer pink. Add the spices, tomato paste, honey, and dried cranberries, and stir to combine. Add the cooked potatoes and carrots back into the pan, and cook until well heated.
- ROTINI PASTA WITH MEAT SAUCE
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Heat a pan with oil, and add the onion, saute until tender. Add the garlic and continue sauteing until fragrant. Add the spices and ground pork, and cook until the pork is no longer pink. Add the brown sugar, honey, and pasta sauce, and simmer for 3 minutes. Add Parmesan cheese and pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
One way is to properly store your meals in airtight containers in the refrigerator. You can also freeze some meals and thaw them out as needed.
This depends on your individual needs and preferences, but a good rule of thumb is to plan for 3-4 meals per day and adjust accordingly.
Absolutely! Look for deals on bulk items like rice, beans, and frozen veggies. You can also buy meat in bulk and freeze it for later use.
Switch up your protein and veggie choices each week. Experiment with different seasonings and sauces, and try incorporating new recipes into your rotation.
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Two-Week Meal Prep Under $50
Equipment
- baking sheet pan
- Pot/Dutch oven
- Skillet/Wide pan
- knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
ONE PAN-BAKED CHICKEN AND VEGGIES
For the spices:
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
For the chicken:
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in, and skin-on cut each thigh into 4 pieces
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
For the veggies:
- 4 medium size yellow potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 medium size carrots, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 bell pepper, remove seeds and cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon combined spices
FOR THE CHICKEN ADOBO
- 2 1/2 pounds chicken drumsticks, cut into 2 pieces
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 4-5 dried bay leaves
FOR THE PICADILLO
- 4 medium size yellow potatoes, diced
- 2 medium size carrots, small diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bell pepper, deseed and diced
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
FOR THE ROTINI PASTA WITH MEAT SAUCE
- 1 lb. rotini or any short pasta, cook according to the package instructions
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 24 oz. jar of pasta sauce
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
ONE PAN-BAKED CHICKEN AND VEGGIES
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet pan with foil or parchment paper. In a small bowl combine all the spices and brown sugar.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Sprinkle a tablespoon of combined spices, and add the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Toss to coat the chicken.
- Place all vegetables on the prepared baking sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle a tablespoon of combined spices. Toss to coat, and spread the veggies in a single layer for even baking.
- Place the chicken on the baking sheet pan with the veggies. Sprinkle the remaining spices. Bake for 55 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (165ºF internal temperature) and the potatoes are fork-tender.
FOR THE CHICKEN ADOBO
- Place the chicken in a pot. Add garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and bay leaves, and stir to combine.
- Cover the pot and simmer over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until it starts boiling. Uncover and lower the heat. Cook the chicken through and let the sauce reduces and thickens (165ºF internal temperature).
FOR THE PICADILLO
- Turn the stove over medium-high heat, and heat the pan with oil. Add the potatoes and carrots, and cook until fork tender. Remove from the pan and set them aside.
- Use the same pan, and add more oil to the pan if it starts drying up. Saute the onion until tender, add the garlic, and continue sauteing until fragrant.
- Add the bell pepper and cook until crisp-tender. Add the ground pork, and cook until no longer pink.
- Season with smoked paprika, salt, and ground pepper. Add tomato paste, honey, and dried cranberries, and stir to combine.
- Add the potatoes and carrots back to the pan, stir, and cook until well heated.
FOR THE ROTINI PASTA WITH MEAT SAUCE
- Turn the stove to medium-high heat, and heat the pan with oil. Add the onion, and saute until tender. Add the garlic and continue sauteing until fragrant.
- Add the ground pork, and cook until it's no longer pink. Season with Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, sea salt, and red chili pepper flakes. Add the brown sugar and honey, then stir to combine.
- Add the pasta sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cooked pasta, and toss to coat. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan cheese and garnish with parsley before serving.
Video
Notes
Equipment
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