Simple & Wholesome School Meal Prep Concepts (Free 4-Week Plan!)

Inside: Get faculty meal prep concepts that make it simpler for busy college students to remain nicely nourished. Features a free 4-week meals prep plan with directions and grocery lists.

There’s extra to varsity meal prep than stockpiling rows of ramen.

Hey, no disrespect–it’s the last word 25-cent meal! However college students can not stay on ramen alone. And the extra well-nourished they’re, the higher they will navigate this busy time of life.

Plus, meal prepping is an A+ life ability.

So I designed a four-week faculty meal prep plan that’s inexpensive and straightforward. It makes days’ price of scrumptious, wholesome staples for meals and snacks.

In the event you’re a mum or dad, this easy plan can assist you arm your faculty child with concepts. In the event you’re a scholar discovering it arduous to know what to purchase or flip it into meals, you’re additionally in the suitable place. 

The perks of this wholesome meal prep plan

• It saves a bunch of cash in comparison with meals supply and consuming out
• It contains straightforward recipes which might be easy to organize, plus some vegetarian choices
• It makes it simpler to eat wholesome meals and snacks

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: For 10 straightforward meals that may be made in a dorm room, take a look at my put up Wholesome Dorm Meals Concepts.

The right way to comply with this faculty meal prep plan

• Learn by way of every week’s lineup and evaluation the recipes. If there’s something you don’t like, swap in one thing else and regulate the buying record. A few of the weeks use comparable substances, so tweak the buying lists as wanted. (This plan clearly doesn’t cowl all meals for the whole week, so spherical out the lists with different meals, too.)
• Get your groceries and collect containers.
• Put aside time for prep. For many college students, the best time to do meals prep is Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Every week’s prep plan ought to take about 2 hours.
• Evaluation the directions for storing every little thing, listening to how lengthy meals final.

Kitchen gear wanted

• Baking sheet
• Muffin tin
• Skillet
• Blender
• Sq. baking dish
• Medium saucepan with lid
• Mixing bowls and spoons
• Slicing board
• Sharp knife
• Spatula
• Stovetop
• Oven
• Microwave
• Griddle (elective)
• Instantaneous Pot (elective)

Fundamental pantry staples wanted

• Oil: Corresponding to olive or canola
• Cooking spray
• Salt/pepper

Week 1 Recreation Plan

1. Prep Scrambled Egg Muffins and put in oven.
2. Whereas they bake:
   • Get 2 cups brown rice or white rice moving into a saucepan or within the Instantaneous Pot (listed here are Instantaneous Pot directions).
   • Prep and cook dinner a batch of Crispy Tofu on the range (OR use store-bought rotisserie rooster).
   • When muffins are finished, improve oven temperature to 400 levels F. Minimize 2-3 cups of veggies of your alternative into uniform-ish-size items, toss in 1-2 tablespoons oil, and unfold on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 20-25 minutes or till browned and tender.
   • Shake up a batch of Peanut Sauce in a glass mason jar.
3. Combine and roll Protein Balls.

Week 1 Storing & Reheating Directions

• Cool Scrambled Egg Muffins on a wire cooling rack after which retailer in an hermetic container for 3-4 days, reheating within the microwave till sizzling and steaming earlier than serving.
• Portion rice bowl substances into hermetic containers OR portion rice, veggies, and tofu or rooster into ready-to-grab particular person meals in containers reminiscent of these glass meal prep containers. Pack Peanut Sauce individually in a leak-proof container. When able to eat, reheat containers in microwave and high with sauce. Sauce might be thinned with a drizzle of water earlier than serving. Eat rice bowls inside 3-5 days.
• Retailer Protein Balls in an hermetic container within the fridge and eat inside one week.

Week 1 Grocery Listing

• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Eggs
• Milk
• Sausage (common or vegetarian)
• Inexperienced onions (elective)
• Rice (brown or white) OR 2 packages of cauliflower rice
• Further-firm tofu (OR a store-bought rotisserie rooster)
• Olive oil
• Soy sauce
• Rice vinegar
• Sesame oil
• Cornstarch
• Veggies of alternative (broccoli, bell peppers, carrots)
• Peanut butter
• Maple syrup
• Garlic
• Oats
• Honey
• Dry milk powder
• Mini chocolate chips

Week 2 Plan

1. Mix Protein Pancake batter and let it relaxation whereas skillet or griddle is heating up.
2. Prep Protein Pancakes and put aside to chill.
3. Prep 3-5 Jarred Salads:
   • Prepare dinner 1 pound rooster on range (I like this methodology) or in Instantaneous Pot (right here’s make shredded rooster within the Instantaneous Pot) OR cook dinner 3-5 veggie burgers OR drain and rinse chickpeas.
   • Wash and prep 2-3 cups recent veggies to incorporate in jarred salads, reminiscent of chopped or shredded carrots, chopped celery or cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and so forth.
   • Collect 1-2 cups different salad substances, reminiscent of nuts or seeds, dried or chopped fruits, and a delicate flavorful cheese like crumbled cheddar, feta, or goat cheese.
   • Wash and dry 3-5 cups salad greens (or use pre-rinsed greens).
   • Assemble jarred salads, placing the heaviest substances on the underside, ending with the greens on high, after which screw on the lids tightly for storage.
4. Bake a batch of Nut-Free Oat Bars.

Week 2 Storing & Reheating Directions

• Retailer leftover Protein Pancakes in an hermetic container and maintain refrigerated. Reheat in a microwave, toaster oven, or skillet on the range. They can be eaten chilly. Leftover pancakes are finest if eaten inside one week.
• Bundle jarred salads in massive mason jars with tight lids, placing heaviest substances on backside and ending with greens on the high. Maintain salads refrigerated. When able to eat, dump contents into a big bowl or on a plate. Maintain salad dressing separate and add simply earlier than serving.
• Minimize Nut-Free Oat Bars into squares and place in an hermetic container. You’ll be able to maintain them on the counter for 1-3 days, however as a result of they’re so moist, switch them to the fridge after that.

Week 2 Grocery Listing

• Eggs
• Oats
• ​Cottage cheese
• Maple syrup
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon
• 1 pound recent rooster OR 1 bundle veggie burgers OR 1 can chickpeas
• Rooster broth (if prepping rooster in Instantaneous Pot)
• ​Salad greens
• Veggies and/or fruits of alternative for salads
• Nuts and delicate cheese of alternative for salads
• Salad dressing
• Flour (white entire wheat and/or all-purpose)
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon
• Applesauce
• Honey
• Vanilla
• Chocolate chips
• Parchment paper

Week 3 Plan

1. Combine up Oatmeal Cup batter and bake in a muffin tin.
2. Prepare dinner meat/mushroom combination in Beef Burritos recipe OR drain and rinse a can of black beans.
3. Assemble burritos and bundle in a zip-top bag (Vegetarian directions: Warmth drained, rinsed black beans in a skillet on the range, smashing with a fork. Stir in taco seasoning. Spoon onto the middle of 4 warmed tortillas and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Fold within the sides and roll.)
4. Wash and reduce 3-4 cups uncooked veggies (or nonetheless many you’d like for the week).

Week 3 Storing & Reheating Directions

• Maintain the Oatmeal Cups in an hermetic container or zip-top bag. You’ll be able to maintain them on the counter for 1-2 days, then switch to the fridge and eat inside one week. They’re very moist and can spoil if left at room temperature for greater than a pair days.
• Place rolled burritos on a baking sheet to chill (when you’ve got room in your freezer, set the tray inside for about 10 minutes). Place burritos in a gallon-size zip-top bag (plastic or reusable) and refrigerate as much as 3-5 days, The Beef Burrito recipe makes 8 burritos, so put extras within the freezer and eat inside three months.
• Retailer reduce veggies in hermetic containers and eat inside 5-7 days for highest quality.

Week 3 Grocery Listing

• Eggs
• Oats
• ​Milk
• Bananas
• Maple syrup
• Oats
• Peanut butter
• Baking powder
• Vanilla
• Cinnamon
• Tortillas (burrito-sized)
• 1 pound lean floor beef (or turkey) OR 1 can black beans
• White mushrooms
• Enchilada sauce
• Refried beans
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Spices: paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder OR taco seasoning combine in a packet
• Favourite fillings/toppings for burritos (reminiscent of bitter cream, salsa, or guacamole)
• Recent veggies of alternative for bonus uncooked veggies
• Favourite dip for recent veggies (reminiscent of ranch, hummus, and so forth)

Week 4 Plan

1. Assemble 3-5 Smoothie Packets.
2. Assemble 3-5 Protein Containers:
3. Wash 3-5 massive potatoes (white or candy), poke them throughout with a fork, rub evenly with oil and sprinkle with salt, then bake them in a 400 diploma F oven for 50-60 minutes. OR poke them throughout with a fork and microwave them for about 8 minutes or till tender when pierced with a knife.

Week 3 Storing & Reheating Directions

• For Smoothie Packs, use both plastic or reusable luggage reminiscent of Stasher Luggage. For finest outcomes, use inside a number of weeks.
• Bundle Protein Containers in hermetic containers reminiscent of EasyLunchboxes Snack Containers and use inside 7 days.
• Cool potatoes and retailer in an hermetic container, utilizing inside 4 days. To reheat baked potatoes, reduce in half and evenly smash flesh with a fork, then microwave till sizzling and steaming. Apply favourite toppings like black beans, shredded cheese, salsa, cooked greens, bacon bits, and so forth.

Week 4 Grocery Listing

• Bananas
• Milk of alternative (dairy or non-dairy)
• Strawberries (recent or frozen)
• Floor flaxseed (elective)
• Recent child spinach
• Protein powder (elective–can add to smoothies for additional protein)
• Eggs
• Protein-rich meals for Protein Containers reminiscent of frozen edamame, roasted chickpeas, nuts, cheese cubes, and deli meat
• Crackers and fruit for Protein Containers
• Potatoes (white or candy)
• Toppings of alternative for potatoes (reminiscent of bitter cream, frozen broccoli or spinach, shredded cheese, black beans, bacon bits, and so forth)