It’s that time of the week again.  Some of us love it and some of us just wonder how the others do it.  I’m talking about meal prep day.  Let’s face it, cooking for a week in one day is a huge time saver.  It saves us from having to rush home from work in the evenings to cook a good meal for the family or picking up fast food and maybe getting to eat before 9 pm.  It leaves us with more time to relax and get other things done that may normally fall by the wayside.

How to start?  Make time one day a week to commit to making a weeks worth of healthy meals.  I choose my meals, make a grocery list, shop, chop and cook all on this day.   Sunday is the day that I typically prep my meals for the week.  And here’s how I do it.

I start by choosing my meals for the week and writing the recipes down.  (Or print them off of the computer!)  Next, I make my grocery list based off of those recipes.  Then it’s off to the grocery store or farmers market to buy the ingredients I need.  Then it’s back to the house to begin slicing and chopping of veggies and fruits and marinating of the meats.  I usually cook enough for four or five days leaving the other days open for leftovers or maybe a meal out.

After the very carefully choreographed cooking is done I divide some of the food into containers for lunches and breakfasts.  Having them already portioned in containers makes it super easy to grab and go in the mornings.  I store my food for family meals so that I can just take it out of the fridge and we sit down together for dinner.

After all of the prepping, cleaning and cooking are done for the week, I move on to the next task of the day knowing that my family has healthy meals lined up for the next week.  Planning makes it so easy to sit down and relax, too!

Here is one of my favorite recipes to make ahead:

Here’s a fun way to eat your eggs – cooked in a waffle maker! In this recipe, the subtle flavors of Greek omelet are served up in a convenient waffle shape – complete with Kalamata olives, feta cheese, roasted red bell peppers, chicken sausage, and broccoli. This is the perfect recipe to enjoy for brunch or to make on the weekend and portion out for a week of quick on-the-go breakfasts to grab and enjoy on your way to work.

What you need
Serves 4

Olive oil spray
6 eggs
¼ cup milk
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup roasted red bell pepper, thinly sliced
¼ cup Kalamata olives, seeded and chopped
½ cup fresh broccoli, chopped
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 links chicken sausage, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat your waffle griddle on medium-low heat. Spray generously with olive oil.

2. In a large bowl combine the eggs, milk, feta, bell pepper, olives, broccoli, sea salt, black pepper and chicken sausage. Mix well until fully combined.

3. Transfer ½ cup of the omelet batter into the waffle iron, close, and cook until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and continue cooking the remaining batter in ½ cup scoops. Enjoy!

Nutrition
One serving equals 279 calories, 18g fat, 6g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 18g protein.

What does your meal planning look like?  What are some of your favorite recipes? Let me know in the comments below!