The Meal Prep Trick That Makes Life SO Much Easier
Updated: Dec. 10, 2019
There are so many meal prep tips out there, but there's one that's going to save you time and money without sacrificing variety.
Creating a meal plan you’ll stick with can be daunting. When it comes to successful weekly meal prep, it’s easy to get confused. However, there’s one quick secret that varies your meals without breaking the bank: Keep the grocery list short. You can make lots of different dishes using a handful of the same ingredients.
How a Short Grocery List Helps Meal Prep
A short grocery list doesn’t mean you’ll be eating the same meal every day. Instead, focus on versatile ingredients that can be repurposed into all kinds of dishes. Here’s my go-to seven-item grocery list I use:
- Chicken breasts or thighs
- Fresh mozzarella
- Tomato sauce (look for low-sodium options)
- Fresh spinach
- Sliced almonds
- Fresh fruit
- Whole wheat pasta
The list consists of proteins, healthy carbohydrates, fruits and cheese—all the essentials for creating tasty meals. These are the options that I love to prep in advance.
Easy Chicken Parmigiana
Chicken parm is a staple that’s good any day or time. To keep things healthy, make grilled chicken and stick with one serving of tomato sauce. Although it’s tempting to add more sauce, jarred sauces tend to have a lot of sodium. This recipe is great because it includes a good serving of fresh veggies, too.
Spinach Salad with Fresh Fruit
Top fresh spinach with strawberries and sliced almonds for a healthy spinach salad with some added protein. If you’re not a strawberry fan, watermelon works, too, or even fresh peaches. Feel free to get creative, depending on your fruit preference.
Simple Pasta with Red Sauce
Grab the leftover tomato sauce and cook up some whole wheat pasta. Feel free to add some freshly grated mozzarella, and season the dish with oregano or basil flakes, if you have them. If you have fresh tomatoes, you can use those, too.
Here’s how our Community Cooks make a jar of sauce taste homemade.
Almond-Crusted Chicken
Avoid the breading and coat your chicken in crushed almonds. You can bake or pan fry this recipe. Once made, pair the chicken with veggies, a fresh salad or even roll it up in a wrap.
Spinach Penne Salad
Get creative with some whole-wheat pasta salad. Toss in any veggies you already have, like red onion, cucumber and peppers. Add oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and mix it up to combine. Let it sit overnight to absorb the flavor; add more oil and vinegar if you like.
It’s easy to meal plan with a tight grocery budget. A short list does not mean sacrificing variety. It’s all about choosing meals with ingredients that work well together, and most of all, ones that you enjoy!
On board with meal planning? Here are more meals you can cook once and eat all week.
Slow-Cooker Roast Chicken
It's easy to make a whole chicken in a slow cooker. We save the shredded chicken to use during busy weeks. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas
Chicken Amandine
With colorful green beans and pimientos, this attractive casserole is terrific for the holidays. This is true comfort food at its finest. —Kat Woolbright, Wichita Falls, Texas
Chicken-Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers
Here's a different take on traditional stuffed peppers. I substituted chicken for the beef and used Cubanelle peppers in place of the green peppers that are usually featured in such a dish. —Ron Burlingame, Canton, Ohio Calls for: 3 cups shredded cooked chicken. <br><br> "Here's a different take on traditional stuffed peppers. I substituted chicken for the beef and used Cubanelle peppers in place of the green peppers." —Ron Burlingame, Canton, Ohio [/rms_recipe]
Thai Red Chicken Curry
I re-created a favorite dish from a restaurant, and now I cook it almost weekly for my family. On a busy night, frozen stir-fry veggies really speed things up. —Mary Shenk, DeKalb, Illinois
Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwiches
Parmesan cheese and dill make this the most incredible chicken salad I’ve ever tasted. These sandwiches are a simple entree to serve at parties, showers or picnics.—Jaclyn Bell, Logan, Utah
Slow-Cooked Ham
Entertaining doesn't get much easier than serving this tasty five-ingredient ham from the slow cooker. And the leftovers are delicious in casseroles! —Heather Spring, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
Split Pea Soup with Ham
For a different spin on split pea soup, try this recipe. The flavor is peppery rather than smoky. —Barbara Link, Rancho Cucamonga, California
Ham Pasta Toss
This is my favorite meal to make when I'm short on time. You can also use different meats or vegetables depending on what you have on hand. —Sharon Gerst, North Liberty, Iowa.
Ham & Swiss Potato Casserole
No one will be able to resist the classic trio of ham, Swiss and potatoes in this comforting bake. It was the result of creative experimentation when I wanted to use up ingredients I had on hand. I sometimes replace the ham with turkey ham. —Sarah Wilham, Elkhart, Illinois
Skillet Ham & Rice
Ham, rice and mushrooms make a tasty combination in this homey stovetop dish. It goes from start to finish in just 25 minutes. —Susan Zivec, Regina, Saskatchewan
Slow-Cooker Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Every year my Mom made cream cheese mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. I tailored the recipe to my family's taste and carried on the tradition. I make them a day ahead and use my slow cooker to free up oven space for other dishes. —Ann Nolte, Tampa, Florida
Meat Shell Potato Pie
Guests always comment on the presentation and flavor of this delightfully different dish. —Julie Sterchi, Flora, Illinois
Bacon-Cheddar Potato Croquettes
Instead of throwing out leftover mashed potatoes, use them to make this potato croquette recipe. The little baked balls are yummy with ranch dressing, barbecue sauce or Dijon mayonnaise for dipping. —Pamela Shank, Parkersburg, West Virginia
Pork Shepherd's Pie
Of all the shepherd's pie recipes I've tried through the years, this version is my favorite. Although I live alone, I enjoy cooking and baking for friends and family. —Mary Arthurs, Etobicoke, Ontario
Broccoli Potato Supreme
My family insists that this two-in-one casserole makes an appearance at all of our special meals. Every bite is doubly delicious! —Jane Birch, Edison, New Jersey
Green Chile Shredded Pork
Pork green chili made in the slow cooker always makes my hungry family happy. Getting creative with the leftovers is part of the fun. —Mary Shivers, Ada, Oklahoma
Barbecue Pork and Penne Skillet
I'm the proud mother of wonderful and active children. Simple, delicious and quick meals like this BBQ pork skillet are perfect for us to enjoy together after school activities, especially if I have leftover pulled pork. —Judy Armstrong, Prairieville, Louisiana
Pork Taquitos
Taquitos are a popular appetizer and these homemade ones are so much better than the frozen ones in the supermarket. If you want a little more punch to the filling, adjust the seasonings to suit your taste.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Big Kahuna Pizza
A prebaked pizza crust and refrigerated barbecued pork make this tasty supper idea super fast and super easy. Cut into bite-sized pieces, and it can double as a great last-minute appetizer, too! —Joni Hilton, Rocklin, California
Slow-Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
This corned beef and cabbage slow-cooker recipe is a fuss-free way to cook the traditional dish. I tried it for St. Patrick's Day a few years ago. Now it's a regular in my menu planning. —Karen Waters, Laurel, Maryland
Chicken Reuben Roll-Ups
My Nebraska-native husband loves Reuben sandwiches and anything with chicken, so I combined his two favorites in a fun roll-up. —Ashli Kottwitz, Hermitage, Tennessee
Reuben-Style Pizza
This homemade pie has all the goodness classic Reuben sandwich in a form that will feed a crowd. It has a cheesy sauce, and smells so wonderful coming out of the oven. —Tracy Miller, Wakeman, Ohio
Paddy's Reuben Dip
This slow-cooked spread tastes just like the popular Reuben sandwich. Even when I double the recipe, I end up with an empty dish. —Mary Jane Kimmes, Hastings, Minnesota
Reuben Bread Pudding
Our Aunt Renee always brought this casserole to family picnics in Chicago. It became so popular that she started bringing two or three. I have also made it using dark rye bread or marbled rye, and ham instead of corned beef—all the variations are delicious! —Johnna Johnson, Scottsdale, Arizona
Slow-Cooked Herbed Turkey
When herbs are plentiful in my garden, I prepare this turkey recipe. The turkey stays moist in the slow cooker and is bursting with herb flavors. When I served this to our Bible study potluck group, everyone wanted the recipe! —Sue Jurack, Mequon, Wisconsin
Lemony Turkey Rice Soup
While growing up in Texas, I spent a lot of time helping my grandma cook. Lemon and cilantro add a deliciously different twist to turkey soup. —Margarita Cuellar, East Chicago, Indiana
Four-Cheese Turkey Pasta Bake
Leftover turkey combines with penne and cheeses to make a classic comfort food. The pasta bake works with chicken, shrimp or beef, too.—Mary Cokenour, Monticello, Utah
Turkey Curry
I'm always looking for new and interesting ways to use leftover turkey—especially around the holidays. Make this skillet meal as spicy as you'd like by varying the amount of curry powder. —Martha Balser, Cincinnati, Ohio
Turkey & Stuffing Eggs Benedict
This is a fun way to enjoy holiday leftovers as if presenting them for the first time. Serve for brunch, with champagne and cranberry juice. —Brittany Allyn, Mesa, Arizona
Simple Poached Salmon
I love this recipe because it's healthy and almost effortless. The salmon always cooks to perfection! —Erin Chilcoat, Central Islip, New York
Smoked Salmon Quesadillas with Creamy Chipotle Sauce
These extra-special quesadillas take just minutes to make, but you'll want to savor them for as long as possible. Sprinkle the cheesy wedges with chopped fresh cilantro. —Daniel Shemtob, Irvine, California
Salmon Burgers with Tangy Slaw
I thought I’d made salmon every way you can make it—until now. The tangy slaw, made with fennel and avocado, adds another layer of flavor that goes surprisingly well with salmon and other seafood. —Amber Massey, Argyle, Texas
Creamy Salmon Linguine
Extra Pesto Grilled Salmon gives this creamy pasta toss a luxurious taste and texture. We love it as is, but you could easily sub in any veggies you have on hand for the broccoli. —Jacob Kitzman, Seattle, Washington
Simple Salmon Dip
This is my go-to dip recipe for summer barbecues. The secret is the green chiles—they add just enough heat. —Susan Jordan, Denver, Colorado
Sweet & Tangy Beef Roast
While cleaning out the fridge I found barbecue sauce, red pepper jelly and hoisin sauce – the perfect trio for creating this this slightly tangy and sweet, utterly delicious roast. —Rachel Van Orden, Annville, Pennsylvania
Provolone Beef Pastry Pockets
My children always make sure they're home when they find out we're having these pockets for dinner. They're a smart way to use leftover pot roast. —Karen Burkett, Reseda, California
Weekday Beef Stew
Beef stew capped with flaky puff pastry adds comfort to the weeknight menu—my family is always glad to see this meal. Make a salad and call your crowd to the table. —Daniel Anderson, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Tex-Mex Cheesesteak Sandwiches
We adore cheesesteak sandwiches and anything with southwestern flavor, so I combined the two. If you crave even more firepower, add chopped jalapenos. —Joan Hallford, Fort Worth, Texas
Easy Beef Pies
We make a lot of French dips and always have leftover roast beef. Here's how I put it to good use. For these pies, use any vegetables you like. They're extra awesome drenched in cheese sauce. —Jennie Weber, Palmer, Alaska
Originally Published: January 12, 2018
