❓How do I plan a week of vegetarian meal prep without getting bored of it?
I'm busy with work most of the time and want to prep a whole week's lunches on the weekend, but I'm worried eating the same thing every day will get old.
2 Answers
I'd suggest a 'modular' approach to meal prep rather than fixed complete dishes: prep 2-3 kinds of staple food separately (brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat noodles), 2-3 kinds of protein (braised dried tofu, roasted chickpeas, pan-seared tofu), and 3-4 kinds of vegetables (pre-roasted seasonal veggies, cold-mixed salads), plus 2-3 different sauces (peanut sauce, chili oil, lemon-olive oil dressing). Each morning, spend three minutes mixing and matching based on what you're in the mood for — just switching up the sauce and combination gives you different flavors without having to cook a whole new dish every day. Soy products and roasted vegetables keep in the fridge for 3-4 days; leafy greens are best dressed right before eating; and keep the sauce in a separate container so the vegetables don't go soft and watery.
On weekends I cook a big pot of quinoa and mixed beans at once, portion it into small containers, and freeze them. On weekday mornings before heading out, I just grab a portion, microwave it to thaw, pair it with vegetables and sauce I prepped the day before, and I've got a nutritionally balanced lunch ready in five minutes — saves a lot of time. If you keep it frozen, it still tastes good if eaten within two or three weeks. I'd definitely recommend giving this method a try.