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26 Meals for $165

Meal prep day is always a good day in my house. Today I prepped 26 meals for less than $165 (about $6/meal). If you're curious how to do your own meal prep, check out this post. Or you can simply follow these recipes and grocery list.

 Here's what's on the Menu |

Sweet & Sour Meatballs
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Pad Thai
Chicken Fettuccine
Teriyaki Chicken
Honey Apple Pork Loin
Pulled Pork
Three Bean Chili & Cornbread
Tacos
Salsa Chicken Burrito Bowls
Teriyaki Salmon
Ranch Chicken
Italian Sausage Subs

(make 2 of each)

 Grocery List |

Meat:
4 bags of pre-made meatballs
1 large pork loin (8 lbs.) or 4 2 lb. pork loins
4 lbs. ground beef
2 bags salmon filets
5 3 lb. bags of chicken breasts
2 packages Italian sausage links

 Canned:
4 jars marinara sauce
4 jars Alfredo
4 cans black beans
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans pinto beans
4 cans of corn
2 16 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 jar salsa
1 bottle grape jelly
1 bottle BBQ sauce

 Produce:
1 bunch green onion
2 zucchinis
1 bag shredded carrots
2 apples
2 red bell peppers
2 green bell peppers

 Dried Goods:
1 package rice noodles
2 packages fettuccine noodles
2 packages spaghetti noodles
2 bags of rice
4 packages of cornbread mix
2 packages of hard shell taco shells

 Seasoning/sauces/marinades:
Fish sauce
Rice vinegar
brown sugar
1 bottle Mr. Yoshida's teriyaki
Honey
2 packets slow cooker pulled pork seasoning
2 packets of taco seasoning
Ranch seasoning

 Freezer:
2 stir fry vegetable mix

 Bread:
2 packages of buns
2 packages of hoagies

Other:
1 bottle red wine
1 box gallon bags
3-4 boxes of slow cooker liners


Step one: layout all your grocery goodness on the counter. It's about to turn into 26 meals. Step two: label gallon-sized bags with a permanent marker. Make two of each. Step three: start browning the 4 lbs. of ground beef so it will be ready when you need it. Step four: make magic...I mean meals. Go through each meal at a time until each bag is filled and all your ingredients are spoken for.

(Tip: go ahead and put all the pantry and freezer items where they belong so they're out of the way. Example, the buns and veggie mixes in the freezer, the taco shells and noodles in the pantry.)

 Sweet & Sour Meatballs
1 bag meatballs
1/2 bottle grape jelly
1/2 BBQ sauce

Slow cook on low for 7 hours.

Spaghetti & Meatballs
1 bag meatballs
2 jars marinara
1 bay leaf
1 tsp basil

Store spaghetti noodles in the pantry. Slow cook on low for 7 hours. Prepare noodles.

Pad Thai

 Bag 1: 1 cup shredded carrots, 1/2 bunch diced green onions, 1 sliced zucchini
Bag 2: 1.5 lbs. chicken breasts seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic (thaw and slice thinly before cooking.)

Sauce is made with fish sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar. Follow these instructions when cooking the pad thai.

Chicken Fettucine
1.5 lbs. of chicken seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic

Thaw and pan fry. Add 2 jars of alfredo and prepare fettucine noodles.

 Teriyaki Chicken
1.5 lbs. chicken breasts
1/4 cup yoshidas sauce

Thaw and grill. Steam stir fry veggies. Cook rice.

 Honey Apple Pork Loin
1 2 lb. pork loin (slice halfway through every inch or so)
Stuff the slices with sliced apples
Drizzle with honey
Add: 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp garlic powder (at least) and seasoning with salt and pepper.

Add 1 cup broth to the bottom of the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours.

 Pulled Pork

 1 2 lb. pork loin
1 packet of pulled pork seasoning
1 tsp ground mustard
1-2 dash of liquid smoke

8 hours on low. Shred and serve with buns and BBQ sauce.

 Three Bean Chili & Cornbread

 1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 large can of tomato sauce
2 tsp chili powder
1-2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
Season with salt

7-8 hours on low. Prepare cornbread mix and turn it into cornbread waffles.

Tacos
2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 packet of taco seasoning

Warm in a skillet and serve on hard shells with all your favorite toppings.

 Salsa Chicken Burrito Bowls
1.5 lbs. of chicken
1/2 jar of salsa
1/2 packet of taco seasoning

8 hours on low. Shred and serve on prepare rice with beans and corn (stored in pantry) and your other favorite toppings (avocado, cheese, shredded lettuce, etc.)

 Teriyaki Salmon
1 bag salmon filets
1/4 cup yoshidas teriyaki sauce

Thaw and bake at 400 for 15 minutes.

 Ranch Chicken

 1.5 lbs. chicken
Season with ranch seasoning

Thaw and grill or pan fry.

 Italian Sausage Subs
1 package Italian sausage links
1 sliced green bell pepper
1 sliced red bell pepper
1 cup red wine
Season with garlic, basil

8 hours on low. Stuff in a hoagie or Italian bread and top with cheese.


Remember to make 2 of each meal and enjoy not making a total mess of your kitchen every single night you have to feed your family.

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