Here is a list of grocery list staples you can use to prepare meals throughout the week — all without having to make a return trip to the store.
The items on this list are chosen with versatility in mind. Most will last long enough to pull double duty as ingredients in a nutritious breakfast on one day, and still plenty left over to help you work up a tasty evening meal the next. Meal prepping can help save time and money, but best of all, it helps keep you on track!
Here is the list:
Eggs
Apples
Feta cheese
Tomato sauce
Peppers
Broccoli
Chicken
Sweet potatoes
Black beans
Whole wheat tortillas
Salsa
Greek yogurt
Old-fashioned oats
Banana
Frozen fruit
Avocado
Peanut butter
Baby spinach
These 18 simple ingredients are the foundation for your week-long meal plan. Here are a few delicious and easy meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to get you started.
Breakfast
Overnight oats prepared with milk — topped with berries and peanut butter
Breakfast tacos with eggs, sautéed peppers, salsa, and feta cheese
Frozen fruit smoothie with a blending base of Greek yogurt and milk
Baked egg muffins with spinach, peppers, and feta cheese
Lunch
Baked sweet potatoes topped with black beans, avocado, salsa, and feta cheese
Peanut butter & banana “sushi” — Roll a whole wheat wrap filled with peanut butter and banana
Spinach salad with chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, feta cheese, and apples
Avocado egg salad wrap with spinach
Dinner
Sweet potato & black bean tacos topped with salsa, feta cheese, and an avocado & Greek yogurt crema
Breakfast Shakshuka (the word literally means “mixture”) — a tangy dish of baked eggs in tomato sauce and spinach, topped with feta cheese
Chicken stir fry with peppers and broccoli, topped with avocado
Sweet potato veggie egg hash (sweet potatoes, spinach, and broccoli)
Grilled chicken with sweet potato fries and roasted broccoli
This list is only a start, but it’s super-easy to tweak these meals by swapping out an ingredient here and there to suit your taste. But you don’t have to stop here! Now that you’re on track with our list, what nutritious and tasty meal creations can you dream up?