Plan a full week of meal prep by combining a short refrigerated batch with frozen portions and a midweek refresh. Seven days of cooked food should not simply sit in the fridge.
Two simple batch recipes
For four bean-chili portions, soften one chopped onion and two peppers in a tablespoon of oil. Add two drained 400 g cans of beans, one 400 g can of chopped tomatoes, cumin and a splash of water. Simmer until the vegetables are tender. Serve with freshly cooked brown rice. For two cold lunches, combine one drained can of chickpeas with chopped cucumber, two tomatoes, lemon and olive oil; add wholegrain bread when serving.
A seven-day rotation
Monday and Tuesday: chili with rice. Wednesday: chickpea salad prepared that day. Thursday: a fresh omelette with vegetables. Friday: a frozen chili portion thawed safely in the fridge. Saturday: a wholegrain sandwich and soup. Sunday: cook the next batch. Refrigerate promptly in shallow containers and freeze portions intended for later in the week.
Use the planner for quantities
Write your meals into the weekly planner and list protein foods, grains, vegetables and extras in the batch-prep table. Add quantities yourself from the recipes; the planner does not generate them. Label containers with the preparation date. Follow local storage advice and package instructions; the US FoodSafety chart gives 3–4 days for many cooked leftovers when kept at 4°C or below.
Plan components first, then assign meals. Plan eerst componenten en verdeel daarna de maaltijden.
| Day / dag | Breakfast / ontbijt | Lunch | Dinner / avondeten | Snack | Prep or thaw / bereiden |
|---|
Batch-prep list / Voorbereidingslijst
| Protein / eiwit | Whole grain or starch / graan of zetmeel | Vegetables and fruit / groente en fruit | Sauce or extras / saus of extra |
|---|---|---|---|
Label cooked food with the date, cool it promptly and follow official food-safety storage guidance. Adjust for allergies and medical diets with qualified advice.
