How to Cook for the Whole Week

Slicing raw vegetables on the weekend can allow family members easy access to healthy foods during the week.

Life's daily routine can turn weekdays into a blur of work, child activities, homework help and home maintenance. With all that the world throws at the average adult, it can be hard to set aside time for cooking balanced and healthy meals. However, with a couple of hours on the weekend and the right ingredients, most cooking can be accomplished before the week even starts. That way, on weeknights all you'll need is a little time to warm up your delicious prepared meals.

Things You'll Need

• Eggs
• Carrots
• Romaine lettuce
• Cherry tomatoes
• Pasta
• Spaghetti sauce
• Ground beef
• Chicken
• Rice
• Cream of chicken soup
• Mixed vegetables
• Turkey breast
• Freezer bags
• Plastic storage bowls
• Aluminum foil

Instructions

1. Boil eggs for breakfasts and dinner salads. Place protein-packed eggs into a pan of warm water and set the pan on a stove on high heat. Once water begins to boil, leave eggs to boil for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pan and place them in the refrigerator. These eggs can be used for a quick breakfast on the go or to create Cobb salads at night.

2. Wash and chop raw vegetables for snacks and lunch sides. Romaine lettuce, carrots, and cherry tomatoes make a quick, healthful salad for lunches or dinner sides. Wash the vegetable and chop the romaine for storage in aluminum foil or plastic storage container for use during the week.

3. Roast a turkey breast for lean lunch sandwiches or dinners. Turkey breast isn't just for Thanksgiving anymore and can provide protein and juicy sandwiches that pair well with raw vegetables and prepared soups.

4. Bake a chicken casserole and freeze the meal in individual containers for dinners during the week. Combine cooked chicken breast, cooked rice, cream of chicken soup, and mixed vegetables and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. The casserole can then be refrigerated in plastic airtight containers or frozen in freezer bags for consumption the next week as well.

5. Prepare pasta and refrigerate it for filling dinners. Boil water on the stove and add pasta to cook on high until tender. Drain the pasta and add meat sauce made by mixing browned ground beef with the spaghetti sauce of choice. Refrigerate in plastic storage containers for 3 to 5 days and warm for dinners during the week.

Tips & Warnings

• Season the spaghetti and casserole with salt, pepper, or other seasonings as desired.

References

• Incredible Edible Egg
• Better Homes and Gardens: Storing Cooked Pasta

Resources

• 100 Make-Ahead Meals
• My Recipes: Freezable Recipes