Your Ultimate Back To School Meal Prep Guide: Tips, Grocery List and Easy Family Recipes for a Week
Get ready for the school year with helpful tips, a grocery list and family-friendly meal prep ideas
As the school year approaches, the hustle and bustle of getting back into a routine can feel a bit overwhelming. Between homework, after-school activities and everything in between, finding time to cook a nutritious meal every night can be a challenge. But don’t worry—with some smart meal prep, you can breeze through those busy school nights with ease. This guide is here to help you with all things back to school meal prep, from tips and grocery lists to a week’s worth of delicious recipes.
Tips for successful back to school meal prep
As someone who loves to meal prep, here are some tips I swear by:
1. Plan your menu ahead of time
Start by planning your meals for the week. This not only helps you stay organized but also ensures that you buy only what you need, reducing food waste. Make a list of what you’ll need for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and stick to it.
2. Make batch cooking your best friend
Spend a couple of hours on the weekend cooking up large batches of food that can be easily reheated during the week. Think big pots of pasta, rice or roasted veggies. You can even cook and freeze proteins like chicken or ground beef for quick weeknight dinners.
3. Use good storage containers
Quality storage containers make all the difference in meal prep. Look for ones that are microwave-safe, leak-proof and easy to stack in your fridge. This will save you a lot of time during the week.
4. Chop and prep ingredients in advance
Get all your chopping, peeling and dicing done in one go. Prepping ingredients like vegetables, fruits and proteins ahead of time makes it much easier to throw meals together during the week. Plus, it saves you from making a mess every night!
5. Rely on the slow cooker or pressure cooker
If you find prepping meals overwhelming, opt for what I refer to as the throw-and-go, meals that you can throw into a slow cooker and leave for eight hours, returning to the kitchen at dinner time to a perfectly cooked, and ready-to-eat, mel.
Sample meal prep grocery list
This simple grocery list will cover dinner from Monday to Friday. And the best part? You can stretch these ingredients across multiple meals and reduce food waste:
- Proteins: rotisserie chicken, ground beef, ground turkey
- Grains: rice, ziti pasta, tortillas, bread, oats, orzo
- Vegetables: bell peppers, onions, spinach, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, green beans, kale
- Dairy: cheddar cheese, sour cream, shredded cheese
- Pantry staples: tomato sauce, spices (cumin, paprika, and oregano), beans, soy sauce
- Miscellaneous: pizza dough, tortilla chips, salsa
1 week of back to school meal prep recipes
Follow this sample week of meal prep for breakfast and dinner. Each recipe is designed to be balanced, quick and delicious—perfect for busy families.
Monday: chicken fajita bowls
Start the week with a bang! Cook up some chicken with bell peppers, onions and spices, then serve over rice. Top with salsa, shredded cheese and sour cream.
Tuesday: beef and veggie stir-fry
Use your pre-chopped veggies and ground beef to whip up a quick stir-fry. Serve over rice, and drizzle with soy sauce for extra flavor.
Wednesday: baked ziti
This pasta dish is a family favorite and super easy to prepare. Mix cooked pasta with tomato sauce, ground turkey and cheese, then bake until bubbly. Bonus: it makes for great leftovers!
Thursday: veggie and cheese quesadillas
Quesadillas are always a hit. Stuff tortillas with your favorite veggies, beans and cheese, then cook until crispy. Serve with tortilla chips and salsa.
Friday: homemade sheet pan pizza
End the week with pizza night! Using store-bought dough, top with leftover veggies, cheese and any remaining meat from earlier in the week.
More on smarter grocery shopping:
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