I love watching those beautifully curated meal prep videos — the kind where it takes hours to make, everything looks perfect, the fridge is color-coded, and every container matches. I find it so aesthetically pleasing and aspirational, but if I’m being honest, I’m never actually going to do that because I like to get in and out of hte kitchen as quickly as possible. But I’ve realized that if I want to be set up for a healthy week ahead, I need to do at least a little bit of prep.
That’s why I started a new series called Prep, Set, Go! — a super simple, realistic approach to meal prep that helps set you up for a healthy week without taking over your Sunday. Think of it as a mini meal prep sesh and none of the “recipes” require more than a couple of ingredients. No marathon cooking sessions, no complicated systems. Just a handful of easy, flexible staples you can mix and match into meals when life gets busy. Each week on instagram, I’ll share exactly what I prepped and how I used those items throughout the week, and I’ll share the breakdown of how I made everything right here on the blog.
Here’s what I prepped for week 1. See the reel here.
Simple Stovetop Chicken
Using thin-sliced chicken breasts is one of my favorite shortcuts because they cook quickly and stay tender.
How I made it:
- Heat a tbsp of avocado oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Season thin-sliced chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and I also like to add this Tuscan seasoning.
- Cook for 3–4 minutes per side, until cooked through (internal temp = 165°F).
You can store the chicken as breasts or shred it up depending on how you plan to use it.
Easy Sautéed Broccolini
Tip: use the same pan you just used for the chicken – it will add extra flavor to the broccolini, and less dishes is also a win!
How I made it:
- Add about 3 tablespoons of water, and let it steam up and continue to sauté for about 3–4 minutes, until tender but still bright green.
- Cut broccolini into bite-sized pieces.
- Using the same pan you cooked the chicken in, add a little more avocado oil.
- Sauté for 1–2 minutes to get some color and flavor.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
I like prepping sweet potatoes in different sizes so they work for multiple meals.
How I made them:
- Roast at 425°F for 25–30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until tender and lightly golden.
- Cut most of the sweet potatoes into cubes. No need to peel them unless the skins look beat up — just give them a good scrub.
- Slice one sweet potato into 1-inch thick rounds (I like these bigger pieces for pairing with my eggs).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread potatoes in an even layer.
- Spray with avocado oil and season with salt and pepper.
Perfect Stovetop Hard-Boiled Eggs
A fridge staple that works for breakfast, snacks, or quick protein add-ons. I made the eggs white the sweet potatoes cooked.
How I made them:
- You can peel and store in the fridge or keep the peel on until you’re ready to eat them.Content
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.
- Carefully add eggs straight from the fridge (no need to bring them to room temp).
- Cook for 8½ minutes (less if you prefer them a little jammy).
- Immediately transfer to an ice bath for at least 10 minutes.
Quick & Easy Protein Banana Muffins
I rarely stray from my homemade Paleo Protein Banana Muffins, but when I’m in a pinch and want something quick, I use this bag of banana bread mix. We obviously need something sweet in our meal prep because a little treat always makes the week better.
What I used:
- 1 bag Go Nana’s original banana bread mix
- 3 small bananas
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder
I skip any extra sweetener and bake according to the package instructions.
that’s a wrap on part 1!
With these items, I can make easy breakfasts, a big bowl with everything thrown in for lunch or dinner, I can serve the chicken and veggies over rice or quinoa, I can wrap it up as a taco or lettuce wrap, put it into quesadillas for the kids, add it into a jar with dressing and lettuce for a quick shake-up-salad, the list goes on. Super simple and easy to use!
Hope you enjoy this new series!
