Prep Workflow
Weekly meal prep workflow and timeline
Weekly Schedule
The meal prep system follows a weekly cycle with three key days: Saturday for planning and shopping, Sunday for the main prep session, and Wednesday for a mid-week check and rotation.
Planning & Shopping
- •Review meal plan for the week15 min
- •Check inventory and make shopping list10 min
- •Shop for ingredients45-60 min
- •Organize and store groceries15 min
Main Prep Session3.5 hours
Wave 1: Setup
15 min- •Preheat double oven to 400°F
- •Preheat single oven to 450°F for potatoes
- •Start rice cooker
- •Lay out and label containers
- •Prep baking sheets and pans
Wave 2: Proteins
60 min- •Put chicken in single 400°F oven
- •While chicken bakes (30 mins), portion meatball mix onto sheets
- •Remove chicken to rest
- •Put meatball sheets in double 400°F oven for 20 mins
Wave 3: Potato Prep
25 min- •Peel potatoes and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- •Boil in heavily salted water for exactly 4 minutes
- •Drain and return to pot
- •Toss with flour and shake to rough up edges
- •Spread in single layer on baking sheets
Wave 4: Oven Transition & Vegetables
50 min- •Put potato pans in 450°F single oven (30-45 mins until golden)
- •Season potatoes with salt and pepper
- •Steam frozen vegetables in batches
- •Monitor and rotate as needed
- •Cool items properly
Wave 5: Assembly
45 min- •Portion cooked rice into containers
- •Portion proteins as they finish cooling
- •Remove and portion crispy potatoes
- •Add proteins, potatoes, vegetables to containers
- •Pack any additional items
Wave 6: Cleanup
15 min- •Wipe down all surfaces
- •Store prepped meals properly
- •Take out trash
- •Final organization
Mid-Week Check
- •Move Thursday meals to fridge5 min
- •Check food quality5 min
- •Adjust portions if needed10 min
Pro Tips
Efficiency
- •Label containers before starting
- •Use multiple timers for different items
- •Clean as you go
- •Prep all ingredients before cooking
Quality Control
- •Use meat thermometer for proteins
- •Cool items quickly with fan
- •Store sauces separately
- •Rotate freezer meals properly