February 1st Weekly Meal Prep

Thankful Homemaking
2 days ago
4 min read

Easy to print recipe cards are down below!!

There's something about a few hours on Sunday spent in the kitchen that just sets the whole week up for success. When I open my fridge on those busy days and see food ready to go? That's the feeling we're going for. No more scrambling to figure out what's for breakfast or dealing with the "I'm hungry" chorus when there's nothing quick to grab—it's all handled.

This week's prep session looked a little different than usual. We've been struggling with breakfast lately—you know those mornings where everyone's asking what's for breakfast and you're just trying to get coffee in your system? Yeah, those. So this week I went heavy on breakfast prep because that's where we needed the most help. Here's the thing: if there's an area of your day where meals are particularly challenging, start prepping items for that one meal and then slowly add in other areas as your capacity grows. Let me walk you through what we made and why these recipes are going to make your week so much easier.

What We're Making This Week-

Breakfast Bagel Sandwiches

Can we start with how good these are? I used my favorite yeast bagel recipe and they come together so quickly! I love making a triple batch because these freeze beautifully in packs of six. This week I kept it simple with plain and everything bagel seasoning since most of these are becoming sandwiches.

For the filling, I cooked up bacon and mixed cottage cheese right into the eggs. Here's the secret: the cottage cheese helps these reheat perfectly and adds extra protein. I wrap each sandwich in parchment paper and store them in a Ziploc bag in the fridge, or you can freeze them for later.

Veggie Egg Bake

Another breakfast win! You can use whatever veggies you have on hand, and I just reheat portions in the air fryer throughout the week. When you know breakfast is the hard part of your day, having multiple easy options ready to go is a game-changer.

Frozen Yogurt Peanut Butter Bites

These are such a hit with my kids. I keep these in the freezer and pull them out a few minutes before eating—they're the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack.

Homemade Deli-Style Turkey

I just grab an unseasoned turkey roast from our local grocery store and make our own deli meat. It's so much better than store-bought, and we go through it so fast for lunches and snacks.

Hard-Boiled Eggs

One of the easiest snacks to prep! We go through so many of these every single time I make them. When healthy options are this easy to grab, the kids actually reach for them.

Granola Bars

These are a staple in our house and perfect for lunch boxes or afternoon snacks. My kids love the texture, and I love that I know exactly what's going into them.

Chia Seed Pudding

This is one of the easiest recipes because it's literally just dump everything in one bowl and portion it out. I love these portion cups because we eat these with granola and fresh berries, and the cups keep everything separate but still ready to go.

Homemade Ritz Crackers & Snack Packs

I made snack packs with my homemade crackers, pepperoni, and sliced cheese so the kids can just grab them throughout the week. So much better than buying those expensive pre-made snack packs at the store!

Dinner Rolls (For the Freezer)

I made a few batches to stock our freezer for the week's dinners. Here's my trick for keeping them fresh: I make them up to the point of shaping, freeze them shaped but unbaked, then let them thaw and rise a little on the baking sheet before putting them in the oven when I need them.

Seasoned Pot Roast

I went ahead and seasoned this pot roast for later this week so I can just thaw it out and stick it in the crockpot. Future me is going to be so grateful!

Those few hours I spent in the kitchen on Sunday? They give me back SO much time and peace during the week. When Wednesday rolls around and everyone's hungry and I'm exhausted, I'm not staring into an empty fridge trying to figure out what to make. It's already done. Breakfast is waiting. Snacks are portioned. Dinner components are ready to go.

And can we talk about the money? A decent pack of bagels at the store runs $6+. Those name-brand granola bars? $6-8 for a box filled with ingredients I can't even pronounce. Pre-made snack packs with crackers and cheese? You're looking at $1-2 per pack when you could make a whole batch at home for the same price. When you're feeding a family of seven, these savings add up fast.

But here's what really matters to me: when real food is this easy to grab, we actually eat it. We're not running through drive-thrus or reaching for processed convenience foods because the good stuff is just as convenient. We're eating better, feeling better, and I know what we're putting in our bodies.

Making It Work for You:

You don't have to make everything I made. Maybe you just pick 2-3 things to start with. The goal isn't perfection, it's progress. Even prepping one or two components can make your week so much smoother.

And remember, this gets easier the more you do it. The first few times might feel overwhelming, but once you find your rhythm, it becomes second nature.

You'll find the homemade granola bars and ritz cracker recipe in my snack stash recipe book. You can get It 30% off when you purchase the Ultimate Homemade Bundle which includes 4 of my best selling books!

OR you can get access to them (and the homemade bagels + full on the menu plan this week) by subscribing to The Kitchen Collective down below!

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