Figuring out what to eat during the week has always been a bit of a struggle for me. While I love to bake, cooking tends to feel like a chore to me, especially when I’m just doing it for myself. I’ve experimented with meal kits, but the prep work always seems to take me twice as long as advertised, and they feel like a ton of food for one person. I’ve also tried doing meal prep sessions on the weekends, which always feels great on Monday, but by the time lunchtime rolls around on Tuesday, whatever I’ve packed just seems sad (and I usually end up eating cookies instead).

So finding an approach to meal prep that gives me flexibility while still saving money and making healthier choices (and takes an hour, tops) feels like nothing short of a triumph.

I start with a Saturday morning grocery run – this is hands-down my most dreaded errand, so it’s nice to get it out of the way early in the weekend and while the store is less crowded.

On Sunday afternoons, I’ll put on some music, pour a glass of wine, and:

Cook and shred chicken breasts – I cook these in my slow cooker using this basic recipe and adding different seasonings to keep things interesting. “Active” time is next to nothing, and I can do the rest of my prep work while the chicken cooks.

Cook a grain – I like to make a pot of bulgur or quinoa for the week, but brown rice, couscous, or any other grain would work just as well. Cooking time will depend on the grain, but “active” time is very minimal.

Make granola – I became obsessed with homemade granola last year – it’s easy to make, and once you’ve done it, it’s hard to go back to store-bought. It takes about 10 minutes to prep, then goes in the oven for about 50 minutes. (I’ll share my recipe soon, but in the meantime, this one is great!)

Prep fruits and veggies – Washing and cutting fruits and veggies takes me longer than anything else, but it’s worth it to get it out of the way for the week. If I’m not sure what I’ll do with everything, I err on the side of cutting bigger pieces (and then dice or chop as needed later in the week).

All of that takes only takes about an hour of active time, but since I have a major sweet tooth, I often take some extra time to make some sort of treat. Lately, I’ve been making citrus curd – this recipe uses honey in place of sugar, which feels slightly healthier to me.

Once I’ve done the prep work, I use the ingredients in different ways throughout the week; here are a few ideas:

Soup – Since I tend to snack while I’m meal prepping, I like to have a lighter dinner on Sundays. I usually make a soup using store-bought chicken stock, some of the veggies I’ve prepped, some bulgur or quinoa, and shredded chicken. I’ll have leftovers for lunch on a couple of days during the week.

Tacos – When I get home late and want a quick and easy dinner, I’ll heat up some tortillas (a pantry staple for me) and shredded chicken and add a bit of cheese or avocado, depending on what I have on hand.

Grain bowls – If I have a little more time in the evening, I’ll roast some of my veggies, reheat some bulgur or quinoa, cook some eggs, and throw everything together in a grain bowl. I like to make enough to have leftovers for lunch the next day (soft-boiled eggs work well here).

Granola bowls – I love yogurt and granola for breakfast, and it feels decadent with a spoonful of citrus curd and some fruit.

Dessert – When my neighbor invited me to an impromptu dinner party last week, I thawed a pound cake from my freezer and topped it with the citrus curd I had on hand. A store-bought pound cake or shortbread cookies would work just as well!

These are just a few ideas from my regular rotation. You could also use your pre-prepped ingredients to make salad, sandwiches, a vegetable hash, smoothies, or overnight oats.

I would love to hear if you try this, or if you have any of your own meal prep tips and tricks, please share in the comments!

P.S. If you need more ideas on what to do with your prepped ingredients, I love this cookbook – it’s organized by ingredient (with 35 featured), with ten simple recipes for each.