On most Sundays, I spend the day meal prepping for the week. For me, cooking is a hobby and something that helps me decompress from a really busy week. My family knows this about me and usually leaves me alone so I can churn out recipes. I meal prep on Sundays because it is absolutely impossible for me to cook during the week. I’ve tried — many times — and it just never happens. Food ends up going bad in the refrigerator, which I absolutely can’t stand or we end up cooking a frozen pizza. So, meal prepping for me ensures we will have healthy-ish food for the week AND we use our groceries in a meaningful way. I’m not claiming to be perfect because even when I meal prep, some of the leftovers end up in the trash, but less often than if I don’t plan at all.

Meal prep usually consists of: a few breakfast options (yes, we eat breakfast every morning which I know is a feat unto itself and wouldn’t happen without the Sunday meal prep plan) and a few dinner options. Lunches are usually leftovers and/or salads, etc.

This week’s breakfast options have one thing in common: Overripe bananas. I got home from a quick trip and found 5 bananas rotting away on the counter. I used these gems as a the foundation for the week. I started with The Salty Marshmallow’s Best Banana Bread Recipe and plan to toast them in the oven with a little butter for weekday mornings. I also made All Recipes Banana Breakfast Cookies for the week (p.s. I left out the raisins because I’m a raisin-hater). While I was in the kitchen, I decided to make some of Sugar Spun Run’s Best Buttermilk Pancakes, which were super good. We had enough left over for the week! My 10-year-old loves oatmeal and I found the PERFECT Instant Pot recipe thanks to Minimalist Baker (thank you, thank you, thank you). I double the recipe so she can have oatmeal each morning. I also bake two sheet pans of bacon so that we can easily heat it up for the week. All of these recipes took a little over an hour and breakfast is ready for the entire week.

As for dinners, I try to make as many recipes in advance so we are simply heating them up during the week. I’m going to include some dinners I made last week because they were incredibly easy and so very good.

First up, Supper with Michelle’s Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Ravioli (I used Costco’s tortellini). This was so easy, but definitely not low-calorie. I made a huge, simple salad to serve with it. The Costco tortellini is a pack of 2 servings, so I tossed the second pack of tortellini in the pesto sauce to make another meal later in the week!

Next up, Anna Chwistek’s Pierogi with Creamy Mushroom Sauce on ServingDumplings.com. I used the smaller pierogies you can find in your freezer section. Again, super easy the kids loved it. I should have served it with steamed green beans or broccoli, but interestingly enough a bowl of this recipe filled the family up!

This week, I made Smitten Kitchen’s Baked Chicken Meatballs with jasmine rice and steamed green beans (all made in advance). Not the prettiest photo, but I also made a quick gravy for the meatballs (this was my brilliant idea because I needed something for the rice).

You can’t beat an easy sheet-pan dinner with roasted potatoes, smoked sausage, and broccoli. Just throw it all on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil and any spices you love (garlic and onion powder for me) and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees (or until done). Serve with some buttered, toasted bread.

Not pictured: I’m also planning to stir-fryTrader Joe’s Carne Asada with peppers and onions for homemade fajitas! I’ll add lime wedges, avocado, and some black beans as a side.

Yes, it takes 3.5 or so hours of my Sunday, but it saves so much time and guilt and stress during the week. I feel like all of that weighs out and forces me to be more disciplined (which I continue to work on). I know meal prep isn’t for everyone, but I think given the pressures we are under from work, school, family, and so much more — I hope it is more of an inspiration than a burden.

All of this to say… we are all doing the best we can and that counts too! If frozen pizzas are the answer one night, let that be the answer. The same love and energy will be there as you tear that box open and slide it in the oven. We are all finding our way together and I support whatever meal planning you decide to do this week. xo