I’ve always hated cooking. Grocery shopping, preparing all of the ingredients, cooking the meal, washing dishes– every part of cooking is just outright annoying and time-consuming. However, once I became an off-campus student last year, I quickly realized that it didn’t matter that I didn’t like cooking…I had to cook if I wanted to eat.
That didn’t mean that I couldn’t learn to simplify the activity. Cooking three meals a day was so time-consuming and, in my opinion, unnecessary. Once I figured out that I could meal prep for the upcoming week on the weekends, the days of cooking every meal were over. With much trial and error, here’s my list of easy meals that can last you for the week, and what I personally rotate every week.
Homemade Wraps
This is one of my current favorites to eat for lunch. It’s so simple to assemble, and it can easily be made in bulk for the week. All you will need is a salad kit, your choice of protein, and soft tortillas. I grab a rotisserie chicken and salad kits at Costco, along with tortillas at Trader Joe’s. Mix the salad ingredients and your choice of protein together, scoop some onto your tortilla, and voila! The easiest (and delicious) meal prepped in just a few minutes!
Feta Pasta
This recipe went viral on TikTok a few years ago, and for a good reason! I still use this recipe to this day for a quick dinner, as it’s delicious as well as very easy to make. All you will need is pasta, cherry tomatoes, a block of feta cheese, olive oil, garlic, and some seasonings. I use salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley, but of course, any seasoning you like will work. Throw the cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, garlic, and seasonings into a baking dish and drizzle the top with olive oil. Bake it at 400°F for 20 minutes. While this is baking, boil some pasta. Once it’s done baking, mash the ingredients in the dish together, throw in the boiled pasta, and it’s finished! Dinner for the week is done in about half an hour!
Overnight Oats
I absolutely love prepping my breakfast because it takes one thing off my list in the mornings, especially when I sometimes prioritize more sleep over eating breakfast. For this recipe, you’ll need oats, chia seeds, milk, Greek yogurt, chocolate chips, and your choice of fruit. I personally love using strawberries. All you need to do for overnight oats is to throw everything into a jar and let it sit overnight! After letting it sit overnight, I usually throw the rest in the fridge. It’s filling, healthy, and super easy to make!
Well, there you have it! My favorite breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal prep ideas! They’re all so simple and can be made in large batches to save time throughout the week. If you don’t enjoy cooking like me, check out meal prepping for delicious and easy meals to eat throughout the week!