Cook Once for the Whole Week: A Fall Meal Plan

The glorious days of summer may be coming to an end, but farmers’ markets will be bursting with colorful, nutrient-loaded fruits and veggies for weeks to come – it’s the perfect time of year for discovering fresh new flavors. And as you ease back into your work and school routines, it’s also a great time for getting organized in the kitchen. Our prep-ahead meal ideas make it easy to eat healthy all week long and still have time to bask in every last ray of sunshine.

Breakfast

• Huevos Rancheros Savory Quinoa
• Ultimate Chocolate Shake or Smoothie

Lunch

• Chickpea Salad in a Sandwich or Wrap
• Easy Garlic Chile Greens

Dinner

• Cannellini Bean Alfredo Sauce with Fresh Herbs over Whole-Grain Pasta or Veggie Noodles
• Your Favorite Homemade Frozen Pizza

Snacks

• Ultimate Chocolate Shake or Smoothie
• Chickpea Salad on Whole-Grain or Seed Crackers

Prep Sunday

• Huevos Rancheros Savory Quinoa – will keep until Thursday
• Ultimate Chocolate Shake Protein Powder – will keep until Thursday
• Chickpea Salad – will keep until Friday
• Easy Garlic Chile Greens – will keep until Friday
• Cannellini Bean Alfredo Sauce – will keep until Friday
• Your favorite homemade frozen pizza – will keep in the freezer up to 3 months

Shopping List & Meal Plan

1. Huevos Rancheros Savory Quinoa

Premake your favorite porridge on Sunday for a quick reheat on weekday mornings. Try our Huevos Rancheros Savory Quinoa when you have a hankering for something savory over sweet for breakfast.

Get the recipe.

2. The Ultimate Chocolate Protein Powder

For a quick add to your morning smoothie, oatmeal or breakfast bowl, make your own protein powder using staples you may already have in your pantry. It’s cost-efficient and much easier than you’d think. Our Ultimate Chocolate Protein Powder is packed with healthy essential fatty acids (EFAs) from chia and hemp, and it contains antioxidant-rich cacao powder. Paired with a cup of organic soy milk, it’ll give you more than 20 grams of satiating protein. The powder can be used within a few days, or frozen in individual servings for up to 1 month.

Get the recipe.

3. Chickpea Salad

For a quick, make-ahead lunch that can keep for days in the fridge, look no further than the classic salad sandwich filling. These comforting, creamy staples are satisfying and satiating; however, typical egg salad fillings also contain excessive amounts of unhealthy fat. Try substituting your favorite mayo-laden egg or tuna salad with this truly unique Chickpea Salad, a mouthwatering, protein- and fiber-rich substitute that is not only creamy and delicious but also easy to prepare. It holds up in the fridge throughout the week for quick and easy sandwiches and wraps or snacks with your favorite cracker. Be sure to make a large batch to get you through the week.

Get the recipe.

4. Easy Garlic Chile Greens

When you get home with your groceries, wash, dry and prep your greens before putting them away in the fridge. This little trick will make you far more likely to toss them up for salads, layer on sandwiches or stir into soups and stews. Be sure to store your greens with a damp cloth or towel in a resealable bag to keep them at their freshest. Use greens in pastas, wraps, sandwiches, stews and soups, or enjoy them raw paired with your favorite Clean Eating salad dressing, like the one in our Easy Garlic Chile Greens.

Get the recipe.

5. Cannellini Bean Alfredo Sauce

Store-bought sauces can be filled with a plethora of surprise additions including added sugar, unnecessarily high levels of sodium or excessively refined oils. Make your own homemade versions of your favorite sauces for easy use in stir-fries, curries and pastas. Try this satisfying dairy-free alfredo sauce over whole-grain linguine or veggie noodles with fresh herbs.

Get the recipe.

6. Homemade Frozen Pizza

Nothing says love like a handcrafted pizza pie! Skip the refined flours, processed meats and excess sodium in your standard ‘za and premake your own (or two!) and freeze them for a convenient, weekday meal. Not only will these save your bacon on nights when you are tempted to call the local pizzeria, but your wallet will not mind either. Try our Caramelized Fennel, Sweet Potato & Pine Nut Cheese Pizza – free of refined flour, high in fiber and full of flavor. For ease of future baking, freeze the unbaked pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet and then slide it into an extra-large resealable bag or cover it with aluminum foil and store in the freezer until ready to bake.

NOTE: Increase the baking time for a homemade pie from frozen by 8 to 10 minutes.