Stop spending 45 minutes cooking every evening. This 90-minute Sunday system covers 4 dinners and 5 lunches.
Quick Take
The biggest obstacle to meal prep isn't time — it's decision fatigue. This system eliminates decisions by giving you a repeatable structure. Pick proteins on Sunday, rotate through 5 sauce options, done.
0:00-0:15 — Preheat oven to 425°F. Start rice/grains (30-40 min, no attention needed). Chop all vegetables.
0:15-0:45 — Sheet pan proteins in oven (chicken thighs, salmon, or ground beef). Hard boil eggs on stove simultaneously.
0:45-1:00 — Roast vegetables (second sheet pan, 20 minutes). Make 2 sauces (10 min total — store in mason jars).
1:00-1:30 — Let everything cool. Portion into containers. Label with day of week.
These transform the same proteins into completely different meals:
1. Garlic-herb: olive oil + garlic + fresh herbs → Mediterranean vibe
2. Teriyaki: soy + honey + ginger → Asian-inspired bowls
3. Chipotle-lime: chipotle in adobo + lime + cumin → taco bowls
4. Tahini-lemon: tahini + lemon + garlic → Middle Eastern bowls
5. Pesto: jarred or fresh → Italian-style
Keep the same 5 categories, swap the items weekly: 2 proteins (choose from: chicken, salmon, shrimp, beef, tofu) + 2 grains (rice, quinoa, farro, pasta) + 4 vegetables + eggs + 2 sauces. Total grocery cost: $65-85/week for 2 people.
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