HEALTHY MEAL PREP FOR THE WEEK | 5-Day Menu! (plus Caraway review!)

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It’s time for another healthy 5-day meal prep menu to keep you on track with your health and weight loss journey! This week’s menu is loaded with nutritious recipes that are full of flavor. All of the healthy recipes on this week’s meal prep are gluten free with grain and dairy free options (scroll down for an overview of the menu and macros).

Healthy meal prep recipes for the week (gluten free)

Today’s post is in collaboration with Caraway, and I couldn’t be more excited to partner with them. I’ve been using their non-toxic, non-stick cookware for several weeks now, and it has exceeded all of my expectations (read my honest review below).

Why I Chose Caraway Cookware (hint: non-toxic!)

A few months ago, I started doing some research on the best non-stick, non-toxic cookware because it was time to replace some of my older cookware that I’ve had for 10+ years. In the process of researching, I came across Caraway and was definitely impressed with their quality and non-toxic materials.

And, the timing couldn’t have been better because during this time of research, they reached out to me for a collaboration. And, of course, I agreed under one condition: that I get to test out the cookware first. Needless to say, it did not disappoint!

Here’s why I fell in love with Caraway:

  • Truly Non-Toxic: The most important thing to me when it comes to choosing cookware, in general, is that it’s non-toxic. 95% of non-stick cookware contains PFOA’s (aka forever chemicals) that are extremely difficult for your body to break down and can stay in your body for years and even decades. These chemicals may lead to certain cancers and disrupt your hormones. If I’m going to be putting time and effort into making healthy meals for me and my family, the last thing I want is for my cookware to be leaching toxic chemicals into my healthy food. They’re cookware is also lead and cadmium free.
  • Non-Stick: While I love cooking with my cast iron and stainless steel cookware, they’re not the best at being non-stick. This is another major reason I love Caraway’s cookware. It has a ceramic coating that’s mineral based and completely non-toxic. Having the best of both worlds (non-toxic & non-stick) is such a game changer for me in the kitchen. It means I can use less oils when cooking certain foods.
  • Easy to Store: When you get the Caraway Cookware Set, it comes with magnetic dividers to beautifully store your pots and pans in your cabinets, pantry, or even on your countertops (because they’re just that pretty!). Also included in the set is a canvas lid holder that mounts to inside of any cabinet door.
  • Aesthetically Pleasing: In doing my research on non-toxic cookware, it’s difficult to find cookware that’s both non-toxic and aesthetically pleasing. Caraway has changed the game with meshing the two together. Their cookware is magazine worthy and truly a decor piece for my stovetop!
  • Easy to Clean: One thing I’ve been loving about my Caraway cookware is that it’s super easy to clean. Because of the non-stick ceramic coating, everything just wipes right off with a simple soap and water rinse. No more scrubbing forever to get those eggs off the pan (lol).

Follower Discount –> Caraway is giving all of my followers a 10% off discount site-wide for a limited time! (code: KAYLA10) This includes any of their cookware, bakeware, and food storage containers.

Caraway’s Ceramic Coated Glass Meal Prep Containers (love these!)

Caraway also sent me their food storage set, and I must say – I’ve never seen/felt such high quality storage containers before! They’re perfect for healthy meal prep.

Here’s why I absolutely love their food storage set…

  • Non-Toxic: All of the storage containers are free from BPAs, PFOAs, PTFEs, lead, and cadmium.
  • Non-Stick: The containers are lined with their non-toxic, non-stick ceramic coating, which makes for super easy clean up!
  • Glass: Other than the inserts, all of the containers have a glass base (no plastic!)
  • Extra Inserts: Sometimes you want to keep certain foods separated. With the extra inserts included in the storage set, you can easily store salad dressing, dips, salsas, nuts and seeds, fruit, etc. without worrying about it touching the other food in the container, which is especially beneficial when taking meals on-the-go.
  • Oven Safe: Not only are their containers oven safe, which means you can easily reheat leftovers, but they’re also microwave safe and even dishwasher safe.
  • Easy Storage: And, best of all, you don’t have to worry about clutter in the kitchen because their food storage set comes with magnetic dividers that perfectly stores every piece of the set!

Follower Discount: Caraway is giving all of my followers a 10% off discount site-wide for a limited time! (code: KAYLA10) This includes any of their cookware, bakeware, and food storage containers.

Meal Prep Menu At-A-Glance

healthy meal prep
  • Breakfast: Southwest Breakfast Frittata with Fresh Strawberries
  • Lunch: Creamy Shrimp and Dill Pasta Salad
  • Dinner: Grain Free Orange Chicken With a Low Calorie Rice Blend
  • Snack: Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Balls

*All of the recipes on this week’s meal prep menu are gluten free with grain and dairy free options.

Calories At-A-Glance For This Week’s Meal Prep Menu

This meal prep menu ranges from 1,400-1,685 calories per day depending on whether or not you include the snack balls and how many snack balls you have (up to 3 balls per day included). Keep in mind, the average woman needs around 2,000 calories per day to maintain her weight and 1,500-1,600 calories per day to lose weight. This will vary depending on your fitness level and how often you exercise.

Therefore, my meal preps are based on averages and aim to stay within this range. If you find that you’re not losing weight after reducing calorie intake, you may want to get your doctor to check your hormones and vitamin/mineral levels as these may be hindering your weight loss results.

Disclaimer: This is a weight loss meal prep for women who are moderately active (not athletes). Most women will see weight loss results with a daily caloric intake between 1,400-1,600 calories but results are not guaranteed. If you aren’t losing weight on my weight loss meal preps, consult with your doctor to discuss further options. Hormonal imbalances can play a major role in those who have difficulty losing weight even after cutting calories. Men can also use my weight loss meal preps; however, you may need to double some of the recipes to increase your caloric intake to around 1,800-2,000 calories per day assuming you’re only moderately active.

healthy meal prep

Download the Free Grocery Shopping List for this Meal Prep Menu

BREAKFAST:

Southwest Breakfast Frittata with Fresh Strawberries

healthy meal prep healthy breakfast recipes

For breakfast this week, we’re prepping this delicious Southwest Breakfast Frittata. Not only is this frittata loaded with protein and healthy fats to keep you full and energized all morning long, but it’s full of flavor and extra savory. It’s gluten free, grain free, and dairy free!

Macros for Frittata Only (1 serving):

347 Calories, 18g Fat, 9g Carbs, 3g Fiber, 4g Sugar, 33g Protein

Macros for Frittata + 1 C. Strawberries (1 serving):

394 Calories, 18g Fat, 20g Carbs, 6g Fiber, 11g Sugar, 34g Protein

LUNCH:

Creamy Shrimp and Dill Pasta Salad

healthy meal prep healthy lunch ideas

If you’ve been searching for healthy lunch ideas to take on-the-go that don’t have to be reheated, this pasta salad recipe should be on repeat! Not only is it extra creamy, but it’s completely different from the other pasta salads I’ve shared with y’all before because of the shrimp and dill combo (it’s so tasty!).

For the pasta noodles: To keep this recipe gluten and grain free, I suggest using either chickpea noodles or cassava noodles.

Dairy Free option: To keep this recipe completely dairy free, be sure to swap out the greek yogurt (in the dressing) with a plain dairy free yogurt.

Macros for this Pasta Salad (1 serving):

428 calories, 19g fat, 37g carbs, 6g fiber, 6g sugar, 31g pro

*These macros are calculated using the Banza chickpea fusilli noodles and plain greek yogurt in the dressing (as shown on the recipe card below).

DINNER:

Grain Free Orange Chicken with Low Calorie Rice Blend

healthy meal prep healthy dinner recipe

I wanted to switch things up for dinner this week and do something Asian inspired. So, we’re making an orange chicken with a healthy twist. And, for the rice mixture, we’re going to do a 50/50 rice and cauliflower rice mix to lower the calories (and make it weight loss friendly) and to sneak in extra fiber and nutrients. This dinner recipe is gluten free and dairy free.

Grain Free Option: To keep this dinner recipe completely grain free, just leave out the rice and use only the cauliflower rice. The orange chicken mixture is already grain free.

Macros for 1 serving of the Full Dinner:

578 calories, 18g fat, 57g carbs, 6g fiber, 21g sugar, 48g pro

*This includes 1 serving of the orange chicken mixture, 1 serving of the rice-cauliflower rice mixture, and 1/4 of an avocado.

SNACK:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Balls

For your healthy snack this week, we’re making these traditional chocolate peanut butter oat balls but with a low calorie twist. Instead of using regular peanut butter, we’ll be using powdered peanut butter to cut the calories in half making it more weight loss friendly. Since they’re only 95 calories per ball, feel free to have up to 3 balls per day without exceeding a total of 1,685 calories per day!

If you’re only wanting to eat healthier and not trying to lose weight, feel free to use regular peanut butter or almond butter as a 1:1 substitute.

Peanut Butter Substitute: You can also use powdered almond butter if you can’t eat peanut butter.

Grain Free Option: To keep these snack balls grain free, you can substitute the oats with hemp seeds. Or, you can make these No Bake Mango Pineapple Energy Balls.

Macros for 1 Ball:

95 calories, 3g fat, 14g carbs, 2g fiber, 7g sugar, 4g pro

Watch Meal Prep Video Below

https://youtu.be/yoZjLqH-OxU

Full 5-Day Meal Prep Menu Below

HEALTHY MEAL PREP FOR THE WEEK | 5-Day Menu! (plus Caraway review!)
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HEALTHY MEAL PREP FOR THE WEEK | 5-Day Menu! (plus Caraway review!)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Kayla Chandler Course: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, SnacksDifficulty: Medium
Servings

5

servings
Prep time

1

hour 
Cooking time

1

hour 

This healthy meal prep menu includes meals for a full 5-day work week. The recipes are gluten free with grain and dairy free options.

Ingredients

  • BREAKFAST: Southwest Frittata (5 servings)

  • 1 Tbsp 1 Avocado or Coconut Oil

  • 1 1 Yellow Onion, chopped

  • 2 2 Bell Peppers, de-seeded and chopped (any color is fine)

  • 1 1 Jalepeno (de-seeded and finely chopped)

  • 1/2 tsp 1/2 Garlic, minced

  • 1 lb 1 93% Lean Ground Turkey

  • 1 1 Packet of Healthy Taco Seasoning (about 2 Tbsp worth) *I like the Siete brand

  • 1 C. 1 Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved or cut into fourths

  • 1/4 C. 1/4 Salsa Verde (or Regular Salsa)

  • 10 10 Eggs

  • 3 Tbsp 3 Unsweetened Almond Milk (or any type of milk)

  • 1 tsp 1 Sea Salt

  • 1/2 tsp 1/2 EACH of Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Black Pepper, and Paprika

  • 1/4 C. 1/4 Nutritional Yeast

  • Garnish Garnish with Cilantro (optional)

  • 1 C. 1 Fresh Strawberries (as a side)

  • LUNCH: Creamy Shrimp and Dill Pasta Salad (5 servings)
  • For the Pasta Salad:

  • 1 lb 1 Wild-Caught Shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 8 oz 8 Fusilli or Rotini Chickpea Noodles or Cassava Noodles (or any gluten free noodle)

  • 1.5 C. 1.5 Celery, finely chopped

  • 1 1 Red Bell Pepper, de-seeded and chopped

  • 1/2 1/2 Medium Red Onion, chopped

  • 1 C. 1 Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved or cut into fourths

  • 1/2 C. 1/2 Kalamata Olives, halved

  • 1/4 C. 1/4 Fresh Dill, finely diced

  • 1/2 C. 1/2 Feta or Goat Cheese Crumbles (or dairy free cheese crumbles)

  • For the Dressing:

  • 1/2 C. 1/2 Plain Greek Yogurt (or plain dairy free yogurt)

  • 1/4 C. 1/4 Avocado Mayonnaise (I use Primal Kitchen or Chosen Foods)

  • 2 tsp 2 Old Bay Seasoning

  • 1 tsp 1 Raw Honey

  • 1 tsp 1 Dijon Mustard

  • 1/2-1 tsp 1/2-1 Sea Salt

  • 1/4 tsp 1/4 Black Pepper

  • Zest and Juice from 1 Lemon

  • DINNER: Grain Free Orange Chicken with Rice Blend (5 servings)
  • For the Chicken Mixture:

  • 1.5 lbs 1.5 Chicken Breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 2.5 Tbsp 2.5 Tapioca or Arrowroot Starch/Flour

  • 2 tsp 2 Aluminum Free Baking Powder

  • 1 tsp 1 EACH of sea salt, garlic powder, and paprika

  • 1/2 tsp 1/2 EACH of black pepper and onion powder

  • 2 Tbsp 2 Avocado Oil

  • For the Sauce Mixture:

  • 7-8 7-8 Garlic Cloves, finely diced (or about 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp of minced garlic)

  • 2 Tbsp 2 Ginger, peeled and finely diced (use 1 Tbsp if you want it less spicy)

  • 1 tsp 1 Chili Flakes

  • 1.5 C. 1.5 Orange Juice (no pulp)

  • 1/4 C. 1/4 Coconut Aminos (a soy sauce alternative)

  • 3 Tbsp 3 Raw Honey

  • 1 Tbsp 1 Orange Zest

  • 3 tsp 3 Tapioca or Arrowroot Starch/Flour

  • 1/4 C. 1/4 Water

  • For the Rice Blend:

  • 2/3 C. 2/3 Uncooked Rice, rinsed

  • 1 1/3 C. 1 1/3 Water

  • 24 oz 24 Cauliflower Rice (I used the frozen riced cauliflower from the frozen section, 2 bags)

  • Sea salt and pepper, to taste

  • Sides & Garnishes:

  • 1/4 1/4 of an Avocado (for each serving)

  • Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onion (optional)

  • SNACK: Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Balls (makes 17 balls)

  • 1 C. 1 Powdered Peanut Butter or Powdered Almond Butter (if not trying to lose weight, use regular nut butter)

  • 1/4 C. 1/4 + 3 Tbsp of Water

  • 4 Tbsp 4 Raw Honey

  • 1/2 tsp 1/2 Vanilla Extract

  • 2 Tbsp 2 Ground Flax Seeds

  • Pinch of Sea Salt

  • 1 1/4 C. 1 1/4 Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

  • 5 Tbsp 5 Chocolate Chips

Directions

  • BREAKFAST: Southwest Frittata
  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • In a 10-12 inch skillet, add the oil. Once heated, add the onion and bell pepper. Saute until slightly soft and translucent. Then, add the jalepeno. Saute another 3-4 minutes. Next, add the minced garlic and saute 1-2 more minutes.
  • Add the ground turkey to the skillet with the sauteed vegetables and cook until fully done. About halfway through cooking the turkey, add the taco seasoning and continue cooking until done. Allow to cook without a lid to let most of the liquid evaporate. Drain any excess grease if using ground beef.
  • Once turkey is fully cooked through, turn off the heat and stir in the cherry tomatoes and salsa. Set skillet aside.
  • For the egg mixture, in a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, milk, all seasonings, and nutritional yeast. Whisk until eggs are fully broken down and everything is fully combined. Pour egg mixture into the skillet with the ground turkey mixture. Lightly stir it to make sure everything is evenly distributed.
  • Place skillet in the oven and let cook for about 25-30 minutes or until the center is set and top is slightly golden in color. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then, slice it into 5 roughly equal parts.
  • To assemble your meal prep containers: Add one slice of the frittata to each container. Garnish with cilantro (optional). Add 1 C. of strawberries to each container. ENJOY!
  • LUNCH: Creamy Shrimp and Dill Pasta Salad
  • In a large saucepan, add 6 cups of water and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat to medium, add the shrimp, and boil for about 3-5 minutes or until shrimp are slightly pink and curled (don’t overcook!). Once done, drain and rinse the shrimp with cold water to stop the cooking. Pat shrimp with a paper towel to remove any excess liquid and add to a large mixing bowl.
  • In a separate saucepan (or in the same one after cleaning it), cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Once done, drain and rinse the noodles with cold water. Let all excess liquid drain then add the noodles to the large mixing bowl with the shrimp.
  • In the large mixing bowl with the shrimp and noodles, add the chopped celery, bell pepper, onion, cherry tomatoes, olives, and dill. Toss until fully combined. Then, add the crumbled cheese and lightly toss again to combine.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, add all dressing ingredients and whisk until fully combined. Pour dressing over pasta salad and toss until all of the pasta salad is coated with the dressing. This is optional but for maximum flavor, let pasta salad marinate overnight before transferring to meal prep containers.
  • To assemble meal prep containers: Divide pasta salad into 5 roughly equal parts and add to your individual meal prep containers. Garnish with fresh dill (optional). ENJOY!
  • DINNER: Grain Free Orange Chicken With Rice Blend
  • Add all chicken mixture ingredients to a mixing bowl (except the avocado oil). Toss to combine. Make sure the cubed chicken is fully coated with everything. In a large skillet or pot, add the avocado oil. Once it’s heated through, add the cubed chicken and cook on each side until the chicken is fully cooked through. Once done, remove chicken from the skillet and set aside. Remove any excess oil from the skillet.
  • For the sauce mixture, in the same skillet/pot over low-medium heat, add the garlic and ginger. Saute that for about 3-4 minutes. Add the chili flakes and saute another 2-3 minutes. Then, add the orange juice, coconut aminos, honey, and orange zest. Whisk to combine. Bring to a light boil.
  • While the sauce mixture is coming to a light boil, off the the side in a small bowl, combine the tapioca starch with water. Whisk to combine. Then, pour it into the sauce mixture (once it starts to lightly boil). Reduce heat to low-medium and let the sauce simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Add chicken cubes back to pot. Toss to combine. Turn off the heat.
  • For the rice mixture, cook rice in a saucepan or rice cooker until done. While that’s cooking, add the cauliflower rice to a large skillet and saute until it reaches your desired texture. *Tip for cauli-rice: I like to add a splash of water and cover skillet with a lid to soften it faster. Then, once it reaches my desired texture, I remove the lid to let most of the liquid evaporate.
  • Once the cauliflower rice and regular rice are done, add the regular rice to the skillet with the cauliflower rice and mix until fully combined. Season with sea salt and pepper, to taste. If you find it’s too dry, add a splash of water and continue heating it through until the moisture is fully incorporated.
  • To assemble meal prep containers: Add one serving of the rice blend to one side of the container. Add one serving of the orange chicken mixture to the other side. When ready to serve, top with 1/4 of an avocado. And (optionally) garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onion.
  • SNACK: Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Balls
  • In a mixing bowl, add the powdered peanut butter and water. Whisk to combine. Then, add the honey, vanilla, ground flax seeds, and sea salt. Whisk until fully combined.
  • Add the rolled oats. Toss to combine. Then, add the chocolate chips and continue tossing until everything is fully combined and oats are coated with the peanut butter mixture. Add mixture to fridge for 15 minutes to chill a bit.
  • Scoop out about a tablespoon’s worth of the mixture, roll it into a tight ball, and place it onto a lined baking sheet. Repeat this process until all of the mixture is gone (makes about 17 balls). Place balls back in the fridge for 15 minutes to hardened a bit. Then, transfer them to a glass storage container. ENJOY!

Items Used

Recipe Video

Notes & Nutrition

  • Breakfast –> NUTRITION – Serving Size: 1 full breakfast (including 1 frittata slice, 1 C. strawberries) Calories: 394kcal Carbohydrates: 20g  Protein: 34g Fat: 18g Fiber: 6g Sugar: 11g
  • Breakfast –> NUTRITION – Serving Size: 1 frittata slice only Calories: 347kcal Carbohydrates: 9g  Protein: 33g Fat: 18g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 4g
  • Lunch –> NUTRITION – Serving Size: 1 serving of pasta salad Calories: 428kcal Carbohydrates: 37g  Protein: 31g Fat: 19g Fiber: 6g Sugar: 6g
  • Dinner –> NUTRITION – Serving Size: 1 full dinner (including 1 serving of orange chicken and rice blend and 1/4 of an avocado) Calories: 578kcal Carbohydrates: 57g  Protein: 48g Fat: 18g Fiber: 6g Sugar: 21g
  • Dinner –> NUTRITION – Serving Size: 1 serving of orange chicken and rice only (no avocado) Calories: 498kcal Carbohydrates: 53g  Protein: 47g Fat: 11g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 21g
  • Snack –> NUTRITION – Serving Size: 1 ball (makes 17 balls) Calories: 95kcal Carbohydrates: 14g  Protein: 4g Fat: 3g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 7g

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Looking for more Healthy Meal Prep Menus?

If you’re on the search for more healthy 5-day meal preps like this one, here’s a few of my favorites. You can view the full archive here.

How To Care for Your Caraway Cookware

For those who decide to take the leap and invest in their longterm health with the Caraway cookware set and food storage set, here’s a brief rundown of how to take care of it so it’ll last you for years. These instructions will also come with your purchase.

  • Cook on low-medium heat. With ceramic cookware, you don’t need super high temperatures to cook your meals as it more evenly distributes and retains the heat compared to other types of cookware. High heat may wear away the ceramic coating over time and shorten the lifespan of your cookware. The only exception to this is boiling water and other liquids. When boiling, you can use high heat.
  • Avoid non-stick sprays: Because Caraway’s cookware is already non-stick, you won’t need to use aerosol sprays at all. These can leave an unwanted residue on your pots and pans that are more difficult to clean. Only use oils and butter. And, when adding oils, you only need about 1-2 Tbsp worth. The oils are more so for adding extra flavor to the dish, not for the non-stick aspect.
  • Hand Wash: Okay, I know this one may sound daunting, but I promise you ceramic coated cookware is the easiest to clean! All you need is a little soap and water with a gentle scrub and it’s clean in less than 60 seconds – literally no elbow grease required! Hand washing your pots and pans will drastically increase the lifespan of your non-toxic ceramic coated cookware.
  • Oven Safe: Caraway’s pots and pans are oven safe up to 550 F. And, will work on any type of stovetop.
  • Don’t Use Metal Utensils: This goes for all non-stick cookware (yes, even the toxic kind). Metal utensils can scratch the non-stick coating and expose the aluminum body. Always use wooden or silicon utensils when cooking with non-stick cookware.

I want to give a huge thanks to Caraway for sponsoring this post. I’m truly blown away by the quality of their non-toxic, non-stick cookware and food storage containers. These will definitely be used on repeat in my kitchen!

DISCOUNT –> Don’t forget to take advantage of the 10% off site-wide discount (code: KAYLA10) before it expires!

FTC Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Caraway. All opinions expressed are my own. I only partner with brands I truly believe in and use myself.

 

One Comment

  1. Angela
    March 21, 2023 at 1:34 pm  ·  Reply

    Hello! To decrease the amount of fat in the fritatta, can I sub egg whites for some of the eggs? If so, how much should I use? Thank you!

     

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