How Do I Meal Prep Proteins for the Week?

Prepping your proteins ahead is the single change that makes healthy eating hold up during a busy week. When the protein is already cooked and in the fridge, building a meal takes five minutes instead of thirty.

What to prep

Pick two or three proteins that work across multiple meals. A batch of shredded or sliced chicken goes into salads, bowls, soups, and wraps. A sheet pan of salmon fillets works cold over greens or reheated with a grain. A pot of lentils or chickpeas adds protein to anything. Hard-boiled eggs keep for a week and require almost no effort. These four cover most situations.

How to store them

Cooked chicken and salmon keep for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Cooked lentils and chickpeas keep for 5 days. Hard-boiled eggs in the shell keep for a week. Do not dress or sauce proteins before storing unless the recipe calls for it. Dress at the last minute so textures hold up.

How to use them

The Grilled Chicken Quinoa Power Salad is built for this: grill a few chicken breasts at the start of the week and assemble the salad fresh each day. The Spicy Chicken and French Lentil Bowl uses both chicken and lentils, so prepping both means the bowl comes together in minutes. The Mediterranean Lentil Salad holds up for several days fully assembled.

Want a weekly meal prep plan built around your protein targets? Sous can put one together based on what you have on hand. Available in the Kitchen membership at chefhealthyhenry.com.