Why Meal Prep?

Meal prepping saves time, reduces food waste, and makes healthy eating more convenient. Preparing meals helps you stay on track with your nutrition goals while ensuring variety and balance.

Greek Meal Prep Overview

The Mediterranean diet is known for its heart-healthy benefits, featuring fresh vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and flavorful seasonings. Our Greek meal prep plan follows a mix-and-match approach, allowing you to create different meals from a set of core ingredients.

Meal Plan Assumption: This meal prep plan is designed to provide lunch and dinner for one person for 5 days of the week, totaling 10 meals. This allows flexibility for other meals throughout the week. A high-quality protein shake with fruit can be a convenient and nutritious option for breakfast.

Core Meal Components:

• Base Options: Mixed greens (arugula, spinach, romaine), quinoa, or brown rice.
• Protein Options: Grilled chicken, baked falafel, or grilled shrimp.
• Vegetables: Cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, bell peppers, pickled onions.
• Toppings: Feta cheese, kalamata olives.
• Dressings: Greek vinaigrette, lemon-herb tahini.

Meal Prep Plan

Shopping List

Bases

• 1.5 cups quinoa or brown rice

Proteins

• 1.5 lbs chicken breast (yields approx. six servings, 4-5 oz cooked per serving)
• 1 lb shrimp (yields approx. four servings, 4-5 oz cooked per serving)
• 10 falafel (approx. two falafel per serving, five servings total)

Vegetables

• 1 large container of mixed greens
• 2 cucumbers
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 2 bell peppers
• 1/4 cup pickled onions

Toppings & Pantry Staples

• 1 cup kalamata olives
• 1 cup feta cheese
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1.5 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt & pepper to taste

Meal Prep Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Base

Cook quinoa or brown rice according to package instructions. Let cool before storing in meal containers. Divide into 10 portions.

Step 2: Cook the Protein

Chicken: Season chicken breast with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Grill or bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Let cool, then slice into six portions.

Shrimp: Toss shrimp with olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper. Grill or sauté for 3-4 minutes per side until opaque. Divide into four portions.

Falafel: Bake according to package instructions or prepare homemade falafel. Divide into five servings.

Step 3: Chop Vegetables

Dice cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, red onions, and pickled onions. Store in airtight containers. Divide into 10 equal portions.

Step 4: Make the Dressings

Greek Vinaigrette: Whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, one minced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp oregano, salt, and pepper.

Lemon-Herb Tahini: Stir together 1/4 cup tahini, juice of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp water, one minced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp cumin, and salt until smooth.

Step 5: Portion Out Ingredients

Divide all ingredients into separate containers to assemble fresh meals throughout the week.

Assembling Your Meals

Mix and match components to create a balanced daily meal. Use approximately:

• One serving of greens or grains (about 1 cup)
• One serving of protein (chicken, shrimp, or falafel)
• 1/2 cup of vegetables (cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, red onions, pickled onions)
• 2 tbsp hummus or tzatziki
• 1 tbsp dressing (Greek vinaigrette or lemon-herb tahini)
• 1 tbsp feta cheese

Storage & Tips

• Use airtight containers to keep food fresh for up to 5 days.
• Store dressings separately to prevent sogginess.
• Reheat proteins as needed before assembling meals.

Final Thoughts

Greek meal prep is an easy, delicious way to enjoy nutritious meals all week. Dedicating a few hours to meal prep ensures you have quick, healthy options readily available. Stay tuned for our next post in the meal prep series!