Meal prep does not have to mean five identical containers. A more flexible starting point is one tray of vegetables, one cooked grain, two protein options and a dressing. Keep the components separate and combine them when you eat.
The example below prepares four main meals for one person, with extra fresh ingredients to add on the day. It is an organisational example, not a complete weekly diet or a calorie prescription.
A compact shopping list
- 160 g dry bulgur
- 2 cans of chickpeas, about 240 g drained each
- 300 g firm tofu
- 2 courgettes, 2 peppers and 3 carrots
- 200 g cherry tomatoes and 1 cucumber
- 150 g plain yogurt or soy yogurt
- 1 lemon, olive oil, paprika and dried oregano
- 200 g wholegrain bread, for the meals served with bread
Check what you already have before shopping. Frozen vegetables can replace fresh ones; follow their cooking instructions. If you swap bulgur for a gluten-free grain, cooking time and water ratio will change.
Cook the components
Roasted vegetables
Heat a conventional oven to 200°C. Wash and cut the courgettes, peppers and carrots into similar-sized pieces. Toss with 20 ml olive oil and oregano. Spread over two trays without crowding and roast for around 25–35 minutes, turning once, until tender. Cooking time depends on the size of the pieces and the oven.
Bulgur
Cook 160 g dry bulgur according to its packet, including the stated water quantity. Different grades cook differently. Fluff with a fork when ready. Divide into two portions; these are half the cooked batch, not 80 g cooked each.
Chickpeas and tofu
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. For the tofu, drain, pat dry and cut into cubes. Heat 10 ml olive oil in a pan, add the tofu and paprika, and cook for 8–10 minutes, turning until hot throughout and lightly browned. Keep the chickpeas and tofu separate.
Lemon dressing
Mix 150 g yogurt with 15 ml lemon juice and oregano. Add a spoonful of water if needed. Cover and refrigerate. Keep it separate from the hot ingredients and follow the yogurt’s use-by and opening instructions.
Four combinations
- Bulgur and chickpea bowl: half the bulgur, half the chickpeas and a quarter of the roasted vegetables. Add dressing when serving.
- Tofu and vegetables: half the tofu, half the bulgur and another quarter of the vegetables.
- Chickpea salad with bread: the remaining chickpeas, half the cucumber, half the tomatoes and 100 g bread. Cut the fresh vegetables on the day.
- Tofu toast and vegetables: the remaining tofu and roasted vegetables with 100 g bread. Add the remaining fresh salad alongside.
Adjust portions to your appetite. Bread and bulgur play similar roles here; you do not need to add both to every meal.
Plan storage before you start
Cool cooked components in small, shallow containers and refrigerate within 1–2 hours. Keep the fridge at 4°C or below. For this plan, keep only the meals for the next 48 hours in the fridge and freeze the later cooked portions promptly once cooled. This follows the more conservative FSA approach; USDA guidance generally allows properly handled leftovers for 3–4 days.
Label containers with their contents and preparation date. Defrost in the fridge and use within 24 hours of fully defrosting. Reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout. Prepare fresh salad and dressing separately for later meals instead of freezing them together.
Rice needs extra care: if you substitute it for bulgur, cool it ideally within one hour and keep it refrigerated for no more than one day before reheating, following FSA guidance. Do not leave cooked rice on the counter to cool overnight.
Keep next week simpler
Note which combinations you liked and which ingredients were left over. Change the seasoning or grain before buying an entirely new set of ingredients. For a broader way to combine foods, read our Mediterranean eating guide; for ingredient alternatives, use the protein foods table.