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It’s Sunday night, you’re staring into the fridge wondering what to pack for lunches this week, and you know you’ll end up panic-ordering takeout by Wednesday if you don’t figure something out right now. You’ve got maybe two hours before the week starts, the kitchen’s already a mess from breakfast, and the last thing you want is to spend your entire evening chopping vegetables.
Sound familiar?
I used to spend Sunday evenings throwing random ingredients into containers and calling it “meal prep,” then wonder why I never actually ate any of it. Turns out, winging it doesn’t work when you’re juggling work deadlines and weeknight chaos.
These 25 Sunday meal prep recipes are designed for real schedules and real kitchens. We’re talking the Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas that use one pan and 30 minutes, the Freezer Breakfast Burritos you can grab straight from the freezer on chaotic mornings, and the Mason Jar Burrito Bowls that stay fresh all week. Some cook in your Instant Pot while you’re doing other things, others go straight into the freezer for future weeks, and all of them skip the complicated techniques that look great on Instagram but fall apart on a Tuesday.
No fancy equipment required. No ingredients you’ll use once and never touch again. Just practical recipes that’ll get you through the week without living on sad desk salads or drive-thru regret.
1. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Prep everything on Sunday, and eat it four different ways during the week. I slice up bell peppers, onions, and chicken breasts, toss them with fajita seasoning, and portion them into containers. Takes maybe 20 minutes of work. During the week, dump a container on a sheet pan and roast at 425°F for about 18 minutes. Monday, it’s fajitas, Tuesday, I throw it over a salad, Wednesday, it goes in a quesadilla. The chicken stays tender because it’s not overcooked on Sunday. You’re cooking it fresh each night, just with zero prep work. My kids will eat peppers this way, which is a miracle.
2. Mason Jar Burrito Bowls
Layer everything in quart-sized mason jars, and they last five days in the fridge without getting soggy. The trick is the order: dressing on the bottom, then beans, then rice, then corn, then cheese, then lettuce on top. Five jars come together in about 15 minutes on Sunday, using a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Shake it up when you’re ready to eat, or dump it in a bowl if you want it warm. I keep these in the back of my fridge for those days when I’m too buried in work to think about lunch. They’re around $3 per jar if you buy store-brand everything.
3. Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken
The easiest protein prep I’ve found. Four pounds of chicken breasts, a jar of salsa verde, dump it in the slow cooker on Sunday morning while you’re still in pajamas. Eight hours later, shred it with two forks. Portion it into containers and use it all week in tacos, over rice, in enchiladas, or on top of nachos. It reheats perfectly and doesn’t dry out like regular baked chicken. Takes five minutes to set up, costs about $12 to make enough for a week of dinners. The salsa keeps it moist, so even my husband, who usually complains about reheated chicken, will eat this.
4. Freezer Breakfast Burritos
Make a batch of 12, freeze individually in foil, and microwave for 90 seconds on busy mornings. Scramble a dozen eggs, cook a pound of breakfast sausage, add cheese, and whatever vegetables are hanging out in the crisper. Assemble them on tortillas, wrap tight in foil, and stack them in a freezer bag. They cost maybe 75 cents each versus $3 at the drive-through. My daughter grabs one before soccer practice, and my husband takes one to work. I’ve reheated one during a morning Zoom call with my camera off. No judgment here.
5. Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
Thirty minutes start to finish on Sunday. Then you have four servings ready to go. I was skeptical about pressure cooker beef because it sounds fancy, but you literally just throw in cubed stew meat, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and broth. Hit the meat button. When it’s done, stir in a cornstarch slurry and frozen broccoli. The beef is tender enough to cut with a fork. I serve it over rice I make in my rice cooker while the beef cooks. The whole meal prep is done in the time it used to take me to decide what to order for takeout.
6. Overnight Oats Five Ways
Mix rolled oats with milk and whatever flavors you want, and let them sit in the fridge overnight. I make five jars every Sunday in different flavors, so I don’t get bored: peanut butter banana, apple cinnamon, chocolate cherry, blueberry almond, plain with honey. Each jar is half a cup of oats, two-thirds cup milk, then you add your add-ins. They last the whole work week. I eat mine cold straight from the fridge, but my husband microwaves his for 45 seconds. Takes 20 minutes total to prep all five jars. Way better than the boring scrambled eggs I used to force down.
7. Quinoa Pizza Bowls
For when you want comfort food that reheats like a dream. Cook a big batch of quinoa, mix in pizza sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, and whatever pizza toppings you like. I add mushrooms and peppers because I’m still trying to be an adult about vegetables. Portion into containers and microwave for two minutes when you need it. The quinoa doesn’t get weird and mushy as pasta does. My son requests this constantly now, which is hilarious because he used to say quinoa looked like bird food. Add a piece of garlic bread on the side, and you’ve got a meal that costs about $2 per serving.
8. Baked Egg Muffins
Twelve muffins, twelve breakfasts, one muffin tin. Whisk eggs with a splash of milk, pour into greased muffin cups, and add whatever mix-ins you want in each cup. I do half with spinach and feta, half with ham and cheddar. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. They come out looking Instagram-perfect, which is a nice bonus. I reheat them for 30 seconds and eat two for breakfast. They’re high protein, filling, and I can eat them while answering morning emails. The pan is the worst part to clean, but soak it right away, and it’s not terrible.
9. Shredded Pork Carnitas
One pork shoulder, seven hours in the slow cooker, enough meat for tacos all week. Season with cumin, oregano, garlic, and lime juice, and add half a beer if you have one open. The meat falls apart, no effort required. Crisp portions of it in a hot skillet when you’re ready to eat because that’s when carnitas go from good to incredible. Sunday, me does the heavy lifting, weeknight me just reheat and crisp. Costs about $15 for the pork shoulder and feeds us for five dinners. Way better than the dried-out taco meat I used to make on Tuesday nights when I was already exhausted.
10. Mediterranean Chickpea Bowls
Roast chickpeas with olive oil and spices until they’re crispy, then portion them with cucumber, tomatoes, olives, feta, and tzatziki on the side. The chickpeas stay surprisingly crunchy for days if you let them cool completely before storing. I keep the wet ingredients separate until I’m ready to eat. Takes about 35 minutes on Sunday, including chickpea roasting time. Each bowl costs maybe $3 to make. I usually eat this cold straight from the fridge for lunch, but you can warm the chickpeas if you want. It’s one of those meals that stays fresh on Thursday, not sad leftovers.
11. Teriyaki Meatballs
Mix ground turkey with breadcrumbs and egg, roll into meatballs, and bake them all at once on a sheet pan. Make a quick teriyaki sauce while they cook: soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch. Toss the meatballs in the sauce. I make about 30 meatballs on Sunday, portion them into containers with rice and steamed broccoli. My kids eat these without complaint, which is the highest praise I can give any meal. They reheat in three minutes and don’t dry out. The whole process takes about 40 minutes, and you’re not standing over a skillet browning meatballs in batches like some kind of martyr.
12. Vegetarian Chili
A huge pot on Sunday, lunches and dinners for days. Two cans each of black beans, kidney beans, and diced tomatoes, plus chili powder, cumin, onions, peppers, and whatever else sounds good. Simmer for 30 minutes. I make it in my big stockpot and portion it into containers. Top with cheese and sour cream when you eat it. Freezes perfectly if you make too much. Costs may be $10 total and makes enough for six servings. It’s better on day three after the flavors have had time to hang out together. I eat this weekly through fall and winter because it’s the easiest thing I know how to make that my whole family will eat without negotiating.
13. Turkey Taco Meat
Brown two pounds of ground turkey with taco seasoning on Sunday, portion it out, and use it six different ways. Cook it with diced onions and a can of tomato sauce to keep it from drying out. Store it in containers and reheat what you need. Monday, it’s tacos. On Wednesday, I put it on a baked potato. Friday, it goes into a quesadilla. My kids like building their own taco plates, which means they eat dinner without the usual battle. The whole thing takes 20 minutes and costs about $8. Way cheaper than those seasoning packet kits, and you can control how spicy it is. I keep sour cream, cheese, and lettuce prepped in separate containers so assembly takes two minutes.
14. Lemon Garlic Shrimp Containers
Cook the shrimp fresh each night, but prep everything else on Sunday so dinner takes five minutes. I peel and devein two pounds of shrimp, portion them with minced garlic and lemon slices. When you’re ready to cook, heat olive oil in a pan for 90 seconds, dump in a portion, and cook for three minutes total. Serve over pasta or rice you made on Sunday. The shrimp stays fresh for three days in the fridge, four if you’re pushing it. I was nervous about prepping seafood ahead, but it works perfectly. Tastes as you tried. Costs about $4 per serving. My husband thinks I’ve become a fancy cook. I don’t correct him.
15. Sausage and Pepper Pasta Bake
Assemble it on Sunday, bake portions throughout the week whenever you need them. Cook pasta until it’s slightly underdone, brown Italian sausage, sauté peppers and onions, mix everything with marinara and mozzarella. Portion into oven-safe containers. When you want to eat, bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. The pasta finishes cooking in the oven and soaks up all the flavors. I make four portions on Sunday, and we eat them on Monday and Wednesday. Freezes great if you want to make extra. Takes about 45 minutes of Sunday prep, and saves you four nights of cooking. The containers go straight from fridge to oven, which means one less dish to wash.
16. Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ground chicken cooked with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and hoisin, ready to scoop into lettuce cups all week. I cook two pounds of ground chicken with all the seasonings, and add water chestnuts for crunch. Store it in one big container, and keep butter lettuce washed and separated in another container. Scoop the chicken mixture into lettuce leaves when you’re ready to eat. Takes 15 minutes to cook the chicken on Sunday. Each serving costs maybe $2.50. I eat this cold for lunch sometimes because I’m too lazy to heat it, and it’s still good. My kids think eating with their hands is hilarious, so they finish their food. Win for everyone.
17. Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
Boneless chicken thighs in a simple marinade, cook them on Sunday and reheat them all week without them turning into rubber. Mix honey, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and garlic. Marinate the chicken for an hour, then bake at 400°F for 25 minutes. They come out sticky and glazed. I serve them with whatever vegetables and carbs I prepped. Thighs stay moist when you reheat them, unlike chicken breasts that turn into cardboard. The whole thing costs about $10 for six thighs. I resisted using thighs for way too long because I thought they were fatty and unhealthy. Turns out they’re just more forgiving when you’re reheating all week.
18. Veggie Fried Rice
Use up all those random vegetables in your crisper drawer, make a giant batch, and eat it for days. Cook a pot of rice and let it cool completely. That’s the secret to non-mushy fried rice. Scramble some eggs, stir-fry whatever vegetables you have with soy sauce and sesame oil, and add the rice and eggs. I throw in frozen peas and carrots because they’re already diced. The whole thing takes 30 minutes and makes enough for five lunches. Reheats perfectly in the microwave. Add some soy sauce when you reheat it if it seems dry. I make this every other week now because it’s the only way I use up vegetables before they go bad. Costs practically nothing if you’re using stuff that’s already in your fridge.
19. BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Bake sweet potatoes and shred chicken on Sunday, and assemble them fresh each night in three minutes. I bake six sweet potatoes at 425°F for 45 minutes, and cook chicken breasts in the Instant Pot with BBQ sauce. Store them separately. When you want to eat, microwave a sweet potato for 90 seconds, split it open, pile on the BBQ chicken and whatever toppings you want. I add shredded cheese, Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, and green onions. Each potato costs about $1; the chicken adds maybe $2 per serving. My daughter, who claims she hates sweet potatoes, will eat these. The BBQ sauce is apparently the magic ingredient.
20. White Chicken Chili
Everything you love about regular chili, but it cooks way faster and tastes lighter. Two pounds of chicken breasts, white beans, green chiles, chicken broth, cumin, and garlic. Simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken shreds easily. I make it in my Dutch oven on Sunday afternoon. Portion it out, top with Monterey Jack cheese and tortilla chips when you eat it. Tastes better each day as it sits in the fridge. I freeze half the batch usually because even my family gets tired of the same thing after three days. Costs about $12 to make a huge pot. It’s become my go-to when I need something cozy but doesn’t require three hours of babysitting a stockpot.
21. Greek Turkey Burgers
Form the patties on Sunday, cook them fresh in five minutes when you need them. Mix ground turkey with feta, spinach, garlic, and oregano. Form into patties, layer between parchment paper, and store in a container. When you’re ready to eat, cook in a hot skillet for four minutes per side. I make eight patties on Sunday. Serve on buns, over salad, or with tzatziki and pita. They stay together way better than regular turkey burgers because the feta adds fat. Each burger costs about $1.50 to make. I used to avoid turkey burgers because they always fell apart and tasted like cardboard. These have flavor and hold their shape.
22. Lentil Soup
One pot, 40 minutes of simmering, enough soup to last the entire week. Brown some onions and carrots, add lentils, diced tomatoes, broth, and whatever spices you like. I use cumin and a bay leaf. Let it simmer until the lentils are soft. The lentils break down a little and make the soup thick and filling. I portion it into containers, freeze half. Top with a squeeze of lemon juice when you eat it. Costs may be $6 total and makes eight servings. I meal prepped this every Sunday for two months straight last winter because it was cheap and my kids would eat it. The leftovers don’t get weird or watery like other soups sometimes do.
23. Pesto Chicken and Vegetables
Toss everything in pesto, roast it on sheet pans, and portion it out for easy lunches. Cut chicken breasts into chunks, chop zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion. Toss everything in store-bought pesto. Spread on sheet pans and roast at 425°F for 20 minutes. I make two sheet pans’ worth on Sunday. Serve over pasta, rice, or just eat it straight. The pesto keeps everything moist and flavorful all week. Takes 30 minutes total, including chopping time. Each serving costs about $3.50. I buy the good pesto in the refrigerated section because the jarred stuff tastes like old basil and regret.
24. Banana Oat Pancakes
Make a huge batch Sunday morning, freeze them, and toast them during the week for breakfast. Mash ripe bananas, mix with oats, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla. Cook them like regular pancakes. I make about 20 small pancakes, let them cool completely, then stack them with parchment paper between each one. Freeze in a gallon bag. Pop them in the toaster for two minutes when you need breakfast. My kids eat these with peanut butter. I eat them plain while checking my phone. They cost maybe 15 cents each. Way better than the frozen pancakes from the store that taste like cardboard circles.
25. Crockpot Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
Three pounds of chicken breasts, a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce, and eight hours in the slow cooker while you do literally anything else. The chicken shreds with just a fork when it’s done. I portion it into containers and make sandwiches all week. Pile it on buns with coleslaw, stuff it in a wrap with ranch dressing, or eat it straight over rice. The chicken stays moist because it’s been swimming in sauce all day. Costs about $10 for the chicken and feeds us for six meals. I started making this when I realized I was spending $8 per person on pulled pork sandwiches at that BBQ place down the street. This tastes just as good, and I can make it in my pajamas.
Your Sunday Just Got Easier
Remember that Sunday night fridge stare? The one where you know you should prep something, but the whole thing seems like too much? You don’t have to cook all 25 of these recipes or turn your kitchen into a meal prep factory.
Pick one thing that fits your week right now. Try the Freezer Breakfast Burritos if mornings are your chaos zone, the Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas if you’ve got 30 minutes and zero patience for cleanup, or the Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken if you need something cooking itself while you handle everything else. Start with what sounds good to you, not what looks impressive.
Next Sunday, you can try something different. This week, you just need to not panic-order pizza on Wednesday because there’s nothing to eat. That’s enough.
