Meal prepping is one of the best ways I have found to make feeding a large family a little easier. In this week’s meal prep, I prepared a mixture of main meals, meal components and simple snacks.
We are a family of eight, but as our youngest is not yet three months old, this food was prepared for seven people. I didn’t follow a strict meal plan; I simply prepared a selection of foods that could be stored in the fridge or freezer and used throughout the week.
Marinated Chicken Niblets
I started by marinating a large batch of chicken niblets. I prepared a yoghurt-based marinade using oil, spices, garlic and ginger, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Once the chicken was thoroughly coated, I placed it in the fridge overnight. Preparing marinades in advance is such an easy way to get ahead. The following day, the chicken is ready to cook with very little extra work required.
Chicken Karahi
Next, I prepared chicken karahi. As I was also making shepherd’s pie, I saved time by preparing one large batch of chopped onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies to use as the base for both dishes.
For the chicken karahi, I cooked some of the onion mixture with tomatoes, spices and salt before adding a whole chicken cut into pieces. Once the chicken had changed colour, I added some water and left it to simmer gently until cooked.
This made a generous family-sized curry that could be served with rice, chapatis, naan or salad.
Homemade Shepherd’s Pie
I used the remaining onion mixture to prepare the filling for a shepherd’s pie. I added minced meat and frozen mixed vegetables directly to the pan, followed by a little seasoning and passata to create a rich but simple sauce.
Once the filling was cooked, I transferred it to a large oven dish.
For the topping, I peeled and chopped the potatoes into small pieces so that they would cook more quickly. When they were soft, I drained and mashed them with milk, margarine, seasoning and cheese.
Some of my children are not keen on very smooth mashed potatoes, so I left a few small lumps in the mash. I spread it over the meat mixture and finished the pie with a generous sprinkling of grated cheese.
Homemade Meatballs
I also prepared a batch of homemade meatballs using minced meat, finely chopped onion, an egg, seasoning and gram flour.
After shaping the mixture into balls, I placed them on a lined oven tray and baked them until cooked. Once they had cooled, I transferred them to a container for the freezer.
These are useful to have ready because they can be served with spaghetti and pasta sauce or added to a curry.
Easy Homemade Pasta Sauce
To go with the meatballs, I made a simple homemade pasta sauce. I cooked chopped onions with garlic, ginger, a few spices and passata.
You could easily add extra vegetables such as sweetcorn, mushrooms or peppers. I kept this batch fairly simple because I was preparing several other dishes at the same time.
Once the sauce had cooled, I poured it into a storage jar and kept it in the fridge. We used it a few days later with pasta and the homemade meatballs.
Chana Dal
Earlier in the day, I soaked a large batch of chana dal, or split chickpeas, in cold water. I left it soaking for several hours before draining it and cooking it with turmeric and fresh water until it became soft.
In a separate pan, I prepared a curry base with red onions, green chillies, cumin seeds, garlic, ginger, spices, bay leaves and passata. I then added the cooked chana dal and allowed everything to simmer together.
This made a lovely big batch. I kept a few containers in the fridge and placed the rest in the freezer for another time.
Chana dal is perfect for a quick lunch with chapatis, rice, salad and yoghurt. I also added fresh coriander to each container before storing it.
Chicken Tikka Filling
I wanted to prepare something versatile that we could use for snacks and quick lunches, so I made a simple chicken tikka-style filling.
To save on washing up, I mixed the marinade directly in the frying pan before adding the chopped chicken breast. I then cooked everything together until the chicken was thoroughly cooked and coated in the sauce.
This can be used in sandwiches, wraps or jacket potatoes, making it very useful to have in the fridge.
Fish and Vegetable Traybake
For a lighter meal, I prepared a fish and vegetable traybake. I chopped courgette, peppers and red onions into large pieces and lightly cooked them with salt and black pepper until they began to soften.
I seasoned some cod pieces with oil, herbs, chilli flakes, lemon juice, garlic and ginger. I transferred the vegetables to a roasting dish, placed the fish on top and covered the dish with foil.
As we were planning to eat it within the next day or two, I stored it in the fridge ready to cook. If you want to keep a prepared dish like this for longer, it is better to freeze it.
Chocolate Granola Bites
Finally, I made a very easy snack for the children—and for myself! I melted some milk chocolate and mixed it with granola.
I spooned some of the mixture into an ice cube tray and used a few other small containers for the rest. After leaving the bites in the fridge to set, I transferred them to a storage jar.
They were incredibly simple to make and everyone enjoyed them.
A Week of Meals Prepared
By the end of this meal-prep session, I had prepared:
- Marinated chicken niblets
- Chicken karahi
- A large shepherd’s pie
- Homemade meatballs
- Homemade pasta sauce
- Several portions of chana dal
- Chicken tikka sandwich filling
- A fish and vegetable traybake
- Chocolate granola bites
Preparing a combination of complete meals and versatile meal components gives us plenty of options throughout the week. Not everything needs to be completely cooked in advance—even marinating meat, preparing a sauce or assembling a traybake can save a considerable amount of time later.
I hope this weekly meal prep has given you some useful ideas, especially if you are cooking for a large or hungry family!
