MEAL PREP: Your Lunch And Dinner Recipes For The First Week In October – And The Shopping List To Make Them All

Food prep is the conscience that sits on our shoulder every Sunday night...

We know that later us will thank us for doing it, but current us is too preoccupied with the €4 packet of biscuits we just bought ourselves for dinner.

Let us let you in on a little secret: food prep isn't as scary and grown-up as it sounds. It's easy. Just read below, we've listed it all out in easy-to-read form so the only worry you'll have, is what to do with all your spare money and deadly abs.

Now, first things first – here's your shopping list for all the recipes that follow

• 1 bag of quinoa
• 1 x butternut squash
• 2 packets of feta
• 1 jar of olives
• 2 x red onions
• 1 bunch of spring onions
• 2 x avocados
• 6 x chicken breasts
• 4 x peppers
• 1 bag of leaves
• 6 x tomatoes
• 6 x beef burgers
• 1 x cucumber
• 1 bag of sweet potatoes
• 1 bag of chillis
• 1 bag of peas (frozen of otherwise)
• 1 bag of mozzarella 
• And a selection of herbs and seeds, of your choosing

Yep, that's it. 

It all shouldn't come to more than €35 (depending on where you shop) and it will feed you for the week. 

1. Monday

Lunch: Quinoa stuffed butternut squash

Wind down with a filling, tasty dish full of loads of flavours. And it couldn't be easier to make. Full recipe here. 

Dinner: Chicken skewers

Chicken, onion, peppers. Chopped, put on a stick and popped in the oven. Couldn't be simpler. Full recipe here.

2. Tuesday

Lunch: Greek salad

A colourful mix of vegetables, olives, leaves and of course, feta. Just the ticket to brighten up a dull Tuesday morning. Full recipe here. 

Dinner: Roasted sweet potatoes with feta and red onion

Super filling, super flavoursome and suuuuuper delicious. Whip this out at a dinner party, and they'll be licking the plate clean. Full recipe here. 

Wednesday

Lunch: Pea, feta and red onion salad

Throw in a few chilis too, if you feel that your hump day needs a kick. Full recipe here. 

Dinner: Lettuce burgers

Use lettuce leaves as your guide and stuff them with burgers, tomatoes, red onion and whatever else you can find around the place. You've survived Tuesday, you deserve this. Full recipe here.

Thursday

Lunch: Stuffed peppers

Gather together the ends of the mozzarella, olives, quinoa and tomatoes - and chuck them all into the peppers. Soon the cheese will melt, and you'll be in a better place. Full recipe here. 

Dinner: Spiced chicken, spinach and sweet potato stew

Exactly what you need after the Thursday post-work pint, or four. Finish up the last of the chicken, leaves and sweet potatoes with this tasty, wholesome and filling stew.

Full recipe here.

Friday

Lunch: Caprese salad

Delicious, filling and possible to throw together before work. Full recipe here. 

Dinner: Beef burgers and sweet potato wedges

Congratulations my friend - you've survived the week! You deserve something as tasty and delicious as you are. Full recipe here.

And that's all there is too it. Now the weekend is here, loosen your belt a little, and eat whatever the hell you want.

Happy guzzling, friends. 

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