I posted this on my IG stories and I got so many messages about this meal prep that we did for Lily! As a mom, I want to make sure she has delicious and nutritious meals without breaking the bank or spending too much time in the kitchen. We LOVE Trader Joes, so honestly we did a majority of our shopping there. It’s super affordable and they also have great frozen options.

So, let’s dive into the list of everything we bought and the awesome meal ideas we came up with! I also put everything in a pdf for you to download!

LWL_CollegeMealPrepPDF

PROTEIN: We picked up 1 pack of Trader Joe’s Pesto Chicken (4 meals), 3 packs of Trader Joe’s Organic Chicken Tenders (5 meals), 2 packs of Salmon Filets (6-8 meals), 1 pack of Chicken Meatballs (2-3 meals) and 1 lb of ground turkey (2 meals). With these, we have plenty of options for different meals and flavors.

PRODUCE: We grabbed a bag of spinach, brussel sprouts, broccoli florets, avocados, lemons, apples, and even some pomegranate seeds. We also added raspberries, blackberries, garlic, and basil to our shopping cart.

SEASONINGS + SAUCES:  We snagged some seasonings + sauces such as yellow curry sauce, buffalo sauce, citrus garlic seasoning, elote seasoning, and green goddess seasoning. We also stocked up on pantry essentials like garlic powder, onion powder, olive oil, and even Olive Garden Salad Dressing (the. best.).

PANTRY: We picked up Naan crackers, Kodiak Oatmeal packs, peanut butter, maple syrup, PB granola, pearl couscous, parmesan couscous, multi-color quinoa, boil bag brown rice, taco seasoning, salsa, crushed tomatoes, refried beans, pickles, flour, sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, banana bread mix, blueberry muffin mix, bowtie pasta, spinach pasta, black beans, chili oil crunch, and tortilla chips.

DAIRY:  We grabbed fresh mozzarella balls, vanilla Greek yogurt, white cheddar cheese snack packs, Kerry Gold butter, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, crumbled feta cheese, 2% milk, and sour cream. These will come in handy for a variety of recipes.

BAKERY: We couldn’t resist getting some sesame bagels and almond flour tortillas. These will make for quick and tasty breakfasts or snacks.

COLD SECTION: We picked up garlic hummus, everything bagel dip, buffalo chicken dip, two dozen eggs, cold brew coffee, and hazelnut coffee creamer. Perfect for those grab-and-go moments!

FROZEN FOODS: This included tropical frozen fruit, mixed berries, whole grain waffles, Eziekel sprouted English muffins, chicken gyoza potstickers, breaded chicken tenders, mini ice cream cones, chicken tamales, sweet potato fries, and steamed edamame. These will be lifesavers when Lily needs a quick and easy meal.

Now, let’s talk about the exciting part: meal ideas! We’ve come up with some good options that will keep Lily satisfied and fueled for her summer adventures.

1. Italian:
   • Spinach pasta with crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, pesto chicken, and fresh mozzarella cheese.
   • Bowtie pasta with Rao’s marinara, pesto chicken, parmesan cheese, and sautéed spinach.
2. Mexican:
   • Ground turkey with taco seasoning, almond flour tortillas, cheese, salsa, sour cream, avocado, and refried beans.
   • Elote chicken or tamales with rice, salsa, avocado, and black beans.
   • Elote chicken with rice, black beans, avocado, and all the delicious Mexican flavors.
3. Cold Pasta Salad:
   • Cooked pearl couscous or quinoa with feta cheese, avocado, fresh spinach, citrus chicken, pomegranate seeds, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
4. Mediterranean:
   • Quinoa with citrus salmon and steamed broccoli with lemon.
   • Green goddess chicken with pearl couscous, feta cheese, sautéed spinach, and a squeeze of lemon.
   • Greek Bowl with garlic hummus, couscous, feta, salmon, tomatoes, spinach, lemon, and avocado.
5. Buffalo:
   • Breaded chicken tenders with buffalo sauce, sweet potato fries, and air-fried brussel sprouts.
6. Indian:
   • Jasmine rice with yellow curry sauce, salmon, or chicken, broccoli, and spinach.
7. Asian:
   • Soup dumplings with rice, ponzu sauce (soy sauce + lemon juice), and steamed broccoli.
   • Salmon with soy sauce, jasmine rice, yum yum sauce, and steamed edamame.

Breakfast and snack ideas:

• Blueberry muffins with yogurt, fruit, and granola.
• Eggs with almond flour tortillas, cheese, salsa, and avocado.
• Banana bread with cream cheese and fruit.
• Tropical frozen fruit with Greek yogurt, milk, and collagen powder.
• Mixed Berry Smoothie with Greek yogurt, milk, and collagen powder.
• Eggs with Eziekel muffins, everything bagel seasoning, and avocado.
• Pancakes with syrup and eggs.
• Oatmeal with fruit.
• Frozen waffles with eggs and fruit.
• Bagel with eggs and fruit.

For quick snacks:

• Peanut butter with granola and sliced apples.
• Buffalo chicken dip with crackers.
• Hummus with feta, chili oil crunch, and crackers.
• Salsa with chips.
• Green goddess seasoning with sour cream and broccoli florets.

FROZEN ZIPLOCK MEALS

I also prepped these frozen meals for her so she can grab them in the afternoon or evening! They were super easy to make and I know she’ll be excited to have them on hand! 

(these last up to three months in the freezer if you get all the air out of each individual bag)

CITRUS CHICKEN – 3 Chicken Tenders + 2 Slices of Lemon + 2 TB of Olive Oil (add fresh salt + pepper before cooking)

ELOTE CHICKEN – 3 Chicken Tenders + 1 TB of Elote Seasoning + 2 TB of Olive Oil (add fresh salt + pepper before cooking)

Air-fryer:  Preheat to 400 + air fry the tenders 5-6 on each side

Oven:  Preheat Oven to 350 + bake for 25 – 30 minutes

PESTO CHICKEN – Pesto Chicken Thighs from Trader Joes (these are pre marinated) split the breast between 3 ziplock bags

Air-fryer: Preheat to 400 + air fry 12 minutes on each side

Oven: Preheat to 400 + bake for 30 – 40 minutes

GARLIC LEMON SALMON – 1 Piece of Salmon + 2 Slices of Butter + 1 Slice of Lemon + 1 tb of Olive Oil + 1/2 TB of Garlic Powder (add fresh salt + pepper before cooking)

GREEN GODDESS SALMON – 1 Piece of Salmon 2 Slices of Butter + 1 Slice of Lemon + 2 TB of Green Goodness Dressing (TJ) (add fresh salt + pepper before cooking)

EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONING SALMON – 1 Piece of Salmon 2 Slices of Butter + 1 Slice of Lemon + 1/2 TB of Everything but the Bagel Seasoning (TJ) (add fresh salt + pepper before cooking)

Air-fryer: Preheat to 400 + air fry 7 – 9 minutes

Oven: Preheat to 400 + bake for 12 – 15 minutes

So there we have it!  These recipes are not only easy to prepare but also packed with flavors and nutrients to keep her energized throughout her busy days. I know this was A LOT of information, but I have included the PDF below if you want to print out these grocery lists or meal ideas. Happy meal prepping!

LWL_CollegeMealPrep-2