Accidental Meal Prep
three easy recipes that taste better with time
Welcome back to accidental meal prep, a series of recipes that weren’t exactly made for meal prep, but somehow taste even better by day three.
If you’re anything like me and don’t have a full day to spend prepping in the kitchen, this series is all about simple recipes that make it easier to keep things on track through the week without making lunch feel like a chore.
This week, we’re making two creamy, protein-forward recipes that hold up beautifully in the fridge: Cottage Cheese Egg Salad, Creamy Chicken Salad, and one pasta with load of benefits: Creamy Southwest Pasta Salad.
They’re easy to mix and match, great for lunches, and perfect for the kind of week where you want something ready to go without eating the same sad container of leftovers every day.
Favorite Tools for Meal Prep
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Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls: Lightweight, durable, and endlessly useful for weekly meal prep. These are perfect for everything from tossing pasta salads to mixing chicken salad or prepping ingredients ahead of time. They also nest neatly together, which helps keep the kitchen from feeling cluttered during busy weeks.
Glass Jars for Chicken Salad: Perfect for storing chicken salad, egg salad, dressings, or grab-and-go lunches throughout the week. I love how easy they make portioning meals ahead of time, and the clear glass helps you quickly see what’s already prepped in the fridge.
Glass Storage Containers: A total game changer for keeping meal prep fresh and organized all week long. They stack easily in the fridge, seal tightly, and don’t hold onto stains or odors like plastic containers tend to do.
Glass Spice and Dressing Jars: Great for homemade dressings, sauces, spice blends, or meal prep toppings. Keeping dressings separate until you’re ready to eat helps everything stay fresh and crisp, plus they make the fridge look much more organized.
Knife Set: A quality knife set makes cooking feel so much faster and less frustrating. Sharp, comfortable to use, and perfect for chopping vegetables, slicing chicken, or prepping ingredients for the week ahead.
Wooden Cutting Board: One of my most reached-for kitchen tools for everyday cooking and meal prep. It’s sturdy, spacious, and gives you plenty of room to prep multiple ingredients at once without crowding the counter.