Meal Prep on a Budget: How to Prep Healthy Meals on $40 a Week

Good, low calorie food – but keep inflation in mind.
So I got this book after realizing that I needed to get my food spending under control. The meals in this book are very affordable, and I really like that each of the 4 weeks has a shopping list right up front, split up by section of the grocery store.One thing I will say is that you should adjust your expectations for how high prices have gotten. The tagline of the book conveys that you’ll prep on $40 per week… the least I’ve spent is about $51, and it tends to even out to about $60. Still a HUGE improvement for me, but just go into that knowing that adjustment up front.Also, the prep/cook times in this book are a little off from reality… especially if you’re not super familiar with cooking and prep techniques. It takes me about 4.5 hours on Sunday to prep the entire week’s worth of food – not a bad amount of time, but definitely still a decent chunk of time.So how’s the food?Week 1:Favorites – Tuna Macaroni Salad (I doubled the veggies to make it go further) and PB/J Smoothie (excellent breakfast for a grad student on the go).Least Favorite – Chicken Scallopini with Sauteed Green Beans (a lot of prep work and a bit more technical to cook… it tasted good but was kind of a pain to prep, especially because I’m not used to pan-frying things).Week 2:Favorite – Mushroom and Zucchini Frittata – The first time I’ve made anything close to a successful quiche, this was a super easy recipe and tasted really good.Least Favorite – Tofu Curry Vegetable Soup – I wasn’t able to get the tofu to really “take on” the flavor of the soup. I also found that I’m not a huge fan of the texture of tofu.Week 3:Favorite – Potato and Herb Pancakes – Super savory/umami flavor… I was really skeptical when I first saw the recipe, but it’s really good. One thing, you’ll need “grated” versions of each ingredient… just do yourself a favor and get a decent food processor. That sped my process up by a ton.Least Favorite – Vegetable Primavera Pasta – Not bad on the flavor front, but the sauce is thin and the vegetables and pasta end up separating so you get all pasta or all vegetables on the fork.Week 4:Favorite – Southwest Egg Bowl – I’m a breakfast lover, and this hits all the spots!Least Favorite – Ginger and Soy Salmon Rice Noodle Salad – I didn’t notice a huge difference when it came to the flavor of the salmon here (over tuna or chicken), and the prep for the ginger was kind of a pain in the butt.

Shop smart – great for beginners to meal prep and people who struggle with planning
I bought this book a few months ago on a whim, times have definitely changed since I bought it, so have prices. I picked it up again because I was looking to get back into meal prepping and budgeting since my expenses got a bit out of control (hello adhd!). I forgot why I loved this book until I picked it up again.So, first things first, it tells you the equipment, pantry staples up front with a few tips and tricks to keep in mind. Adding my personal tip – pay attention to the different prices at different stores! Shopping somewhere like Vons/Safeway/Albertsons is going to cost a lot more than shopping at somewhere like Aldi/Trader Joes, etc. So, take a look at the prices and buy what you can at the less expensive store and the rest anywhere else you can.So, then it actually gives you a shopping list for the first week, this list assumes you don’t have anything in your pantry, so double check what you have and what you don’t so you’re not doubling up on spices or anything you don’t need to spend money on right now. Otherwise, if you’re like me having just moved and needing to restock, the first shop is going to be a tad bit more expensive since you aren’t buying portions of spices and oils etc., you’re buying the whole bottle/jar/can.The best part is it breaks down the meal prep process, but not just the standard “start prepping everything for the meals you are going to make” which it also says but it goes in depth, so prep the smoothies then, chop all the veggies, start cooking the chicken for recipe 2 while the chicken cooks, boil the pasta for recipe 1, and details the steps and when to prep each recipe so everything comes out relatively at the same time and it’s not an overwhelming process of where to start etc. Adding personal tip #2 – Clean as much as you can as you go, use your plastic veggie bags for scraps, rinse the dishes as you go and put them in the dishwasher, etc. Just to make the final clean up a snap – also I don’t have multiple measuring spoons and things, so I have to do a lot of wash in between steps!In addition, it gives you a meal plan for the week, you can of course adjust it accordingly, but it allows for the visual set up and takes away the mental work on my side.Aside from just having some new recipe additions to my repertoire, I appreciate the time it took to break down the meal prep process step by step in an order of operations method. this helps a lot for someone who has never meal prepped or who has always shopped for four when it’s a family of one!

Great cookbook for meal preparation
Good product for meal preparation

Amazing find!
I appreciate stumbling upon this book as I was searching for one that would help prepare meal preps for an affordable budget and with everyday ingredients.I would recommend this to anyone who wants to start meal prepping, but has a budget, not will this help you, but will ensure the prep is just as easy as the ingredients.

Matt’s recipes are full of flavor and variety but only cost you pennies. I found the recipes not only delicious but easy to prepare. One of the things I hate about being on a budget is that you often feel like you are missing out on things. With this book you can eat steak and shrimp and still be within your budget. In addition Matt’s ideas for saving at the grocery store have allowed me to save money on the recipes that I already make. Plus his meal prep ideas mean that you never blow your budget on take out because you always have something quick and delicious already made!! Not only that, but he lists what tools you need in the kitchen making this book the prefect gift for anyone starting out on their own. Even if you are a seasoned cook, the budget friendly recipes are a great way to spice up your repertoire while saving money. Overall a great purchase!!