Free Fall Meal Prep Plan {Healthy Fall Recipes}

The meal prep plan

Follow this prep ahead plan on Sunday in the order in which everything is listed (eg the rice gets prepped first, then veggies, sauces, cheeses and proteins last). You will then pull your prepped ingredients out for each night's recipe and cook the recipe fresh. This will cut your nightly cooking time in half!

Note: If you'd like, you can start prep session by making your breakfast (Pumpkin Protein Pancakes) first before getting into ingredient prep.

Grains

1. Cook rice for the Chicken & Butternut Squash Harvest Bowls by mixing together 1 cup brown rice, 2 cups water, 1 tsp butter, and a pinch of salt in a rice cooker or in a pot on the stove. Cook until the liquid is absorbed. Let cool for about an hour, then transfer to a container or add the rice cooker container right into the fridge.

Proteins

1. Dice 4 chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces for the Chicken & Butternut Squash Harvest Bowls, Pumpkin Alfredo and Chicken, Spinach & Artichoke Spaghetti Squash.

Produce

1. Dice 1 cup butternut squash, slice 1 cup Brussels sprouts in half, chop 1 red pepper, chop 1 red onion, and mince 4 cloves garlic. Store together for the Chicken & Butternut Squash Harvest Bowls.
2. Cut 2 sweet potatoes into 1/2 thick fries for the Sweet Potato Poutine. Slice 2 cups mushrooms, dice 1 yellow onion and mince 2 cloves garlic, storing together in another container.

Dairy

1. Grate 1/2 cup parmesan cheese for the Pumpkin Alfredo.
2. Grate 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese for the Chicken, Spinach & Artichoke Spaghetti Squash.

Grocery list

Here is your grocery list. What I recommend you do is copy and paste this list into a Word doc and then erase the items you already have on hand. I know it looks like a long list but I've included everything except for salt and pepper.

If you have a well-stocked kitchen, then you will be able to strike most pantry staples off the list, such as the spices, oils, broth and condiments; possibly even butter, eggs, onions and milk as well!

• 1/3 cup olive oil 
• 1/3 cup butter
• 4 chicken breasts
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 tsp pepper 
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 8 cloves garlic
• 16 fresh sage leaves
• 1 cup butternut squash
• 1 cup brussels sprouts
• 1 red pepper
• 1 small red onion
• 2 spaghetti squash
• 3 cups spinach
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 2 cups mushrooms 
• 1 large yellow onion
• 4 green onions 
• 1 (400mL) can artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 lb pasta
• 1 cup brown rice (you can also use wild rice like the harvest bowls recipe initially calls for)
• 1/4 cup honey mustard
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp red wine (optional for added flavour for the sweet potato poutine)
• 2 cups vanilla protein powder
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 8 egg whites
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (plus more for serving the pumpkin alfredo)
• 1/3 cup goat cheese
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup Cheese curds
• 4 tbsp almond butter (optional for topping the pumpkin pancakes)
• 4 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional for topping the pumpkin pancakes)
• 4 tbsp chopped walnuts or pecans (optional for topping the pumpkin pancakes)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (optional for topping the pumpkin pancakes)