How One Hour of Weekend Prep Can Streamline Family Meals All Week

In her column, a registered dietitian describes a streamlined weekend workflow that begins with an inventory of pantry items and a shopping list built around a "formula of threes"—three proteins, three vegetables and three fiber-rich carbs. After purchasing roughly 1½ to 2 pounds of each protein and the chosen produce, she immediately washes, trims and chops the vegetables, storing half for raw snacks and the rest for cooking.

She then roasts proteins and vegetables together while boiling grains and preparing additional items like eggs or beans, aiming to finish within one hour. All components are kept in clear, airtight containers, with leftovers frozen after three or four days. Throughout the week, she recombines the pre-cooked foods into different meals such as pasta with chicken, turkey taco bowls, or salmon with rice, providing balanced, low-waste options for her family.