Sunday is my reset day. It’s the day I turn chaos into order, the day I set myself up for a successful week.

If I skip meal prep, my week is a disaster. I grab whatever’s closest, spend too much money on takeout, and end up eating cheese sticks for dinner by Wednesday.

This routine takes me about 2 hours. It’s not fancy. It’s not Instagram-worthy. But it works, and it’s the single biggest reason I’ve been able to stay keto for over two years.

8:00 AM — Grocery Shopping

Before I prep, I shop. I use my weekly meal plan and grocery list (posted the day before). I go early on Sunday morning because the store is empty and I’m not dodging shopping carts.

30 minutes. In and out.

9:00 AM — Kitchen Setup

I clear the counters, pull out all my containers, and set up a little assembly line:

  • Cutting board + knife for vegetables
  • Sheet pans for roasting
  • A big pot for hard-boiling eggs
  • Storage containers labeled with the day

5 minutes. This is the part people skip, but it makes everything faster.

9:05 AM — Start the Oven

I preheat the oven to 400°F. While it’s heating, I start the hard-boiled eggs.

Eggs: Put 12 eggs in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and remove from heat. 12 minutes later, ice bath. Done.

These eggs become breakfasts, snacks, and salad toppers for the entire week.

9:10 AM — Sheet Pan Proteins

While the eggs are cooking, I prep the proteins. I cook 2-3 sheet pans at once:

Pan 1 — Chicken thighs (for 3 dinners):

  • 12 chicken thighs, seasoned with garlic, paprika, salt, pepper
  • Olive oil drizzle
  • Bake at 400°F for 25-30 min

Pan 2 — Ground beef (for tacos + casserole):

  • 2 lbs ground beef, browned in a skillet with taco seasoning
  • Portioned into 2 containers

Pan 3 — Bacon (for the week):

  • 1 lb bacon, laid out on a sheet pan
  • Bake at 400°F for 15 min
  • This is my secret weapon — pre-cooked bacon for breakfasts and BLTs (lettuce wrap style)

9:40 AM — Roast Vegetables

While the proteins cook, I roast vegetables. These become sides and salad bases:

  • 2 heads of broccoli, cut into florets, olive oil, salt — 20 min
  • 2 zucchini, sliced, olive oil, Italian seasoning — 15 min
  • 1 cauliflower, for cauliflower mash — steamed then mashed with butter and cream

10:00 AM — Prep Snacks

This is the part that saves me during the week. I portion out grab-and-go snacks:

For me:

  • Cheese sticks (12 — 2 per day)
  • Almonds in small bags (1/4 cup each)
  • Pork rinds in a big container
  • Pepperoni slices + cheese cubes in a container

For the kids:

  • Cut up fruit (apples, grapes)
  • Cheese cubes
  • Crackers portioned into baggies

10:15 AM — Assemble Lunches

I assemble 5 grab-and-go lunches for myself:

  • 2 containers: Chicken + broccoli + cheese
  • 2 containers: Ground beef taco meat + avocado + cheese
  • 1 container: Hard-boiled eggs (3) + cheese + almonds (my “I forgot to plan” emergency lunch)

Dave and the kids eat school lunch or whatever’s in the fridge, so I only prep my own lunches.

10:30 AM — Make a Big Batch of Ranch

I use ranch on everything — salads, chicken, vegetables, dipping sauce. I make a big batch every week.

Ranch: 1 cup mayo + 1/2 cup sour cream + ranch seasoning (I use this mix) + a splash of heavy cream to thin it. Stores all week.

10:45 AM — Clean Up

Wipe counters, wash the sheet pans, put away the dishes. I listen to a podcast while I do this — it’s my Zen time.

15 minutes. Done by 11 AM.

What My Fridge Looks Like After Prep

  • 5 prepped lunches (for me)
  • 3 containers of cooked chicken
  • 2 containers of taco meat
  • 1 container of bacon
  • 12 hard-boiled eggs
  • 2 containers of roasted vegetables
  • 1 container of cauliflower mash
  • Ranch dressing
  • Grab-and-go snack containers (cheese, nuts, pork rinds)

What This Buys Me During the Week

  • Breakfast: 2 eggs + 2 bacon strips = 5 minutes
  • Lunch: Grab a prepped container = 2 minutes (microwave)
  • Snack: Grab a container = instant
  • Dinner: I still cook fresh dinners, but the proteins are pre-cooked, so it’s just heating + adding fresh vegetables

My weeknight dinners go from 45 minutes of cooking to 15 minutes of assembly. That’s the magic.

My Meal Prep Container System

I use these glass containers for everything. They’re oven-safe, microwave-safe, and don’t stain or absorb smells. I bought a 12-pack two years ago and they’re still perfect.

For snacks, I use small reusable silicone bags. They’re better than plastic and the kids love picking their colors.

What I’ve Learned After 2+ Years of Meal Prep

  1. Don’t prep things that don’t reheat well. I learned this the hard way with avocado (it browns) and zucchini noodles (they get mushy).

  2. Prep proteins, not full meals. I used to make full meals in containers, but they got boring by day 3. Now I prep components and mix and match.

  3. Keep it simple. I tried doing 5 different proteins once. It took 4 hours and I burned out. Now I do 2-3 proteins and rotate sides.

  4. Make it a ritual. I put on a podcast, pour some coffee, and treat it as my Sunday reset. It’s not a chore — it’s self-care.

  5. If you skip a week, don’t quit. Life happens. I’ve skipped prep plenty of times. I just get back to it the next Sunday.

Want my exact weekly meal plan + grocery list? Subscribe here — I send it out every Sunday morning.