Flexitarian Meal Prep: A Week of Mostly-Plant Meals, Ready on Sunday

The practical challenge of flexitarian eating is not figuring out what to cook - it is having the right food ready when the default is to reach for meat. Batch cooking on Sunday solves this. With a pot of lentil soup, a grain base, a roasted vegetable tray, and an egg-based breakfast option in the fridge, a meatless weekday meal is always 5 minutes away.

The session below takes about 90 minutes of active cooking. It produces five days of lunches and dinners, averaging 80-95g of protein per day from those two meals alone.

Sunday Batch Cook: What to Make

1. Red Lentil Soup - 45 minutes, 6 portions

The slow-cooker red lentil soup is the anchor of the week. Start it Sunday morning and it is ready by the time the rest of the prep is done. In a large pot or slow cooker: sauté 2 onions, 4 garlic cloves, 2 carrots, and 2 celery stalks. Add 400g dried red lentils, 2 tins of chopped tomatoes, 1.5 litres of vegetable stock, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tsp turmeric. Simmer 30 minutes (or slow cooker 6-8 hours on low). Finish with lemon and good olive oil.

Storage: fridge 5 days, freezer 3 months. Per portion: ~22g protein, ~380 kcal, ~16g fiber.

2. Grain Base - 30 minutes, 5-6 cups cooked

Cook 1.5 cups of farro or pearled barley in lightly salted water (25-35 minutes depending on grain). Drain and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil. Refrigerate. This is the bowl base for lunches and a side for dinners across the week. Per cup cooked: ~6g protein, ~215 kcal.

3. Roasted Chickpeas - 30 minutes, 4 portions

Drain 2 tins of chickpeas, dry thoroughly, toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Roast at 200C for 25-30 minutes until crispy. Store at room temperature in an airtight container (they go soft in the fridge). Per half cup: ~8g protein, ~160 kcal.

4. Roasted Vegetable Tray - 35 minutes

One large tray: 2 courgettes sliced, 2 red peppers diced, 1 red onion quartered, 1 head of broccoli in florets. Toss with olive oil, salt, and dried oregano. Roast at 200C for 30-35 minutes. This goes into grain bowls, egg dishes, and alongside protein mains across the week.

5. Egg Muffins - 30 minutes, 12 muffins

Whisk 8 eggs with diced red pepper, spinach, and feta. Pour into a greased 12-cup muffin tin. Bake at 180C for 20-22 minutes. Refrigerate up to 5 days. Two muffins per morning: ~14g protein, ~190 kcal. Based on the egg, spinach and bacon muffins template - adapt with whatever vegetables are in the fridge.

5-Day Meal Plan Using Sunday's Prep

Monday

Breakfast: 2 egg muffins + Greek yogurt. ~31g protein, ~390 kcal.
Lunch: Red lentil soup + 2 slices whole-grain bread. ~22g protein, ~480 kcal.
Dinner: Grain bowl with roasted chickpeas, roasted vegetables, and tahini dressing. ~20g protein, ~490 kcal.
Day protein total: ~89g

Tuesday

Breakfast: 2 egg muffins + fruit. ~14g protein, ~280 kcal.
Lunch: Grain bowl with roasted chickpeas, cucumber, and lemon dressing. ~18g protein, ~450 kcal.
Dinner: Red lentil soup with roasted vegetables stirred through. ~24g protein, ~430 kcal.
Day protein total: ~82g

Wednesday

Breakfast: Spinach, tomato and cottage cheese omelet (fresh cook, 8 minutes). ~26g protein, ~340 kcal.
Lunch: Red lentil soup + whole-grain crackers. ~22g protein, ~420 kcal.
Dinner: Chickpea and lentil patties (from freezer or cook fresh) with cabbage salad. ~22g protein, ~520 kcal.
Day protein total: ~88g

Thursday

Breakfast: Greek yogurt with granola, chia, and berries. ~22g protein, ~380 kcal.
Lunch: Grain bowl with farro, remaining roasted vegetables, a soft-boiled egg, and lemon dressing. ~18g protein, ~480 kcal.
Dinner: Coconut curry lentils with greens (fresh cook, 30 minutes). ~24g protein, ~550 kcal.
Day protein total: ~88g

Friday

Breakfast: 2 egg muffins + yogurt. ~31g protein, ~390 kcal.
Lunch: Last portion of lentil soup with whole-grain bread. ~22g protein, ~480 kcal.
Dinner: Lemon-butter baked salmon with asparagus and remaining grain base. ~36g protein, ~560 kcal.
Day protein total: ~98g

Storage Guide

• Red lentil soup: fridge 5 days / freezer 3 months
• Cooked grain base: fridge 5 days (do not freeze - texture suffers)
• Roasted chickpeas: room temperature airtight 2-3 days
• Roasted vegetables: fridge 4-5 days
• Egg muffins: fridge 5 days / freeze individually up to 1 month

For the full flexitarian framework including meal plan and protein source guidance, see the complete flexitarian meal plan.