Budget meal prep: 5 dishes at $1.46 a serving

The week's 5 dishes

every recipe has its own page

Monday eveningfridge
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Light zucchini Bolognese pasta
25 min≈ $1.62553 kcal
Tuesday eveningfridge
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Basmati rice with chickpeas and sautéed veggies
25 min≈ $0.85949 kcal
Wednesday eveningfreezer
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Green lentil stew with Toulouse sausages
50 min≈ $1.61818 kcal
Thursday eveningfreezer
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Kidney bean and sweet potato chili sin carne
35 min≈ $1.32352 kcal
Friday eveningfreezer
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Creamy potato, bacon and spinach gratin
50 min≈ $1.86607 kcal

The session, step by step

from 2:00 PM to 3:46 PM

One pair of hands, 4 burners and an oven: while something simmers, your hands move on to the next thing.

2:00 PM · Counter
4 min
Slice: 2 cloves garlic (green lentil stew, chili sin carne).
Green lentil stewKidney bean
2:04 PM · Counter
4 min
Wash, peel and chop: 3 carrots (basmati rice, green lentil stew).
Basmati riceGreen lentil stew
2:08 PM · Counter
6 min
Slice: 3 onions (basmati rice, green lentil stew, chili sin carne).
Basmati riceGreen lentil stewKidney bean
2:14 PM · Stove
2 min
In the large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Basmati rice
2:14 PM · Stove
2 min
In the large skillet, heat 0.5 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
Green lentil stew
2:16 PM · Stove
3 min
Add the sliced onion and cook 3 min, stirring.
Basmati rice
2:16 PM · Stove
3 min
Cook 1 sliced onion and 1 sliced garlic clove in the large skillet for 3 min.
Green lentil stew
2:19 PM · Stove
5 min
Stir in the chopped carrots and the curry powder, and sauté 5 min.
Basmati rice
2:19 PM · Stove
5 min
Add 1 diced carrot and 160 g crushed tomatoes, and cook 5 min.
Green lentil stew
2:24 PM · Counter
2 min
Add 120 g green lentils, 1 vegetable bouillon cube and 300 ml water to the skillet.
Green lentil stew
2:26 PM · Stove
Bring to a boil, then cover and let simmer over low heat for 30 min.
Green lentil stew
2:26 PM · Counter
2 min
Add the drained chickpeas, salt and pepper, and stir well.
Basmati rice
2:28 PM · Stove
Cover and let simmer over low heat for 10 min.
Basmati rice
2:28 PM · Counter
11 min
Wash, peel and chop: 200 g fresh spinach (potato gratin), 300 g sweet potatoes (chili sin carne), 500 g potatoes (potato gratin).
Creamy potatoKidney bean
2:38 PM · Rest
Let cool 20 min at most, then split into shallow containers and put them away: basmati rice in the fridge.
Basmati rice
2:39 PM · Stove
2 min
In the stockpot, heat 0.5 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
Kidney bean
2:39 PM · Stove
3 min
Cook the smoked lardons in the dry large saucepan for 3 min.
Creamy potato
2:41 PM · Stove
3 min
Cook 1 sliced onion and 1 sliced garlic clove in the stockpot for 3 min, stirring.
Kidney bean
2:41 PM · Oven
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), convection.
Creamy potato
2:42 PM · Stove
1 min
Add 0.5 tbsp olive oil and the flour, and stir 1 min for a blond roux.
Creamy potato
2:43 PM · Stove
2 min
Pour in the milk and the crème fraîche, and whisk 2 min until it thickens.
Creamy potato
2:44 PM · Stove
1 min
Add 300 g chopped sweet potatoes, 0.5 tsp smoked paprika and 0.5 tsp cumin. Stir for 1 min.
Kidney bean
2:45 PM · Counter
1 min
Off the heat, add the nutmeg and season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Creamy potato
2:46 PM · Counter
5 min
In the small baking dish, alternate layers: potatoes, spinach, sauce, and repeat.
Creamy potato
2:51 PM · Oven
Bake the gratin at 180°C (350°F) for 35 min.
Creamy potato
2:51 PM · Counter
2 min
Pour 1 can of crushed tomatoes and 1 can of drained kidney beans into the stockpot. Stir.
Kidney bean
2:53 PM · Stove
Bring to a boil, then cover and let simmer over low heat for 25 min. Season with salt and pepper.
Kidney bean
2:53 PM · Counter
2 min
Wash, peel and chop: 150 g zucchini (light pasta bolognese).
Light zucchini Bolognese pasta
2:55 PM · Counter
3 min
Slice: 1 yellow onion (light pasta bolognese).
Light zucchini Bolognese pasta
2:56 PM · Stove
Add 3 Toulouse sausages to the large skillet and keep cooking for 10 min.
Green lentil stew
2:58 PM · Stove
2 min
Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat.
Light zucchini Bolognese pasta
3:00 PM · Stove
3 min
Cook the sliced onion in the Dutch oven until translucent.
Light zucchini Bolognese pasta
3:03 PM · Stove
5 min
Add the ground beef to the Dutch oven and brown it, breaking it up well.
Light zucchini Bolognese pasta
3:08 PM · Stove
2 min
Stir in the chopped zucchini, the tomato paste, the oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Light zucchini Bolognese pasta
3:10 PM · Stove
Cover the Dutch oven and let simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
Light zucchini Bolognese pasta
3:10 PM · Counter
5 min
Take out the sausages, slice them into rounds and put them back in the skillet for 2 min.
Green lentil stew
3:15 PM · Stove
2 min
Add 1 pinch of salt and 1 pinch of pepper, stir and take off the heat.
Green lentil stew
3:26 PM · Rest
Let cool 20 min at most, then split into shallow containers and put them away: light pasta bolognese in the fridge, and green lentil stew, chili sin carne and potato gratin in the freezer.
Green lentil stewKidney beanLight zucchini Bolognese pastaCreamy potato

And there you go, it's readyCheck off every step to celebrate.

The big day

what's left to do that evening

Monday evening · Light zucchini Bolognese pasta
Cook 200 g pasta al dente in boiling salted water. Reheat the bolognese over low heat for 5 minutes, mixing it with the pasta.
Tuesday evening · Basmati rice with chickpeas and sautéed veggies
Cook 200 g basmati rice for 12 min in boiling salted water. Reheat the veggies and chickpeas for 5 min over low heat in the large sauté pan, then serve with the rice.
Wednesday evening · Green lentil stew with Toulouse sausages
Move the stew from the freezer to the fridge the night before. Reheat it over low heat in a saucepan for 10 min, stirring, until it boils.
Thursday evening · Kidney bean and sweet potato chili sin carne
Move the chili sin carne from the freezer to the fridge the night before. Reheat it over low heat in a saucepan for 10 min, stirring, or in the microwave for 5 min at medium power.
Friday evening · Creamy potato, bacon and spinach gratin
Move the gratin from the freezer to the fridge the night before. Reheat it at 160°C (325°F) in the oven for 25 min, covered with foil.

Where each container goes

2 in the fridge, 3 in the freezer

Dinner	Main course	Storage
Monday evening	Light zucchini Bolognese pasta	In the fridge
Tuesday evening	Basmati rice with chickpeas and sautéed veggies	In the fridge
Wednesday evening	Green lentil stew with Toulouse sausages	In the freezer, take it out Tuesday evening
Thursday evening	Kidney bean and sweet potato chili sin carne	In the freezer, take it out Wednesday evening
Friday evening	Creamy potato, bacon and spinach gratin	In the freezer, take it out Thursday evening

Storage times applied by Popotam, based on ANSES (the French food safety agency): two days in the fridge max, the rest in the freezer, thawed in the fridge. The details: how long the dishes keep.

The questions you're asking

How long does this meal prep keep?

The dishes for the first two evenings keep in the fridge, two days max after the session (ANSES, the French food safety agency, recommends eating a cooked dish within three days). The others go in the freezer right after the session (green lentil stew, kidney bean, creamy potato), and come out the night before to thaw in the fridge.

How much does this meal prep cost?

About $14.55 for the 5 dinners for 2, so around $1.45 a serving. Salt, oil and pantry spices aren't counted.

Why aren't the rice, pasta or couscous cooked during the session?

Rice, pasta and couscous cooked ahead are at risk for Bacillus cereus, whose toxin survives reheating (ANSES). The topping is ready on Sunday; the starch (light zucchini Bolognese pasta, basmati rice) gets cooked that evening, in about ten minutes.

How do I make my own meal prep with Popotam?

Build your week in Popotam, then tap “Meal prep” at the top of your meal plan. You pick the dishes and your session day, say how many burners and ovens you have, and Popotam writes your timed plan in about twenty seconds. Free, no account needed.

what about your own dishes?

Popotam writes your meal prep

Build your week, pick the dishes to make ahead and your session day: Popotam writes your timed plan for your kitchen, with what goes in the fridge or the freezer. Free, no account needed.

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