Family meal prep: 5 dishes for 4 people

The week's 5 dishes

every recipe has its own page

Monday eveningfridge
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese
25 min≈ $2.13627 kcal
Tuesday eveningfridge
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Basque-style chicken with bell peppers and tomatoes (poulet basquaise), rice pilaf
50 min≈ $2.69688 kcal
Wednesday eveningfreezer
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Beef shepherd's pie with carrots and peas (hachis parmentier)
35 min≈ $3.47841 kcal
Thursday eveningfreezer
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Homemade quiche Lorraine with green salad
35 min≈ $2.27945 kcal
Friday eveningfreezer
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Quick couscous with merguez and veggies
25 min≈ $1.62882 kcal

Groceries for 4

Produce

4 cloves garlic
540 g, plus 2 whole carrots
2 zucchini
70 g turnip
6 onion
2 red bell peppers
1.2 kg potatoes
200 g salad greens (lamb's lettuce or arugula)
4 tomatoes

Meat

4 chicken legs
800 g ground beef (5% fat)
500 g ground beef (5% fat)

Deli

200 g smoked bacon lardons
12 merguez sausages

Dairy

60 g butter
200 ml crème fraîche (30% fat)
100 g grated Emmental
400 ml milk
4 eggs

Pantry

30 g flour
2 rolls pie crust dough
400 g whole wheat pasta
20 g raisins
320 g long grain rice
180 g couscous

Frozen

300 g frozen peas

In the pantry

Chicken brothTomato pasteOlive oilSweet paprikaPepperSaltBalsamic vinegar

The gear

1 saucepan1 bowl1 Dutch oven1 large sauté pan1 large skillet2 pie pans1 spatula1 stockpotAirtight containers1 large gratin dish

Add this plan to my weekThe 5 dinners on your next week, and this meal prep plan ready in the app. Free, no account needed.

The session, step by step

from 2:00 PM to 4:26 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
3 min
Wash, peel and chop: 2 red bell peppers (Basque-style chicken).
Basque-style chicken
2:03 PM · Counter
7 min
Slice: 4 cloves garlic (homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese, Basque-style chicken).
Homemade whole wheat pasta bologneseBasque-style chicken
2:10 PM · Counter
5 min
Wash, peel and chop: 4 tomatoes (Basque-style chicken).
Basque-style chicken
2:15 PM · Counter
10 min
Slice: 6 onions (homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese, Basque-style chicken, shepherd's pie).
Homemade whole wheat pasta bologneseBasque-style chickenBeef shepherd's pie
2:25 PM · Stove
2 min
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the large sauté pan over medium heat.
Basque-style chicken
2:25 PM · Stove
5 min
In the large skillet, cook 2 sliced onions in 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat for 5 min.
Beef shepherd's pie
2:27 PM · Stove
Brown the 4 chicken legs for 5 min on each side in the large sauté pan.
Basque-style chicken
2:30 PM · Stove
Add 800 g ground beef to the large skillet, break it up and brown 8 min over high heat.
Beef shepherd's pie
2:37 PM · Stove
2 min
Add 2 sliced onions, 2 sliced garlic cloves and 1 tsp paprika to the large sauté pan, and cook 2 min.
Basque-style chicken
2:38 PM · Stove
3 min
In the large saucepan, heat 400 ml chicken broth over medium heat.
Quick couscous
2:39 PM · Stove
2 min
Stir the 2 chopped bell peppers and 4 chopped tomatoes into the large sauté pan and mix well.
Basque-style chicken
2:41 PM · Counter
1 min
Pour 500 ml chicken broth into the large sauté pan, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Basque-style chicken
2:42 PM · Stove
Bring to a boil, then cover and let simmer over low heat for 30 min in the large sauté pan.
Basque-style chicken
2:45 PM · Counter
5 min
Roll out the 2 rolls of pie crust dough in the two pie pans and prick the bottoms with a fork.
Homemade quiche Lorraine
2:50 PM · Stove
5 min
Cook the 200 g smoked lardons in the stockpot over medium heat, with no added fat.
Homemade quiche Lorraine
2:53 PM · Oven
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Homemade quiche Lorraine
2:55 PM · Counter
5 min
In a bowl, beat the 4 eggs with the 200 ml crème fraîche, 100 ml milk, salt and pepper.
Homemade quiche Lorraine
3:00 PM · Counter
3 min
Spread the lardons over both crusts, pour in the quiche filling, and sprinkle with the 100 g grated Emmental.
Homemade quiche Lorraine
3:03 PM · Oven
Bake both quiches at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes.
Homemade quiche Lorraine
3:03 PM · Counter
7 min
Wash, peel and chop: 540 g carrots, plus 2 whole (homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese, shepherd's pie, quick couscous).
Homemade whole wheat pasta bologneseBeef shepherd's pieQuick couscous
3:10 PM · Stove
2 min
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat.
Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese
3:10 PM · Stove
5 min
Stir 400 g chopped carrots and 300 g frozen peas into the large skillet and cook 5 min.
Beef shepherd's pie
3:12 PM · Stove
3 min
Cook 2 sliced onions and 2 sliced garlic cloves in the Dutch oven for 3 min, stirring.
Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese
3:15 PM · Stove
5 min
Add 2 chopped carrots and 500 g ground beef to the Dutch oven. Brown for 5 min, breaking up the meat.
Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese
3:20 PM · Stove
2 min
Stir in 4 tbsp tomato paste, 2 pinches of salt and 2 pinches of pepper. Mix well.
Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese
3:22 PM · Stove
Cover the Dutch oven and let simmer over low heat for 15 min.
Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese
3:22 PM · Counter
11 min
Wash, peel and chop: 1.2 kg potatoes (shepherd's pie).
Beef shepherd's pie
3:33 PM · Stove
Cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 15 min.
Beef shepherd's pie
3:35 PM · Oven
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Quick couscous
3:38 PM · Counter
5 min
Wash, peel and chop: 70 g turnip (quick couscous), 2 zucchini (quick couscous).
Quick couscous
3:43 PM · Counter
2 min
In the small baking dish, lay out the 12 merguez with 1 tbsp olive oil.
Quick couscous
3:45 PM · Oven
Put the small baking dish in the oven and grill the merguez for 15 min at 200°C (400°F).
Quick couscous
3:45 PM · Counter
2 min
Add 140 g carrots, 2 chopped zucchini, 70 g turnip and 20 g raisins to the large saucepan.
Quick couscous
3:47 PM · Stove
Cover the large saucepan and let the veggies simmer for 10 min over low heat.
Quick couscous
3:48 PM · Counter
8 min
Drain the potatoes and mash them with 30 g butter and 300 ml milk in a bowl until smooth.
Beef shepherd's pie
3:56 PM · Counter
5 min
In the large gratin dish, spread out the meat and veggies, cover with the mashed potatoes and smooth with the spatula.
Beef shepherd's pie
4:01 PM · Counter
3 min
Take the merguez out of the oven, cut them into chunks and add them to the large saucepan.
Quick couscous
4:04 PM · Counter
2 min
Mix everything well in the large saucepan, and season with salt and pepper.
Quick couscous
4:06 PM · Rest
Let cool 20 min at most, then split into shallow containers and put them away: Basque-style chicken and homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese in the fridge, and homemade quiche Lorraine, shepherd's pie and quick couscous in the freezer.
Basque-style chickenHomemade quiche LorraineHomemade whole wheat pasta bologneseBeef shepherd's pieQuick couscous

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

The big day

what's left to do that evening

Monday evening · Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese
Cook 400 g whole wheat pasta in boiling salted water for 10 min. Reheat the bolognese over low heat for 5 min, stirring.
Tuesday evening · Basque-style chicken with bell peppers and tomatoes (poulet basquaise), rice pilaf
Cook 320 g long grain rice according to the package. Reheat the Basque-style chicken for 10 min over low heat in a saucepan, with a little water if needed.
Wednesday evening · Beef shepherd's pie with carrots and peas (hachis parmentier)
Move the shepherd's pie from the freezer to the fridge the night before. Reheat it in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 30 min, covered with foil.
Thursday evening · Homemade quiche Lorraine with green salad
Take the quiches out of the freezer the night before and put them in the fridge. Reheat them for 20 min in the oven at 160 °C (325 °F). Wash the salad and dress it with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar right before serving.
Friday evening · Quick couscous with merguez and veggies
Take the couscous (veggies and merguez) out of the freezer the night before and put it in the fridge. Reheat it for 10 min over low heat with a little water. Make the couscous grain according to the package.

Where each container goes

2 in the fridge, 3 in the freezer

Dinner	Main course	Storage
Monday evening	Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese	In the fridge
Tuesday evening	Basque-style chicken with bell peppers and tomatoes (poulet basquaise), rice pilaf	In the fridge
Wednesday evening	Beef shepherd's pie with carrots and peas (hachis parmentier)	In the freezer, take it out Tuesday evening
Thursday evening	Homemade quiche Lorraine with green salad	In the freezer, take it out Wednesday evening
Friday evening	Quick couscous with merguez and veggies	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 (beef shepherd's pie, homemade quiche Lorraine, quick couscous), and come out the night before to thaw in the fridge.

How much does this meal prep cost?

About $48.77 for the 5 dinners for 4, so around $2.44 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 (homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese, basque-style chicken, quick couscous) 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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The other plans

all the meal prep plans

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Vegetarian meal prep: 5 dishes for the week

1h50≈ $2.10 per serving533 kcal

Whole wheat pasta · Chickpea · Lentil · Kidney bean · Pumpkin

See the plan

Budget meal prep: 5 dishes at $1.46 a serving

1h46≈ $1.45 per serving656 kcal

Light zucchini Bolognese pasta · Basmati rice · Green lentil stew · Kidney bean · Creamy potato

VeggieSee the plan

Fall vegetarian meal prep: 5 seasonal dishes

1h45≈ $1.94 per serving664 kcal

Veggie · Red lentil · Leek · Pumpkin · Zucchini

Where does this plan come from? The dishes come from Popotam meal plans (only the ones that show up in at least ten meal plans get their own page). The run-through was written on October 4, 2026 by the app's meal prep feature, one card per dish, then the order worked out for one pair of hands, and storage by its rules, no AI. It was reviewed before publication, and here's what we changed:

The shepherd's pie got 540 g of carrots, the total for the whole week: it takes 400 g, and the rest goes to the bolognese and the couscous.
The quiche, doubled for four, was poured into a single crust: it now makes two quiches, as planned by the two rolls of dough on the list.
The salad was washed and dressed on Sunday for Thursday: now it's made right before serving.
A sentence cut in two (“(th.” … “6-7).”) and an unnecessary oven preheat are removed.

Another sample session · All recipes

Family meal prep: 5 dishes for 4 people

The week's 5 dishes

Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese

Basque-style chicken with bell peppers and tomatoes (poulet basquaise), rice pilaf

Beef shepherd's pie with carrots and peas (hachis parmentier)

Homemade quiche Lorraine with green salad

Quick couscous with merguez and veggies

The session, step by step

2:00 PM · Counter

2:03 PM · Counter

2:10 PM · Counter

2:15 PM · Counter

2:25 PM · Stove

2:25 PM · Stove

2:27 PM · Stove

2:30 PM · Stove

2:37 PM · Stove

2:38 PM · Stove

2:39 PM · Stove

2:41 PM · Counter

2:42 PM · Stove

2:45 PM · Counter

2:50 PM · Stove

2:53 PM · Oven

2:55 PM · Counter

3:00 PM · Counter

3:03 PM · Oven

3:03 PM · Counter

3:10 PM · Stove

3:10 PM · Stove

3:12 PM · Stove

3:15 PM · Stove

3:20 PM · Stove

3:22 PM · Stove

3:22 PM · Counter

3:33 PM · Stove

3:35 PM · Oven

3:38 PM · Counter

3:43 PM · Counter

3:45 PM · Oven

3:45 PM · Counter

3:47 PM · Stove

3:48 PM · Counter

3:56 PM · Counter

4:01 PM · Counter

4:04 PM · Counter

4:06 PM · Rest