7 Healthy Meals for the Week: A Simple Sunday Prep Guide

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry brown rice (makes 4 cups cooked—your base for 3 meals)
• 500g boneless chicken thighs
• 1 can (400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (400g) diced tomatoes
• 300g salmon fillet (2 portions, for two)
• 4 cups mixed greens or baby spinach
• 2 medium zucchinis
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 large head of broccoli
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 medium red onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 lemon
• 4 eggs (for quick breakfasts mid-week)
• 1 cup rolled oats (overnight oats—prep Sunday, eat Monday)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook Your Rice Base First

   Get your brown rice going right away—it takes the longest. Rinse 2 cups of dry brown rice and cook it according to package directions (usually about 40 minutes). This becomes the foundation for at least 3 of your 7 meals: a grain bowl, a stir-fry base, and a side for your salmon night. While it cooks, everything else happens around it.

2. 2

   Roast the Vegetables (This Is Your Secret Weapon)

   Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Chop your zucchinis, both bell peppers, and broccoli into similar-sized pieces—roughly 2cm chunks. Toss everything in 1 tbsp olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Spread across two baking sheets so nothing steams (crowded veggies get sad and soggy). Roast for 25 minutes until edges are slightly caramelized. These go into 4 different meals across the week.

3. 3

   Season and Bake the Chicken Thighs

   Pat your chicken thighs dry with paper towel—this matters more than people think, it's what gets you that golden exterior. Rub them with cumin, oregano, garlic (minced), a pinch of salt, and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake at 200°C for 30-35 minutes alongside your vegetables if you have oven space. Once cooled, slice into strips and store in an airtight container. You'll use this for 2 dinners and can throw leftovers into a lunch salad.

4. 4

   Make Your One-Pan Chickpea Tomato Dish

   This is your Wednesday or Thursday dinner—the one that rescues you mid-week. In a medium saucepan, sauté half the red onion in a little olive oil for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add garlic, cumin, and your can of diced tomatoes. Let it simmer for 10 minutes, then add the drained chickpeas. Season well and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Serve over rice or with a hunk of bread. It takes 20 minutes total and costs almost nothing—genuinely one of my go-to healthy meals for the week on a budget.

   

5. 5

   Prep the Salmon for Thursday or Friday

   Keep your salmon portions raw in the fridge—you'll cook these fresh, not in advance. But do make the marinade now: juice of half a lemon, 1 tsp smoked paprika, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil. Store it in a small jar. On the night you cook it, just pour it over the fillets and pan-fry for 4 minutes per side. Serve with your pre-roasted veggies and rice. Done in under 15 minutes when everything else is already prepped.

6. 6

   Set Up Your Overnight Oats for Monday Morning

   Before you close up the kitchen Sunday night, take 5 minutes to prep overnight oats. In a jar or container, combine 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup milk (any kind), a small handful of berries if you have them, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. Stir, seal, refrigerate. Wake up Monday with breakfast already handled. It sounds small but starting Monday without the 'what do I eat' panic sets the whole week up differently.

7. 7

   Map Your Actual Week (Don't Skip This Part)

   Here's how I'd map 7 healthy meals for the week using everything you just prepped: Monday dinner—chicken thigh strips over rice with roasted veg. Tuesday dinner—chickpea tomato bowl (reheat in 5 minutes). Wednesday dinner—grain bowl with remaining chicken, greens, and roasted peppers. Thursday dinner—fresh-cooked salmon with veggies and rice. Friday dinner—egg fried rice using leftover rice and those 4 eggs you bought. For a couple eating together, double the chicken and salmon portions—this setup works especially well as healthy meals for the week for two, where you want variety without cooking entirely separate things each night.

Substitution Ideas

Storage Tips

Cooked brown rice keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days—reheat with a splash of water to stop it drying out. Roasted vegetables last 4-5 days refrigerated. Cooked chicken strips are best used within 3-4 days; after that the texture drops off. The chickpea tomato dish actually tastes better on day two once the flavors settle, and it freezes well if you double the batch. Raw salmon should stay in the fridge and be cooked within 2 days of purchase—don't prep it too far ahead. Overnight oats are good for up to 3 days in the fridge, so you can make a few jars at once.