Prep-Ahead Meal Plan Using Roast and Ham

Here is a prep-ahead meal plan using roast and ham. It includes a printable shopping list, menu plan, and meal prep guide.

Sales on roasts and hams have started turning up in sales fliers in my area – perfect timing as the weather has cooled off and I am finally feeling like turning on my oven to do some roasting. This week's meal plan takes advantage of those sales on roasts and ham to create some hearty comfort food dinners as we transition into fall weather.

This meal plan and shopping list are based on recipes from my cookbook Prep-Ahead Meals from Scratch. I have pulled together some printables to make meal planning and meal prep with my cookbook even easier.

When I create a menu plan, I like to choose 3 – 4 proteins that I can batch cook. Then I mix and match those batch cooked ingredients in delicious recipes. Several of the recipes from this week's meal plan makes use of the leftovers from Sunday Night's Roast Beef.

In addition to the roast, the other proteins that I batch cook are rice, lentils, and black beans. A couple recipes use ham, but if you buy a precooked ham that does not need to be cooked, just diced.

Printable Menu Plan

Prep-Ahead Meal Plan Using Roast and Ham

All of the recipes can be found in Prep-Ahead Meals from Scratch.

Sunday:

Sunday Night Roast Beef (p. 87)
Baked Mashed Potatoes (p. 173)
Asparagus with Balsamic Glaze and Chives (p. 156)

Monday:

Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas (p. 88)
Broiled Honey Mustard Broccoflower (p.160)

Tuesday:

Skillet Mac and Cheese with Ham and Broccoli (p, 50)
Garden Salad

Wednesday:

Fajita Frittata (p.91)
Fiesta Corn with Black Beans (p. 178)

Thursday:

Potato, Ham, and Corn Chowder (p. 63)
Garden Salad

Friday:

Lentil and Rice Tacos (p.134)
15-Minute Refried Black Beans (p.135)

We like to have at least one meatless meal a week. If you prefer (and you have extra ham), you can replace this meal with Ham and Spinach Waffle Quesadillas (page 72).

Saturday:

French Dip Pizza on French Bread (p.96)
Garden Salad

Printable Master Shopping List:

Print the master shopping list and then check the items that you need before heading to the store.

Tip: If you forget your shopping list you can access the Kindle version and the Nook Version of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scratch from your phone.

Prep-Ahead Session

Bake the potatoes. Refrigerate for later.

Start the roast, so that it will be done in time for dinner.

Do the rest of your food prep an hour or two before Sunday dinner, so you can combine the clean up from dinner with the clean up from meal prepping.

Cook 2 cups rice in the pressure cooker (10 minutes) or one of the methods on pages 116 – 117.

Cook 1 pound of Black Beans in a Pressure Cooker (30 minutes) or one of the other methods on page 114 – 115.

Cook Lentils in a Pressure Cooker (10 minutes) or one of the other methods on page 115 – 116.

Dice the ham.

Chop broccoli, broccoflower, and onion.

Slice carrots, peppers, and celery.

Make a large salad.

Make salad dressings to use on salads.

Store the beans, lentils, and rice in usable portions.

Store the chopped vegetables.

Cut the leftover roast into thin strips, then store in usable portions.

There will be extra beans, lentils, and rice that can either be used in lunches throughout the week or frozen to use in future recipes. You may also have extra ham depending on the size of the ham you bought. You can freeze ham in slices or diced, but you should avoid freezing a whole ham as it can change its texture.

Meal Prep Organization

You can use the printable batch cooking and meal prep guide below if you wish.

Store Batch Cooked and Prepped Ingredients:

I store the cooked chicken, rice, and beans for the first 3 – 4 days worth of meals in the refrigerator. I freeze the roast, ham, rice, lentils, and beans for the meals on days 5 – 7 in the freezer. I pull them out to thaw in the refrigerator the night before they are needed. If I forget, I can quickly thaw them in the microwave or by placing the container in a bowl of warm water.

I usually store my batch cooked ingredients in Pyrex containers, but you can store them in sealable plastic bags if you wish.

Want to create your own menu plan using batch cooking? Read these tips for Creating a Weekly Meal Plan Using Batch Cooking.