# Weekly Meal Prep Planner: Free Printable PDF | BuildPDFs > Free printable weekly meal prep planner PDF: a 7-day meal grid, a prep-day timeline, a grocery list, a pantry checklist, storage times and a filled example week. Source: https://buildpdfs.com/pdfs/weekly-meal-prep-planner [Free PDFs](https://buildpdfs.com/pdfs)/Weekly Meal Prep Planner (Printable PDF) Free PDF · Nutrition # Weekly Meal Prep Planner (Printable PDF) This free weekly meal prep planner is a printable PDF with a 7-day meal grid, a prep-day plan and a grocery list by category. It includes a pantry checklist, a fridge and freezer storage table and a filled example week. Blank copies follow, so you can print it once and plan for a month. [ Download the PDF](https://buildpdfs.com/pdfs/files/weekly-meal-prep-planner.pdf)[ Edit this in BuildPDFs](https://buildpdfs.com/signup?templateId=meal-plan-guide) 9 pages · 644 KB · PDF · Free · No sign-up to download [](https://buildpdfs.com/pdfs/files/weekly-meal-prep-planner.pdf) ## What is inside * How to use the planner * A filled example week * A 7-day meal grid for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks * A prep-day timeline * A grocery list by category * A pantry staples checklist * Fridge and freezer storage times * Blank weekly pages to print **Who it is for:** Anyone who wants to plan a week of meals, shop once and cook ahead. ## Preview ## Full text of the PDF This is the text of the PDF, so you can read it before you download. Blank log pages are not shown. Read the full text ### Weekly _Meal Prep_ Planner Plan a week of meals in 15 minutes, shop once and cook ahead in about 2 hours. A filled example week shows you how, and blank pages let you plan the next four weeks. Start here ### How to use this planner Meal prep works when the plan is simple. Choose meals that share ingredients, shop once, and cook the slow parts on one day. Use the steps below every week. 1. **Check your week.** Look at your calendar. Mark busy evenings, meals out and days with leftovers. 2. **Fill the meal grid.** Start with dinners, then lunches. Plan 2–3 dinners that make extra for lunch the next day. 3. **Check what you have.** Look in the fridge, freezer and pantry. Use what is there first. 4. **Write the grocery list.** Go meal by meal. Write each item under its store section. 5. **Plan prep day.** Put slow jobs first: oven, grains, stews. Do quick jobs while they cook. 6. **Label and store.** Write the food and the date on each container. Eat the oldest first. #### What to cook ahead * **Proteins:** roast chicken, a pot of chili, hard-boiled eggs, baked tofu. * **Grains:** a big batch of rice, quinoa or pasta. * **Vegetables:** one tray of roast vegetables, washed salad greens, cut raw vegetables for snacks. * **Breakfasts:** overnight oats, egg muffins, yogurt cups. * **Sauces:** one dressing or sauce to change the taste of plain food. #### What to cook fresh * Fish, which is best within a day or two. * Crispy foods, such as fried eggs or toast. * Quick stir-fries with vegetables you cut on prep day. **Rule of thumb:** cook for 3–4 days at a time. Most cooked food keeps 3–4 days in the fridge. Freeze portions for later in the week. Filled example ### Example week: one person This example uses one prep session on Sunday and a short top-up on Wednesday. Tags show what was prepped ahead and what comes from the freezer. | Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Snacks | | ---------------- | ----------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------- | | Mon Busy day | Overnight oats with berries Prepped | Chicken, rice and roast vegetable bowl Prepped | Turkey chili with rice Prepped | Apple and peanut butter | | Tue Gym | Greek yogurt with granola | Turkey chili Leftover | Sheet-pan salmon, potatoes and green beans | Carrots and hummus Prepped | | Wed Top-up prep | Overnight oats with banana Prepped | Chicken, rice and roast vegetable bowl Prepped | Tofu and vegetable stir-fry with rice | Cheese and whole-grain crackers | | Thu Late meeting | 2 egg muffins and toast Prepped | Tofu stir-fry Leftover | Chicken fajitas with peppers Prepped | Yogurt cup | | Fri Out at night | 2 egg muffins and fruit Prepped | Chili-topped baked potato Freezer | Dinner out | Trail mix | | Sat Flexible | Pancakes with fruit | Fridge clean-out wraps | Homemade pizza night | Fruit | | Sun Prep day | Scrambled eggs and toast | Big salad with roast chicken | Roast chicken thighs and vegetables | Popcorn | **Why it works:** the chicken, rice and roast vegetables cover four meals. The chili covers three, with one portion frozen. The peppers cut on Sunday go into Thursday's fajitas. **Leave gaps:** Friday dinner and the weekend stay flexible. A plan with some open meals is easier to keep. Filled example ### Prep day and grocery list #### Sunday prep: about 2 hours * 0:00 Heat the oven to 425 °F (220 °C). Start the rice. * 0:05 Cut vegetables for roasting and the fajita peppers. * 0:15 Chicken thighs on one tray, vegetables on another. Both into the oven. * 0:20 Start the turkey chili on the stove. * 0:35 Mix the egg muffins. Make two jars of overnight oats. * 0:50 Chicken and vegetables out. Check that the chicken is 165 °F (74 °C) inside. Oven to 350 °F (175 °C), egg muffins in for 20 minutes. * 1:10 Cut carrots for snacks. Wash the salad greens. * 1:20 Pack two chicken bowls for Monday and Wednesday. * 1:35 Chili done. Pack two portions for the fridge and one for the freezer. * 1:45 Label everything with the date. Clean up. **Cool food fast.** Put cooked food in the fridge within 2 hours. Use shallow containers so it cools quickly. #### Grocery list for the example week #### Produce * Berries, 1 pint * Bananas, 3 * Apples, 3 * Bell peppers, 4 * Onions, 2 * Broccoli, 1 head * Sweet potatoes, 2 * Potatoes, 3 * Green beans, 8 oz * Carrots, 1 lb * Salad greens, 1 bag * Garlic, 1 head #### Meat, fish, tofu * Chicken thighs, 2 lb * Ground turkey, 1 lb * Salmon fillet, 6 oz * Firm tofu, 14 oz #### Dairy and eggs * Eggs, 12 * Greek yogurt, 32 oz * Milk, ½ gallon * Shredded cheese, 8 oz #### Pantry * Rolled oats * Brown rice * Canned beans, 2 cans * Crushed tomatoes, 28 oz * Tortillas, 8 * Hummus * Granola #### Bakery * Whole-grain bread * Pizza dough #### Snacks * Trail mix * Crackers * Popcorn kernels Reference ### Pantry staples and storage times Keep these staples at home and most weeks need only fresh food on the grocery list. Tick what you have before you shop. #### Pantry staples checklist #### Grains and starches * Rice * Rolled oats * Pasta * Quinoa * Whole-grain tortillas #### Cans and jars * Beans and chickpeas * Crushed tomatoes * Tuna or salmon * Low-sodium broth * Peanut butter #### Flavor * Olive oil * Soy sauce * Vinegar * Garlic and onions * Chili powder and cumin #### Freezer * Frozen vegetables * Frozen berries * Frozen shrimp or fish * Whole-grain bread #### Fridge basics * Eggs * Greek yogurt * Cheese * Lemons #### Prep kit * Glass containers with lids * Jars for oats * Freezer bags * Marker and labels #### How long food keeps | Food | Fridge, 40 °F (4 °C) or below | Freezer, 0 °F (−18 °C) | | ------------------------------ | ----------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | | Raw chicken or ground meat | 1–2 days | 3–4 months (ground), up to 9 months (pieces) | | Cooked chicken, meat or tofu | 3–4 days | 2–3 months | | Cooked fish | 3–4 days | 2–3 months | | Soups, stews and chili | 3–4 days | 2–3 months | | Cooked rice, grains and pasta | 3–4 days | 1–2 months | | Roast vegetables | 3–4 days | Not recommended (they go soft) | | Egg muffins | 3–4 days | 1–2 months | | Hard-boiled eggs, in the shell | Up to 7 days | Do not freeze | | Overnight oats | Up to 3 days | Not recommended | | Cut raw vegetables | 3–5 days | Blanch first | Times are for best quality and safety in a cold fridge. Freezer times are for quality; frozen food stays safe longer. Reheat leftovers until they are steaming hot, 165 °F (74 °C). When in doubt, throw it out. Make your own version Open this design in BuildPDFs, describe your changes (your plan, your brand, your words) and download a new designed PDF. [Edit this in BuildPDFs ](https://buildpdfs.com/signup?templateId=meal-plan-guide)[Try the AI weekly planner generator](https://buildpdfs.com/ai-weekly-planner-generator) Based on the [Meal Plan Guide](https://buildpdfs.com/templates/meal-plan-guide) template. ## Frequently asked questions ### What should a meal prep planner include? A weekly meal grid, a grocery list, a prep-day plan and safe storage times. This planner has all four, plus a pantry checklist and a filled example. ### How long does meal prep last in the fridge? Most cooked meals keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge. The planner has a storage table for common foods. Freeze what you will eat later in the week. ### Can I print this planner? Yes. It is a US Letter PDF with light write-in pages that print well on a home printer. ### Can I make a planner with my own brand? Yes. Open it in BuildPDFs, describe your layout and colors, and download a designed planner to sell or give away. ## Related * [Weekly planner template](https://buildpdfs.com/templates/weekly-planner) * [Meal plan guide template](https://buildpdfs.com/templates/meal-plan-guide) * [High-protein meal plan PDF](https://buildpdfs.com/pdfs/high-protein-meal-plan) ## More free PDFs [All free PDFs ](https://buildpdfs.com/pdfs) * [High-Protein Meal Plan PDF (7 Days)](https://buildpdfs.com/pdfs/high-protein-meal-plan) * [12-Week Hypertrophy Program PDF](https://buildpdfs.com/pdfs/12-week-hypertrophy-program) * [12-Week Dumbbell Workout Plan PDF](https://buildpdfs.com/pdfs/12-week-dumbbell-workout-plan)