Meal prepping continues to be a journey of trial and error, but each week we’re getting better! This week, we made Vegan Alfredo with Paprika Chicken for my wife and Paprika Shrimp Alfredo for myself, trust me when I say I didn’t choose this video because the chef was shirtless. I made sure to start with a clean kitchen, which definitely made things easier. However, I made the mistake of not setting out my ingredients beforehand, which meant I had to keep stopping to search for things as I cooked. Lesson learned!

Another challenge this week was the meal prep video I chose. It didn’t have an ingredient list in the description—only mentioned them in the video—and there were no measurements provided. That meant I had to measure everything from my heart, which surprisingly still worked out, and tasted great. Next time, I’ll make sure to choose a video that lists ingredients and measurements clearly so it’s easier to follow, and fully clothed cooks for less distractions. We did have to do some googling as well to see how long cooked shrimp and cooked chicken can be kept in the fridge for, 3-4 days in case you’re wondering, which was why we only made 8 portions this week instead of 10.

I also realized that using frozen chicken wasn’t the best choice, as it didn’t take the seasoning as well and just got all over my hands in clumps. Next time, I’ll try raw chicken to ensure better flavor. Despite these hiccups, the entire meal prep session only took an hour, making it one of our quickest yet!

Meal Breakdown & Cost

Breakfast

8 Portions Mini Protein Pancakes and Waffles with Fruit & Vegan Sausage

• Ingredients: Protein pancake batter, Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, turkey sausage, vegan sausage.
• Cost:
  • No Frills:
    • 6oz Raspberries: $3.99
    • 1lb Strawberries: $5.99
    • 12oz Blueberries: $4.99
  • Total: $14.97 + Tax

Snacks

10 Portions of Two Snack Options

• Option 1: Snack packs with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, crackers, and pickles.
• Option 2: Vegan yogurt with granola.
• Cost: Nothing—still had groceries from last week.

Lunch

8 Portions Vegan Chicken/Shrimp Alfredo  

• Ingredients: Chicken, paprika, garlic powder, shrimp, fettuccini noodles, almond milk, vegan mozzarella, dried parsley, minced garlic.
• Cost:
  • No Frills:
    • Fettuccini Noodles: $1.50
    • Almond Milk: $4.00
    • Vegan Mozzarella: $5.99
  • Total: $11.49 + Tax

Grand Total: $26.46 + Tax

My wife and I have already noticed a big difference in our spending. Since we have breakfast and lunch prepped, we no longer stop at Tim Hortons or Starbucks, which saves us up to $50 a week! Beyond the financial savings, I feel healthier knowing exactly what goes into my meals and being able to adjust them based on our needs.

Looking ahead, I want to find recipes that are already vegan so I don’t have to make as many adjustments. I think having a recipe I can follow without modifications would make the process smoother, less time-consuming and more nutritious.

Below is a video of me attempting to get better at my filming skills, I don’t quite think I’m successful yet. BUT, it is better than last weeks.

Update: I give this meal a 8/10 – easy to make, was good even after multiple days!