Meal Prep Like a Chef: Week 2
Week 2 of Chef Ashley’s two-week plan with one shopping trip, a Sunday prep plan and five recipes to make weeknight dinners easier.
Make Meal Planning Simple Again
Last week, we learned that meal prep doesn't have to mean spending your entire Sunday cooking five complete meals and filling your refrigerator with containers. Instead, we did what chefs do: we think ahead. Meal planning isn’t always cooking ahead. Sometimes, it's simply walking into your kitchen on a busy weeknight and realizing: “I’ve got this.”
Recipe #1
Instant Pot Beef Ragu
On a Monday I want dinner that is hearty, hot and incredibly low maintenance. Take a budget-friendly cut and turn it into a tender, rich comfort food without covering your kitchen in dirty pots and pans. Let the pressure cooker do the heavy lifting while you handle everything else Monday throws at you babe!
Chef Ashley’s Tip:
Don't overlook hardworking, budget-friendly cuts of beef just because they need a little more time to become tender. Braising, low-and-slow cooking methods or pressure cooking can transform them into some of the richest, most satisfying meals of the week. The Instant Pot is a must for this.
Recipe #2
Air Fryer Pizza Bombs
Tonight, we’re recruiting the kids. Let them help stuff and shape them. Then, just pop them into the air fryer and you’ve got a warm, beefy dinner that’s just as comfortable sitting around the table as it is heading out the door with you. And for picky eaters? Consider these your secret weapon. They can be filled with ANYTHING.
Chef Ashley’s Tip:
Store-bought pizza dough is one of my favorite grocery store shortcuts. It can be turned into so much more than pizza. Convenience ingredients are not cheating! A chef knows when to make something from scratch and when to let someone else do the work. USE IT.
Recipe #3
Smashed Taco
Remember those pre-portioned balls of Certified Angus Beef ® ground beef we made on Sunday? This is why. Dinner tonight has the potential to come together in literal minutes. Ground beef hits the hot pan, tortilla goes on top, and SMASH. Add your favorite toppings and dinner is on.
Chef Ashley’s Tip:
Browning is flavor! That direct contact with the pan creates those crispy, deeply browned edges that make smashed ground beef so darn good. Resist the urge to constantly move it around. To save the mess in the kitchen, take your cast iron pan out to the grill to do the smashing.
Recipe #4
French Dip
Deli roast beef has potential… stick with me! This is the easiest way to turn grocery store conveniences into dinner without adding a bunch of work. It’s hot, fast and proudly packed with protein!
Chef Ashley’s Tip:
Start looking at the grocery store differently. Prepared ingredients aren’t always the finished product. Certified Angus Beef ® deli roast beef can be an ingredient as easily as it can be sandwich meat.
Recipe #5
French Onion-Stuffed Flank Steak
Congrats! We’re not ending the week by limping across the finish line with another emergency dinner! Tonight (with a little direction from me) you’ll roll and cook a beautiful Certified Angus Beef ® flank steak into a dinner that looks far more complicated than it actually is. Dinner doesn’t always have to be about getting food on the table as quickly as possible. Sometimes we save a little energy during the week so Friday can feel special.
Chef Ashley’s Tip:
Flank steak loves attention. It’s a lean, flavorful cut with long muscle fibers, so how you slice it matters. Make sure we’re rolling it lengthwise after stuffing, and give it plenty of time to rest before digging in. Be sure to season the beef itself before spreading the Boursin cheese on too!
Download This Week’s Shopping List
Everything you need for this week’s recipes is organized into one convenient shopping list.
Frequently Asked Questions
This two-week meal plan includes 10 family-friendly dinners, with five recipes each week. You’ll also get a printable shopping list and Chef Ashley’s meal prep tips to help you shop once, prep with a plan and make weeknight dinners easier.
Yes, you can prep components of these meals ahead of time to make weeknight easier. The goal isn’t to cook five complete meals on Sunday. Instead, Chef Ashley shows you how to prepare ingredients, marinades and other components ahead of time so you can quickly turn them into fresh dinners throughout the week.
This meal plan is designed for busy families looking for easy, flavorful weeknight dinners, especially during the back-to-school season. The recipes are built with real-life schedules in mind, but they’re flexible enough for anyone who wants to spend less time planning dinner and more time enjoying it.
In some recipes you can substitute a similar cut of beef, but the best substitution depends on the recipe and cooking method. When choosing a substitute, consider the cut’s tenderness, thickness and recommended cooking method. Check the individual recipe or use the Certified Angus Beef ® brand [Beef Cuts Guide] to find a cut with similar characteristics.
Not at all! Think of this meal plan as a guide, not a strict set of rules. When you follow along with Chef Ashley on social, you may notice she makes a few swaps or uses ingredients she already has on hand. That’s part of real-life cooking! Use her approach for inspiration, then follow the linked recipes for the recommended ingredients and cooking instructions. From there, feel free to make your own swaps and adjustments to fit your family’s preferences, schedule and what you have in the kitchen.
