Meals that Stretch into Leftovers

1. Chicken Fried Rice

Stir-frying a big pan of fried rice can last all week. Chicken fried rice is easier than it sounds to make, and you can get creative with whatever ingredients you have around. Start with 2-4 cups of cooked rice. You get the best texture if the rice has chilled and firmed in the fridge for a few hours or overnight before you start.

Stir-fry up some veggies while you cook a few fillets of chicken breast in a separate pan. Then, toss it all together with oil and soy sauce. Let the rice meld as the flavors set, and serve hot on the first day. Good fried rice tastes even better on the second day and is really easy to reheat in a pan or microwave.

2. Chicken and Rice Soup

Delicious soup is warming and nutritious, no matter how you make it. The key to good soup is flavorful broth and a balance of veggies, meat, and starch. We particularly love this recipe for chicken and rice soup, but once you get the hang of the recipe, you can start swapping out ingredients based on whatever is in season or in the fridge.

Bowls of soup are no-brainers to reheat, and you can even pre-package servings into Tupperware bowls that pop right into the microwave. Just remember to ladle from the bottom, center, and top of the pot so you get a little bit of everything in each bowl.

3. Pasta Bakes

If you're looking for a hearty meal that stretches into many great servings of leftovers, you can't beat a pasta bake. You can make one fresh and freeze one for later. You can serve out squares of pasta bake for a tasty, hot Italian-style meal any day of the week. One pasta bake lasts all week for one person and two or three dinners for a family. With the extra pan in the fridge, you double the cook-time efficiency for a whole second batch that you can throw in the oven.

4. Chili

If you love chili, then you'll love it all week. Chili is a great meal on its own and an equally tasty side dish for another main course. Weeknight chili is also a popular recipe for quick and easy cooking that you can easily multiply based on how long you want a single pot of chili to last. We also suggest cooking up a box mix of cornbread to eat alongside your all-week chili.

5. Taco Fixin's

Tacos are something you can make all week. The only thing you need to prepare is one big pan of taco meat or two pans if you want beef and chicken. Once you cook up a big batch of taco beef crumble and taco chicken shred (any taco seasoning packet will do), you can then make fresh tacos, burritos, and nachos all week long. And who can say no to that?

Make it taco night every night by preparing two Tupperware containers of precooked taco meat. You can even pre-shred the lettuce and dice the tomatoes. Then all you need is to warm a few tortillas or taco shells (put the meat and cheese in the shell in the oven) and top with the fresh cold stuff. Instant taco time.

6. Chicken Salad

If you want tasty leftovers you can eat cold, mix up some chicken salad. You can eat it alone, put it on a sandwich, or make a tasty lunch wrap. A big batch of chicken salad can provide lunches and snacks for the rest of the week, and it's easy to make. Once you have cooked and chopped or shredded the chicken, you can throw the rest together with simple, delicious ingredients.

The Secret to All-Week Recipes

When it comes to cooking meals that stretch, the one thing you really need is large pans. One big soup pot, one large stir-fry pan, two large cookie sheets, and two or three casserole dishes are the key to all-week recipes that make enough servings to portion up into meals for days.

You will also benefit from access to a full kitchen. Having four full-sized burners, an oven, and microwave allows you to make big batches, take handy shortcuts, and prepare a week's worth of meals in just a few big recipes.

Retreat at Seven Trails Apartments in Ballwin features fully-equipped kitchens with a microwave and dishwasher to make your weekly meal preparations easier.