Mexican Food Meal Prep: 1,800–2,100 Calorie Level

Tacos, margaritas, tortilla chips…oh my! If you love Mexican food but are trying to eat clean and reach your fitness goals, you’ll want to read on.

What if you could eat Mexican food at every single meal and still stick to your nutrition plan? I am happy to say that you can!

This meal prep plan features five days of Mexican-themed dishes, and it’s one of our most delicious and colorful meal prep menus yet.

There are tacos, a farro dish that tastes just like chicken enchiladas, imaginative fresh salsas, and plenty of bold flavors.

For those of you who love your Crock Pot, we’ve got two slow cooker recipes: the Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas and the Crunchy Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos.

You can cook them one at a time in the same slow cooker, or cook the chicken in the slow cooker and the pork in a Dutch oven.

This menu follows Ultimate Portion Fix at the 1,800–2,100 calorie level.

If you are following other calorie levels, use this as inspiration for your meal prep and increase or reduce servings to meet your daily container count.

Mexican Food Meal Prep for the 1,800-2,100 Calorie Level:

Breakfast (M/W/F):
Oatmeal with almond butter and cinnamon, and 2 hard-boiled eggs = 1 Red, 1½ Yellow, 3 tsp.

Breakfast (T/TH):
Mexican Tofu Breakfast Scramble = 1 Green, 1 Yellow, ½ Red, 1 Blue

Shakeology Snack (M/W/F):
Spicy Pineapple Shakeology = 1 Purple, 1 Red, ½ Yellow

Shakeology Snack (T/TH):
Mexican Chocolate Shakeology = 1 Red, ½ Yellow, 2 tsp.

Snack:
Mexican Fruit Salad with Cottage Cheese = 1 Green, 1 Purple, 1 Red, 1 Orange

Lunch (M/W/F):
Spiced Salmon with Mango and Tomato Salsa and almonds = 2 Green, 1 Purple, 1 Red, ½ Blue, 1 tsp.

Lunch (T/TH):
Spicy Steak with Corn and Tomato Salad = 2 Green, ½ Yellow, 1 Red, 2 tsp.

Dinner (M/W/F):
Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas = 2 Green, 2 Yellow, 1 Red, ½ Blue, 1 tsp.

Dinner (T/TH):
Crunchy Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa with side salad and an apple = 1 Green, 2 Purple, 1½ Red, 2 Yellow, 1 tsp.

Here’s what this meal prep looks like:

Here’s what you’ll be eating Monday, Wednesday, and Friday:

Here’s what you’ll be eating Tuesday and Thursday:

BREAKFASTS:

M/W/F: ¾ cup oatmeal with 3 tsp. almond butter and cinnamon, and 2 hard-boiled eggs = 1 Red, 1½ Yellow, 3 tsp.

T/TH: Mexican Tofu Breakfast Scramble. 3.5 oz. tofu, ½ cup black beans, 1 cup mixture of onion, green and red bell pepper, and chopped tomatoes, with spices) served with ¼ avocado [not shown] = 1 Green, ½ Red, 1 Yellow, 1 Blue.

SNACKS

Shakeology Snack (M/W/F): Spicy Pineapple Shakeology (1 packet or scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 8 oz. unsweetened almond milk, 1 cup frozen pineapple, dash cayenne pepper) = 1 Purple, 1 Red, ½ Yellow.

Shakeology Snack (T/TH): Mexican Chocolate Shakeology (1 packet or scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 8 oz. unsweetened almond milk, 2 tsp. almond butter, dash cinnamon, dash cayenne) = 1 Red, ½ Yellow, 2 tsp.

Daily Snack: Mexican Fruit Salad (1 cup combined cucumber and jicama, 1 cup combined mango, watermelon, and pineapple, 2 Tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut, lime juice, and chili powder to taste) served with ¾ cup cottage cheese = 1 Green, 1 Purple, 1 Red, 1 Orange.

LUNCHES:

M/W/F: Spiced Salmon with Mango and Tomato Salsa (3 oz. salmon with spice rub served with a salsa of 1 cup mango, ½ cup tomato, cilantro, and 1 tsp. olive oil on a bed of 1 cup lettuce) and 6 almonds = 2 Green, 1 Purple, 1 Red, ½ Blue, 1 tsp.

T/TH: Spicy Steak with Corn and Tomato Salad (3 oz. spice-rubbed skirt or flap steak cooked in 1 tsp. olive oil served with salsa of ½ cup tomato, ¼ red bell pepper, ¼ green bell pepper, ¼ cup frozen corn and 1 tsp. olive oil on a bed of 1 cup lettuce) = 2 Green, 1 Purple, 1 Red, ½ Yellow, 2 tsp.

DINNERS: 

M/W/F: Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas = 2 Green, 1 Red, 2 Yellow, ½ Blue, 1 tsp.

T/TH: Crunchy Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa. 4 oz. pork slow-cooked in salsa verde and jalapeños served in 2 corn tortillas [not shown] and a salsa of ¼ cup pineapple, ½ shallot, and 2 radishes, served with salad of ¾ cup watercress, 1 hard-boiled egg, ½ cup black beans, ¼ cup cucumber, 2 radishes and an apple for dessert) = 1 Green, 2 Purple, 1 Red, 2 Yellow, 1 tsp.

Your Step-by-Step Guide for This Meal Prep:

1. Make the Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas. (We doubled the meat in the original recipe to give this meal a full Red container.) Plug in your slow cooker and set to high heat. Chop 1 onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and 2 jalapeños. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Add garlic and jalapenos and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes more.

Add 2 lbs. ground chicken and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Place chicken mixture, 1½ cups farro, 1 can black beans that have been drained and rinsed, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 can fire roasted tomatoes (with liquid), 1 cup water, 10 oz. enchilada sauce, 2 Tbsp. chili powder, 1 Tbsp. ground cumin, and 2 tsp. coriander to a slow cooker; mix well and cover.

Cook on high for 3 hours, or until liquid has been absorbed, and farro is tender. Stir in 1 cup shredded jack or cheddar cheese. Turn off heat and let farro cool. When cool, set out three food storage containers and spoon 1 cup of farro mixture into each. Portion remaining farro mixture into small freezer bags and store in freezer for a future week.

2. Make Crunchy Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa. Place 1 lb. pork loin cut in four pieces into a slow cooker or Dutch oven. Add 7 oz. canned jalapeños (optional) and 1½ cups tomatillo salsa. If using a slow cooker, cook on high for 3 hours, or until pork is no longer pink and shreds easily.

If using a Dutch oven, place in oven pre-heated to 300° F for 3–4 hours, or until pork shreds easily. Remove from heat and let cool 20 minutes. When cool, remove pork from salsa and shred with a fork. Return to pot. Divide mixture into four equal servings.

Place two servings into food storage containers and place in fridge. Place remaining two servings into two freezer bags and freeze for future meals.

3. In a small bowl combine 1 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. paprika, ½ tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. ground cumin, ½ tsp. dried oregano, and ½ tsp salt. Use this mixture to season 6 ounces of skirt or flap steak.

Heat a cast-iron pan or grill pan over high heat. When pan is very hot, add 2 tsp. olive oil. Place steak in the pan and cook about 3 minutes per side, or until cooked to your liking. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

4. Use the same spice mixture to season 9 ounces of salmon cut into three equal pieces. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tsp. olive oil and place the salmon in the pan (skin-side down if it has skin), cooking about 3 minutes per side, or until done to your liking. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

5. Make the oatmeal. Heat 2 ½ cups water in a medium pot. Add 1 ¼ cup oats and a dash of salt. Cook stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 Tbsp. of almond butter and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Divide evenly between three food storage containers. Set aside to cool.

6. Place 8 eggs in saucepan and add enough water to cover the eggs by one inch. Bring water just to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 12 minutes.

While eggs cook, prepare a large bowl of ice water. Carefully remove the eggs from the hot water with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water. Add two eggs to each oatmeal container. Place in refrigerator.

7. Make the Mexican Tofu Breakfast Scramble. Heat 1 tsp. oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ½ chopped onion, ½ chopped green bell pepper, and ½ chopped red bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4–6 minutes. While veggies cook drain tofu, wrap it in a paper towel and gently squeeze out excess moisture. Finely chop or mash 7 oz. tofu.

When onion is translucent add ¼ tsp. each of coriander, cumin, salt, and turmeric, 1 cup canned black beans (drained and rinsed), and the tofu. Stir to combine and remove from heat. (The recipe instructs you continue cooking the tofu for a few more minutes, but that is only necessary if you plan to eat it right away.) Set aside to cool.

When cool, divide the tofu mixture evenly between two food storage containers.. Top each with 2 Tbsp. fresh salsa and ¼ chopped tomato. When ready to eat, top with ¼ avocado.

8. Make the fruit salad. To save time we purchased pre-cut fruit. This is convenient, but more expensive. In a large bowl combine 2 cups chopped cucumber, 1 cup chopped jicama, 1 cup chopped pineapple, 1 cup chopped watermelon, 1 cup chopped mango, the juice of two limes, and chili powder to taste. Stir to combine.

Divide evenly into five resealable plastic bags or food storage containers. Place in fridge. Serve with 2 Tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut and ¾ cup cottage cheese.

9. Next, make the salsa for the salmon lunch. In a bowl, combine 1½ cup cherry tomatoes cut in half, 1 chopped yellow bell pepper, 3 cups chopped mango, 1 chopped jalapeño, as much cilantro as you want, and 2 tsp. olive oil. Stir to combine.

Set out three food storage containers. Add 1 cup of mixed salad greens to each. Top with one 3 oz. slice of salmon and ⅓ of the mango mixture. Place in fridge. Serve with six almonds.

10. Next, make the topping for the pork tacos. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup finely chopped fresh pineapple, 1 finely chopped shallot, ½ cup chopped radishes, 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, and ¼ tsp. ground cumin. Divide evenly between the containers that have the pork mixture or into two separate small containers.

When ready to eat, heat pork mixture and serve as tacos in 2 corn tortillas; top with pineapple salsa.

11. To the containers with the pork mixture, or in two separate food storage containers, add ¾ cup watercress (or baby spinach). Top each with ¼ cup chopped cucumber, 1 sliced radish, ½ cup black beans, 1 hard-boiled egg, and a wedge of lemon.

When ready to eat drizzle with 1 tsp. olive oil and squeeze the lemon over the top.

12. In a bowl 1 ½ cup chopped tomato, remaining ½ red bell pepper and ½ green bell pepper, chopped, ½ cup frozen corn, and 2 tsp. olive oil. Set out two food storage containers. Add 1 cup mixed salad greens to each. Divide tomato mixture evenly between the two containers. Top each with 3 oz. of steak. Place in fridge. Serve with an apple.

13. Chop 6 tomatillos, 3 green onions, and the remaining cilantro. Combine in a medium bowl with the juice of two limes, and three teaspoons olive oil. Divide evenly between containers with farro mixture.

Grocery List

Vegetables
2 large cucumbers
1 medium jicama
1½ cups cherry tomatoes
1 yellow bell pepper
3 jalapenos
1–2 bunches cilantro
6½ cups mixed green lettuce
2 onions
garlic
1 bunch green onions
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
2 tomatoes
6 tomatillos
1 avocado
1 shallot
1 bunch radishes
2 cups watercress (or spinach)
1½ cups frozen corn

Fruits
3 cups frozen pineapple
4 limes
1 lemon
3 mangoes (or 4 cups chopped)
1 small watermelon (or 1 cup chopped)
1 pineapple (or 1½ cups chopped)
2 apples

Proteins
2 lb. raw ground chicken breast
6 oz. skirt or flap steak
1 lb. raw pork loin
9 oz. salmon
7 oz. extra firm tofu
3 packets Vanilla Shakeology
2 packets Chocolate Shakeology

Dairy and Eggs
8 eggs
30 oz. low-fat cottage cheese
30 oz. unsweetened almond milk
1 cup shredded jack or cheddar cheese

Dry Goods
1¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
almond butter
unsweetened shredded coconut
18 almonds
1½ cups dry farro
2 cans black beans
1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, no salt added
10-oz. can red enchilada sauce
1 can sliced jalapeños
12 oz. green salsa
corn tortillas (or 6-inch whole-wheat tortillas)

Deli
fresh tomato salsa

Pantry
olive oil
cinnamon
chili powder
garlic powder
dried oregano
ground cumin
ground coriander
turmeric
sea salt
ground black pepper

 

 

Photos by Kirsten Morningstar