Week 6: Peruvian Chicken & Budget-Friendly Basics

Welcome back to Week 6 of our Summer Stock-Up series! We’re halfway through summer and I hope your freezer is getting beautifully full of Trim Healthy Mama goodness. This week, we’re focusing on flavor-packed protein prep that will save you both time AND money.

If you’ve been following along, you know how much I love recipes that do double duty – and this week is no exception. We’re prepping 4 amazing Peruvian chicken recipes for the freezer (all uncooked and ready to dump in your crockpot, grill, skillet, or oven when you need them) PLUS we’re making budget-friendly hamburger meat that stretches your dollar without sacrificing nutrition.

What We’re Prepping This Week:

🐔 4 Peruvian Chicken Freezer Packs (THM S)

These chicken recipes are absolute GAME-CHANGERS. The flavors are incredible – think cumin, garlic, citrus, and warm spices that transport you straight to Peru. Each recipe feeds a family and goes from freezer to table with minimal effort.

Why I love these:

• All the flavor work is done ahead of time
• Raw chicken marinates as it freezes (hello, extra flavor!)
• Versatile – use in bowls, over salads, with roasted veggies
• Teen boy and hubby approved (trust me on this!)

🥩 Generic Flavored Hamburger Meat (THM S)

This is my secret weapon for stretching ground meat without anyone noticing. I brown 8 pounds total (mix of ground beef and ground turkey to save money), season it perfectly with onion, garlic, salt and pepper, then add a full package of cauliflower rice to make it go further.

Why this works:

• Saves money by stretching expensive meat
• The cauliflower rice adds volume and nutrition
• Pre-cooked and ready to throw into any meal
• Freezes beautifully in family-sized portions

🥫 Pantry Stock-Up: Petite Diced Tomatoes & Navy Beans

These pantry staples are workhorses in THM cooking. Petite diced tomatoes are perfect for quick sauces, soups, and skillet meals. Navy beans are fantastic for hearty E meals and adding protein to vegetarian dishes.

Here’s the Youtube Video
https://youtu.be/rPZlbjelvbk

Week 6 Shopping List:

Proteins & Fresh Items:

• [ ] 8 lbs ground meat (mix of beef and turkey for savings)
• [ ] 6-8 lbs chicken (thighs or breasts – whatever’s on sale!)
• [ ] 1 large onion (for hamburger meat seasoning)
• [ ] Fresh garlic or garlic powder
• [ ] Limes and lemons (for Peruvian marinades)

Pantry Stock-Up Items:

• [ ] 6-12 cans petite diced tomatoes (buy when on sale!)
• [ ] 4-6 cans navy beans (or 2 bags dried navy beans)
• [ ] Cauliflower rice (2-3 bags frozen or 2 heads fresh)

Spices & Seasonings:

• [ ] Ground cumin (essential for Peruvian flavors!)
• [ ] Smoked paprika
• [ ] Dried oregano
• [ ] Onion powder
• [ ] Garlic powder
• [ ] Salt and black pepper
• [ ] Olive oil or avocado oil

Freezer Supplies:

• [ ] Gallon-sized freezer bags
• [ ] Freezer labels or permanent marker
• [ ] Quart-sized freezer bags (for individual portions)

This Week’s Shopping Strategy:

Look for sales on:

• Ground beef and ground turkey (buy in bulk!)
• Chicken thighs or breasts
• Canned petite diced tomatoes (stock up when they’re on sale)
• Dried or canned navy beans

Pro Shopping Tip: Many stores are running ground meat sales right now – perfect timing for your prep day!

Prep Day Game Plan:

1. Start with the hamburger meat – brown all 8 pounds, season, add cauliflower rice, cool, and portion into freezer bags
2. Prep Peruvian chicken marinades – mix up all 4 recipes, add raw chicken, seal, and freeze
3. Organize your pantry haul – date everything and rotate older items to the front

Time-Saving Tip: This entire prep session should take about 2-3 hours, but you’ll have meals ready for weeks!

Serving Suggestions:

Peruvian Chicken:

• Over cauliflower rice with a side salad (S)
• In lettuce wraps with avocado (S)
• With roasted vegetables (S)
• Shredded in grain-free tortillas for quick tacos (S)

Hamburger Meat:

• Quick skillet meals like Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet
• Hamburger Soup (S) or (E) or even Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
• Easy Cheesy Weeknight Baked Pasta (S)
• Shepherd’s Pie (S)
• Stuffed bell peppers or zucchini boats
• Emergency taco meat (just add taco seasoning!)

Money-Saving Win:

Buying ground meat in bulk and extending it with cauliflower rice or finely diced mushrooms can cut your meat costs by 25-30%. Your family gets the same protein satisfaction, but your budget gets a break! Plus, you’re essentially “buying” future dinners at today’s sale prices.

Meal Planning Made Easy:

With these prepped proteins in your freezer, you can create:

• Week 1: Peruvian Chicken Bowls Monday, Hamburger Skillet Wednesday
• Week 2: Peruvian Chicken Tacos Tuesday, Shepherd’s Pie Friday
• Week 3: And so on…

The possibilities are endless when you have seasoned, ready-to-go proteins waiting for you!

Next Week Preview: We’re diving into Comfort Food Classics – those cozy, satisfying meals that make everyone happy and keep you on plan.

Share Your Success! Tag me on social media when you complete your Week 6 prep – I love seeing your full freezers and organized pantries!

Happy prepping, Mama! You’re setting your family up for delicious, stress-free meals that your budget will love too.