Summer Stock-Up Week 9: Mediterranean Magic & Creamy Comfort ✨

Mediterranean-Inspired Freezer Prep + Pantry Staples

Hey there, THM friend! 👋 We’re diving into Week 9 with some seriously delicious prep that’ll transport your taste buds straight to the Mediterranean coast. This week, we’re focusing on bold, aromatic flavors that make every bite feel like a mini vacation – even when you’re eating dinner in your pajamas! 🏖️ No judgement here!

This Week’s Freezer Heroes 🌟

Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma (THM S) 🌯

Get ready for all those amazing Middle Eastern flavors without the fuss! This chicken shawarma marinade is pure magic – fragrant spices like cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika create a flavor explosion that’ll have your family asking for seconds. We’re prepping these raw and frozen for those nights when you want something special but don’t have the energy for complicated cooking. ✨Or feel free to batch cook and then freeze.

The beauty of this prep: Everything goes in a freezer bag raw – the chicken gets marinated right in the bag, so when you thaw it, it’s already perfectly seasoned and ready to hit that sheet pan. Add the yogurt to bag when thawing, so there is no weird grainy issues with the yogurt.  Some zucchini and red onion straight to the pan for a complete meal that practically cooks itself. 🙌

Crockpot Chicken with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce (THM S) 🍅

This recipe is what I like to call “desperation cooking” that turned into pure gold! Sometimes the best meals happen when we work with what we have, and this creamy, dreamy sauce is proof of that. The sun-dried tomatoes add this incredible depth of flavor while the cream cheese creates the most luscious sauce. 😍

Prep tip: We’re assembling everything in freezer bags raw (except the dairy) – when you’re ready to cook, just dump it all in the crockpot, and let the magic happen. The result is tender chicken in a rich, restaurant-quality sauce that pairs beautifully with cauliflower mash, shirataki noodles, palmini noodles, zucchini noodles, or your preferred noodles.

Here’s the link to Week 9’s Video
https://youtu.be/AplRWfliWos

This Week’s Pantry Stock-Up: The Power Duo 💪

Canned Chicken: Your protein superhero! 🦸‍♀️ Perfect for quick chicken salad, homemade chicken nuggets,  adding to soups, or those moments when you need protein fast. Look for varieties with no added salt or weird ingredients.

Canned Potatoes: Having canned potatoes on hand means you can easily create satisfying E meals or add them to S meals for growing kids or more active family members. They’re shelf-stable, ready to use, and perfect for quick roasted potatoes or adding to soups! 🥔Making air fried crispy potatoes in minutes has been a great discovery for my family.

Your Week 9 Prep Schedule

Shopping Day Prep (1 hour)

For Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma:

• Chicken breasts or thighs, cut into chunks
• Tomato paste, lemons, garlic
• Spices: paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, garlic

For Crockpot Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken:

• Chicken breasts or thighs
• Sun-dried tomatoes in oil, or no oil packs if you want to reduce calories (look for herbed varieties)
• Chicken broth
• Italian seasoning, garlic

Prep Day Power Hour

Shawarma Prep (20 minutes):

1. Mix marinade ingredients in a large bowl, or dump everything into freezer bags.
2. Cut chicken into chunks, toss with marinade.
3. Divide between gallon freezer bags.
4. Label everything with cooking instructions.

Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Prep (15 minutes):

1. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
2. Divide chicken between gallon freezer bags.
3. Add sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and chicken broth to each bag.
4. Label with crockpot cooking times.

Pantry Organization (10 minutes):

• Stock up on 6-8 cans of quality chicken.
• Grab 4-6 cans of potatoes (whole, diced, or sliced) 🥫
• Store canned goods in your pantry with other shelf-stable items.
• Organize canned chicken with your other proteins.

Cooking Your Freezer Meals

Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma

• Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Add yogurt and squish around in baggie.
• Spread vegetables on parchment-lined sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil.
• Add marinated chicken on top.
• Bake at 375°F for 25+ minutes until chicken is cooked through.
• Optional: broil for 2-3 minutes for charred edges.
• Serve over cauliflower rice with homemade tzatziki.

Crockpot Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken

• Thaw overnight (or cook from frozen, adding 1-2 hours).
• Dump everything in crockpot.
• Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours Add dairy about 30 minutes to 1 hour before done.
• Shred or slice chicken, stir back into sauce.
• Add heavy cream for extra richness, or even blended cottage cheese.
• Serve over shirataki noodles, zucchini noodles, palmini noodles, or cauliflower mash.

Why Week 9 is a Game-Changer

These meals prove that eating on-plan doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor or variety. The Mediterranean-inspired spices in the shawarma will make your kitchen smell like a gourmet restaurant, while the creamy tomato sauce feels like pure comfort food – but better because it’s keeping you on track!

Having these prepped means you’ve got both quick weeknight solutions (hello, crockpot!) and slightly more hands-on options (sheet pan magic) ready to go. Plus, both freeze beautifully and taste even better after the flavors have time to meld.

THM Tips for Success

• For Picky Eaters: The familiar comfort of creamy sauce and the fun “different” factor of shawarma can help expand palates.
• For Busy Weeks: Both meals are incredibly forgiving – hard to overcook and easy to customize.

You’re building such an amazing foundation with these weekly preps! Week 9 brings flavors that feel special but prep that’s totally doable. Your future self is going to thank you when dinner tastes this good with minimal effort.

Keep up the incredible work, mama! You’re creating a system that serves your family beautifully while honoring your commitment to staying on plan. That’s something to celebrate! 🎉