Easy Vegan Meal Prep Ideas For Back-To-School Season

The back-to-school season often means busy mornings, packed evenings, and little time to cook. For Jenné Claiborne, the chef, cookbook author, and creator behind the popular YouTube channel Sweet Potato Soul, that’s where meal prep comes in. Known for her approachable take on plant-based eating, Claiborne recently shared a video where she explains how to meal prep effectively for the week with nutritious vegan meals.

The Atlanta-born chef has built a career showing that healthy food can also be vibrant, soulful, and family-friendly. She’s also a mom – so her system needs to work for both adults and kids. In her latest prep session, Claiborne makes a mix of savory breakfasts, hearty dinners, and even a sweet treat to carry her and her daughter through the week.

Read more: Kid-Approved Vegan Packed Lunches (That Adults Will Love Too!)

Red lentil curry with sweet potato

Claiborne starts with a hearty pot of curry. She chops onions, garlic, and ginger before toasting them with curry powder, garam masala, cumin, coriander, and turmeric. “We are toasting our spices, which inevitably means that they’ll stick to the bottom. You want to scrape them off the bottom as much as possible,” she says.

Instead of the usual red lentils, Claiborne chooses split mung beans for extra creaminess, rinsing them carefully before cooking. Chunks of sweet potato, coconut milk, and tomato sauce round out the dish. Using her Instant Pot makes the process hands-off, though she points out it can also be done on the stove. She serves the finished curry over brown rice and freezes part for later in the week.

Savory tofu scramble

Next comes breakfast. Claiborne prepares a large batch of tofu scramble so she doesn’t need to cook each morning. She sautés onion, bell pepper, garlic, and mushrooms until tender before crumbling in tofu by hand. “Honestly, using the fingers is the easiest way to do this,” she says.

Nutritional yeast, salt, and turmeric give the scramble its savory depth and golden color, while frozen spinach adds nutrients and a pop of green. Stored in the fridge, the scramble lasts well through the week and makes for quick breakfasts on busy mornings.

Barbecue tofu

For a simple protein-packed dinner, Claiborne slices pressed tofu and marinates it in barbecue sauce. “This is a two-ingredient recipe. It is so easy to make,” she says. Ideally, the tofu rests overnight, but it can also be simmered in sauce for a faster version.

The marinated slices are grilled or baked, basted with extra sauce, and paired with pasta. Claiborne notes the leftover marinade can be frozen and reused, making the dish as waste-free as it is convenient.

Creamy carbonara pasta

To go with the barbecue tofu, Claiborne whips up a dairy-free carbonara. She sautés shallots and garlic, then stirs in flour to create a roux before adding soy milk. Nutritional yeast, miso, salt, pepper, and lemon juice complete the creamy sauce.

Short pasta makes the dish easier for kids to eat, but any shape works. Claiborne adds the sauce to cooked pasta for a meal that is quick, filling, and lunchbox-friendly. “This is going to school with Baby Jay,” she explains.

Rice and beans

Claiborne also makes a classic pot of beans simmered with onion, celery, garlic, and a bay leaf. Paired with rice, it’s an inexpensive staple she knows her daughter will eat. She freezes extra portions in large silicone cubes for easy reheating later in the week.

Almond flour chocolate chip cookies

Finally, Claiborne and her daughter bake cookies together. Made with almond flour, flaxseed, vegan butter, and chocolate chips, they’re healthier than packaged sweets but still feel like a treat. “Because these are made from almond flour, they don’t spread like traditional cookies do. So, you’re just going to press them flat,” Claiborne explains as they prepare the tray for baking.

The cookies bake for just 13 minutes, coming out golden and chewy. For Claiborne, ending her prep session with dessert ensures the week ahead has balance – nutritious meals with room for joy.

Find more plant-based lifestyle content and recipes on the Sweet Potato Soul YouTube channel.

Read more: Budget-Friendly Vegan Meal Prep Ideas – Under $10 Per Day