This meal prep grocery list for two gives you the ingredients for five weekday dinners and two future freezer dinners. It combines two full FenRecipes recipes, assigns every serving to a meal, and separates pantry staples from the items you need to buy.
At a glance: two adults · two cooking sessions · 14 portions made · 10 portions eaten this week · four chili portions frozen.
Use it with the weekly meal prep plan for two. Breakfasts, lunches, snacks, drinks, weekend meals, and optional toppings need their own additions to your shopping list.
What groceries do two people need for this plan?
The main purchases are 2 pounds of chicken, 2 pounds of ground turkey, 5 cups of broccoli florets, enough rice for 4 cooked cups, three cans of beans, and two cans of tomatoes. Add the aromatics, broth, sauce ingredients, and seasonings listed below. Check what you own before adding anything to your cart.
These amounts come from the published six-bowl slow cooker teriyaki chicken recipe and eight-serving Crockpot turkey chili recipe. Keeping the full batches gives you a clear way to use family-size recipes in a two-person kitchen.
The weekly dinner menu
| Day | Dinner | Portions used |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Teriyaki chicken bowls | 2 |
| Tuesday | Teriyaki chicken bowls | 2 |
| Wednesday | Teriyaki chicken bowls; cook chili for later meals | 2 |
| Thursday | Turkey chili | 2 |
| Friday | Turkey chili | 2 |
Batch check: six chicken bowls + eight chili servings = 14 portions. The menu uses all six bowls and four chili servings. Freeze the remaining four chili servings on Wednesday in two packs of two.
This is a simple rotation for people who are comfortable repeating dinners. For more variety, swap one dinner for an existing freezer meal and freeze the displaced portions promptly. Follow the chicken recipe’s guidance to freeze the sauced chicken and prepare fresh rice and broccoli when serving it later.
Exact meal prep grocery checklist for two
The checklist includes both full batches, including the four freezer portions. Amounts describe what you will use; a bottle or bag may contain more. Check off the staples you already have before shopping. You can print this page using your browser’s Print command.
Meat and poultry
- ☐ 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- ☐ 2 pounds 93% lean ground turkey
Produce
- ☐ 5 cups broccoli florets
- ☐ 3 scallions
- ☐ 1 large yellow onion
- ☐ 1 red bell pepper
- ☐ 8 garlic cloves: four for each recipe
- ☐ Fresh ginger to yield 1 tablespoon finely grated
Rice
- ☐ Enough rice to yield 4 cups cooked
Use the yield on your rice package to calculate the dry amount. Four cups of cooked rice is the quantity for all six bowls; it is not four cups of dry rice. Add extra rice separately if you want it with chili.
Canned goods and broth
- ☐ 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- ☐ 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- ☐ 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans
- ☐ 1 (15-ounce) can black beans
- ☐ 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans
- ☐ 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- ☐ 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Drain and rinse all three cans of beans before adding them to the chili. If your broth package holds more than one cup, plan another use or store the remainder according to its label.
Teriyaki sauce ingredients
- ☐ 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- ☐ 1/3 cup unsweetened pineapple juice or water
- ☐ 3 tablespoons honey
- ☐ 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ☐ 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ☐ 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ☐ 2 tablespoons cold water for the cornstarch slurry
The garlic and ginger are already counted under produce. Choose pineapple juice or water, as allowed by the recipe; you do not need both.
Oil and seasonings
- ☐ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ☐ 2 tablespoons chili powder
- ☐ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ☐ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ☐ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ☐ 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ☐ 3/4 teaspoon black pepper: 1/4 teaspoon for chicken and 1/2 teaspoon for chili
Optional toppings and other meals
If desired, add 1 teaspoon sesame seeds for the entire chicken batch. For chili, choose a topping you will use elsewhere: Greek yogurt, cheddar, avocado, lime, cilantro, or extra scallions. Write your chosen amount on the list. No dairy is required for the two base recipes.
Add breakfast, lunch, snack, and weekend ingredients in a separate section. For example, if both adults need five weekday lunches, that means another 10 lunch portions. The dinners above are already allocated and cannot also cover those lunches.
Do a five-minute pantry check
- Check the refrigerator: look for usable vegetables, sauces, and opened broth. Check storage dates before counting them toward a recipe.
- Check the freezer: identify any chicken, turkey, or complete meals that can replace a purchase.
- Check dry goods: count the cans and measure rice, oils, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, and spices.
- Check the calendar: mark meals out, travel, and work dinners before finalizing your portions.
People eating × meals at home = portions needed. Count only meals that still need cooking. If one person will miss Friday dinner, set aside that extra chili serving for freezing rather than buying another meal.
Sunday and Wednesday cooking schedule
These recipes use a 6-quart slow cooker on separate days, so one suitable cooker is enough. Keep the full recipe quantities and follow your appliance’s capacity instructions. The preparation times below do not include the hours of slow cooking.
Sunday: prepare six teriyaki chicken bowls
The chicken recipe lists about 15 minutes of preparation and 5–6 hours on LOW, followed by sauce finishing and portioning. Start early enough for the full cooking time. Thaw the chicken before slow cooking and check that it reaches 165°F.
Cook the rice and broccoli separately near the end. Thicken the sauce as directed, then divide the chicken, 4 cooked cups of rice, and 5 cups of broccoli into six portions. Label two for Monday, two for Tuesday, and two for Wednesday. Keeping broccoli separate until serving can help preserve its texture.
Wednesday: prepare eight servings of turkey chili
Allow about 20 minutes of preparation and 6–7 hours on LOW, or the recipe’s 3–4 hours on HIGH. Brown the turkey and aromatics, transfer them directly into the cooking process, and follow the full recipe. Check that the poultry reaches 165°F.
Divide the finished batch into eight portions. Refrigerate four for Thursday and Friday. Promptly cool and freeze the other four without toppings in two two-serving packs. Label each pack with the dish, cooking date, and serving count.
Plan the raw turkey purchase: raw ground turkey has a refrigerator storage window of 1–2 days. Buy it near Wednesday, or freeze it promptly after your Sunday shop and allow enough time to thaw it in the refrigerator before cooking.
How to store and reheat the meals
Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below. Divide cooked food into shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours, or within one hour when the surrounding temperature exceeds 90°F. Do not wait for a large pot to cool completely on the counter.
Use refrigerated cooked leftovers within 3–4 days. Sunday’s bowls are assigned to Monday–Wednesday; Wednesday’s refrigerated chili is assigned to Thursday–Friday. Reheat leftovers to 165°F, checking the center with a food thermometer.
The chili recipe recommends freezing portions without toppings for up to three months for best quality. Reheat chili on the stovetop or in the microwave rather than using the slow cooker to warm cold leftovers. For more storage decisions, see how long meal prep lasts in the fridge and freezer meals for two.
Ways to lower the grocery bill
- Compare compatible chicken cuts. The teriyaki recipe allows breasts or thighs, so compare prices for those options.
- Compare unit prices. Store-brand beans, tomatoes, rice, and broth may suit the recipes. Check labels and package sizes.
- Buy the amount you can use. A larger package helps only when you have a plan for the remainder.
- Choose toppings with a second use. Plain yogurt can also go with breakfast; extra scallions can finish another meal.
- Subtract pantry stock first. A bottle of rice vinegar or jar of spices can last across several weeks.
For a different menu built around cost, try the budget meal plan for two. If you shop in larger packs, the Costco meal prep guide for two can help you plan the remainder.
Adjust portions and containers to your household
Two adults may need different serving sizes. Add rice, vegetables, or a side for a larger appetite and record that addition before shopping. If you increase the main serving size, recalculate how many dinners the batch covers. For a lunch-focused option, use the high-protein meal prep guide for two.
Use containers that are suitable for their intended refrigerator, freezer, or reheating use. You can pack six individual bowls or store components separately and portion them when serving. By Wednesday, the emptied containers can be reused for chili, with two freezer-safe packs reserved for the extra four servings. Check manufacturer instructions and leave appropriate space for expansion when freezing liquids.
Frequently asked questions
Does this grocery list cover a full week of food?
It covers five weekday dinners for two plus four chili portions for future meals. Add ingredients for breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and weekend food separately.
Can I cook everything on Sunday?
You can move the chili cook to Sunday if you promptly freeze the portions intended for later in the week and thaw them safely before use. Do not keep a full week of cooked meals in the refrigerator. Cooking both batches in one day also requires separate cooking slots or suitable separate appliances.
Can I halve the recipes?
This list follows the published full batches. Halving changes the amount of food in the slow cooker and may affect cooking. Check the recipe and appliance guidance before scaling; freezing planned extras lets you use the published quantities.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Plain frozen florets can be prepared separately according to their package instructions. Measure the amount needed and expect a different texture from fresh broccoli. Avoid seasoned varieties unless you want their added flavor.
What if we get tired of repeated dinners?
Replace one dinner with a meal you already have in the freezer. Freeze the displaced food promptly, following the recipe’s storage guidance, and label it for another week.
Do we need ten matching containers?
No. You can reuse containers as meals are eaten and keep components in larger containers. Choose sizes that fit your portions, refrigerator space, and freezer plan.
Put the list to work
Check your calendar, cross off ingredients you already own, and shop for the two full batches. Cook the chicken Sunday, cook the chili Wednesday, and freeze the four planned chili portions promptly. The complete meal prep plan for two brings the menu, portions, and cooking schedule together.
Sources and recipe quantities
The ingredient list uses the published yields and quantities in FenRecipes’ teriyaki chicken bowls and turkey chili. Food-storage guidance follows USDA FSIS leftovers guidance and the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart. Package sizes, appetites, and schedules vary; adjust additions to the meals you will actually eat.
