What Are The Best Meal Prep Foods
The point of meal prepping is to help you make and eat meals more conveniently! Hence, the best meal prep foods are those that do not spoil easily and are easy to make. Of course, also add to this that you should be using healthy ingredients. Some of the best meal prep staples are eggs, overnight oats, and/or smoothies for breakfast. You can grill some meat or chicken for your lunch or even make some whole wheat pasta ahead of time. Baked sweet potatoes or some readily-chopped fruits are a perfect choice for snacks. And for dinner, why not mix some seafood in? You can always go for salmon and grilled shrimp.
Your choices are endless if you want to meal prep! You can eat anything as you want as long as you are aware of what is good for your body and what it needs.
Easy Healthy Homemade Granola
If you love granola, then you will love this recipe. Most store-bought granola contains unhealthy fats, oils, and unnecessary ingredients. But guess what? This granola recipe doesn’t contain all that yucky stuff. This recipe is super delicious, healthy, and cheaper to make. Prepare this overnight, and grab them on your way out of the door.
Roasted Vegetable Buddha Bowls
Stumped for time? Well, you cant go wrong with these Roasted Vegetable Buddha Bowls.
They taste just as good as they look. The sweetness of the sweet potatoes goes nicely with the earthiness of the beet couscous.
And the roasted chickpeas add heartiness, while the kale and pomegranate add tons of brightness and antioxidants.
The Yum sauce is pretty yummy too. Its cheesy and creamy and really easy to make.
Just add some nutritional yeast, silken tofu, slivered almonds, lemon juice, garlic, and seasonings in a blender and blend until smooth. This blender should do the trick.
Then add some chickpea juice to make your dressing pourable. Easy, peasy.
Per Serving:
Also Check: French Onion Dip Recipe Easy
Lunch Recipes For Meal Prep
Soups and salads are awesome ideas for healthy meal prep. Wraps can also be great, however, make sure to keep any dressing to the side until you eat it.
Make soups in a big Dutch oven that can go from the stove to the fridge .
Grain-based salads like quinoa salad or rice are fantastic meal prep ideas. Green salads are best kept with the greens and dressing separate until you eat.
Breakfast Meal Prep Ideas
My favorite easy weekly meal prep ideas for breakfast! They are perfect if you are on the run in the morning.
Found on Gathering Dreams
A healthy breakfast meal prep recipe that you can bring to work with you! This 5-minute overnight oats recipe is filled with healthy foods and protein: rolled oats, chia seeds, and some healthy toppings to help you kick-start your day.
There are 6 delicious overnight oats recipes to try: berry, peanut butter, double chocolate, apple pie, coffee & walnut, and virgin piña colada. Click here to try them all!
And the great thing about these overnight oats jars is that they last up to 5 days in the fridge. You can meal prep these a few days in advance and just take them out of the refrigerator in the morning. I usually prep them on Sunday evening, and they are ready for the week!
Found on Gathering Dreams
If you love fruit and granola, this is the perfect breakfast for you. These parfait ideas are super delicious, and they are much cheaper to make than buying them at Starbucks. Prepare these in the evening, and grab them on your way out of the door!
PREP TIME: less than 5 minutesVEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE
Found on The Worktop
I love this with fresh berries in the summer or warm apple compote in the winter! Delicious!
For more breakfast inspiration: 25 Healthy Breakfast Meal Prep Ideas For Busy Mornings
Read Also: Healthy Beef Recipes For Weight Loss
Healthy Chicken Fajita Meal Prep Bowl
Im a big fan of fajitas, as Im sure many of you are too. But on a low carb diet, they can be a problem.
Thats because theyre often served with tortillas.
One medium corn tortilla can contain more than 10 grams of net carbs. And as tasty as they are, theyre not worth ruining your diet.
These chicken fajitas are juicy and nicely seasoned. The sauteed onions and bell peppers add tons of color and freshness.
But, best of all, one serving contains only 6 grams of net carbs.
To keep them low carb, you serve them with roasted Brussels sprouts instead of tortillas. However, if you still want your tortillas, thats not a problem.
This is a great idea for a high protein meal prep.
Per Serving:
Red Kidney Bean Burger Bowls
Looking for more ways to help the environment? Make my Red Kidney Bean Burger Bowls.
These burgers are spicy, flavorful, and satisfying. And theyre made with red kidney beans.
So, theyre better for the environment and your health too. Making these vegetarian burgers is relatively easy too.
Start by draining and rinsing your canned kidney beans. Then dry them as much as possible.
This is to ensure your burgers dont fall apart. Mash the beans until you get a nice paste.
Add bell peppers, scallions, garlic cloves, and spices to a food processor. Pulse well before adding oats and eggs.
Then again before adding the mashed kidney beans. Pulse once more, then form your mixture into patties.
Place your patties on a parchment-paper-lined tray. Place in the freezer for 2 hours to set.
You May Like: Best Oil Free Vegan Recipes
Chicken & Hummus Plate Lunch Meal Prep
This Chicken & Hummus Plate Lunch Meal Prep is so simple yet incredibly filling and delicious! Get back to basics with fresh cut bell pepper, carrot, cucumbers, paired with a perfect portion of chicken breast, cheese slices, and grapes for a touch of sweetness. Simple portioning instructions included!
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
These Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls have become a staple in our weekly meal prep sessions. The popular duo of peanut butter and chocolate come together with whole grain oats, flax, and chia seeds to make the best meal prep recipes. Theyre the perfect sweet treat and easy to make using pantry staples. Try them right out of the freezer for an extra special treat.
Dairy Free | Egg Free | Gluten Free | Vegan | Vegetarian
Photo Credit: Jess of Plays Well with Butter
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links that will not change your price but will share some commission.
Recommended Reading: Gluten Free Bread Maker Recipe
How Do I Make A Meal Plan
First things first planning. Before you start to prep your meals, you need a nice, solid plan. Coming up with a meal plan may sound overwhelming at first, but its not as bad as it may seem. Just take it one step at a time and start with one, simple meal you love and that you know is healthy, and then work your way up. Soon, youll be prepping all your meals! Watch out it gets addicting!
Turkey Burgers With Tomato Relish
You wont miss the beef after trying these Greek turkey burgers with zucchini, mint, and tangy tomato-feta relishplus 28 grams of protein per serving. Simply prep your patties and throw them into the fridge or freezer, depending on how long youll wait, to have on hand when you need healthy food fast.
Recommended Reading: Pumpkin Spice Vodka Drink Recipes
Salmon Patties With Coleslaw
Do you love seafood? Then, youll love these meal prep bowls.
These salmon patties taste delicious. The fresh herbs add tons of flavor.
And the crunchy coleslaw and creamy, tangy homemade coleslaw dressing complement the salmon patties perfectly.
Besides being yummy, these salmon meal prep bowls are also low in carbs. Thats because you dont use breadcrumbs to bind your salmon patties.
Instead, you use almond flour. Besides being low in net carbs, almond flour is also rich in Vitamin E, so its good for your skin.
You can use almond flour as a breading for your meat and fish, to thicken your sauces/gravies and in your baking.
So, if you tend to do a lot of low-carb cooking, its great to always have some on hand. If you need to stock up on some, you can get some here.
Per Serving:
Bean Tuna And Pepper Salad
Speaking of easy meal prep, time-crunched chefs will love this one: Most of this salads ingredients come right out of a can. Paired with the crunch of romaine for freshness, the result is an effortless dish with 15 grams of protein. Add in extra nuts for even more healthy fats and protein.
Don’t Miss: Best Avocado Toast Recipe With Egg
Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs
Some days can be just plain stressful. For days like this, you just want some good old fashioned comfort food.
Like meatballs. Just the way your mother used to make them or not.
These low carb meatballs are juicy, cheesy, and packed with Italian flavors. And the red chili pepper flakes add a bit of heat Perfect if you like it spicy.
To keep it low carb, you wont be serving your meatballs with pasta. Instead, youll be serving them with cauliflower rice.
However, if you need your pasta, you can simply make zucchini noodles instead.
Making zucchini noodles is really easy. Just cut off the ends of your zucchini.
Then spiralize your zucchini in a spiralizer like this. Then, saute your zucchini noodles in olive oil, and top with parmesan cheese.
Buon appetito!
Want to have your breakfast ready for an entire month? Then make this chia pudding.
Its chocolatey, filling, and creamy. Best of all, it keeps really well.
In fact, it lasts up to 5 days in the fridge or several weeks in the freezer. So, you can make a couple of batches and have your breakfasts set for an entire month or two.
Besides being delicious, its pretty nutritious too. Thats because you use chia seeds.
Chia seeds are a pretty impressive superfood. Theyre packed with fiber and protein.
Theyre also rich in manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus. So, theyre good for your bones.
Per Serving:
Sweet Potato Turkey Sausage Egg Bake
Start the day off right with a protein-packed meal thats guaranteed to get you out the door fast and keep you satisfied for hours. One of the best things about an egg bake such as this one is you can easily switch up the veggies and meat to make use of what you have on hand in the fridge and freezer. For a hearty meal thats ready in minutes, we recommend serving this egg bake with fresh fruit and/or sliced avocado.
Dairy Free | Gluten Free | Grain Free | Paleo | Whole30
Read Also: Hidden Valley Italian Dressing Mix Recipe
Pesto Tortellini With Snow Peas
Perhaps the greenest dish here, this tortellini falls somewhere between saucy and soupyand thats exactly where it should be. The crunchy snow peas, which provide much of the 18 grams of protein, pair well with soft, cheesy tortellini and nutty pesto. You may not even be able to wait to reheat it as lunch.
Crunchy French Toast Sticks
I love these sweet and crunchy French toast sticks for breakfast, but its also a good idea to have plenty around as a snack.
Kids love them, especially dipped into maple syrup or chocolate sauce. So make lots, freeze the extras, and give your kids the gift of homemade toasted treats.
These curried chicken snack packs arent just wholesome and delicious. Theyre also totally adorable.
Served in individual lunch boxes, this is how you do deli on the go.
Mix up the creamy chicken salad first, then package it with lettuce, crackers, and fresh fruit for a well-rounded make-ahead meal.
Made with plant-based ingredients and a creamy tahini sauce, this Buddha bowl is terrific for health-conscious eaters.
Prep the ingredients then assemble when needed. So simple yet so good!
Recommended Reading: Smoothie Recipes Like Daily Harvest
Meal Prep Healthy Roasted Chicken And Veggies
Seasoned with olive oil and italian spices then roasted to perfection, this sheet pan chicken and rainbow veggies is great for meal prep and makes a healthy lunch or dinner too!
This sheet pan roasted chicken and rainbow veggies is a great dish to make if your just starting to meal prep or if you just want easy toss in the oven kind of dinner.
The chicken and veggies are loaded with spices and drizzled with olive oil, then roasted in the oven for 20 minutes or until charred and tender. Since the chicken breasts are cut into small cubes, they cook at the same rate as the veggies making it that much easier to cook everything at the same rate.
Divide the chicken and veggies into individual meal prep containers on a handful of brown rice or quinoa or your favorite type of rice and enjoys a weeks worth of meals all done in under 30 minutes!
Best Meal Prep Recipes For Beginners
Looking for some recipe inspiration? Here are some of our favorite, easy recipes that work for meal preppers.
Up your portions as needed or swap in more variety with multiple proteins, veggies and grains you can divide up throughout the week! And don’t be afraid to get a little fancy with new flavors and seasonings – it will help keep your daily meal grind from getting boring and cut down on cravings.
Read Also: Fat Free Recipes For Gallbladder Problems
Low Carb Egg Roll In A Bowl By Beauty Bites
Serves: 2 | Prep: 20-30 minutes | Calories: 474
So if youre doing meal prep for weight loss, then this low carb meal is perfect for dinner. Made with cabbage, chicken, tamari sauce and garlic, this recipe is super delicious and ready in no time. Make sure to make more for the next few days. Recipe here.
Healthy Breakfast Meal Prep Ideas To Kickstart Your Day
09/16/2019
This article may contain links from our affiliate partners. Please read how we make money!
Why is making breakfast so stinking difficult?
I dont know about you, but breakfast is the hardest meal of my day to figure out. Im always hustling to get ready and get out the door that I rarely have time for a real sit-down breakfast.
These healthy breakfast meal prep ideas can help you kickstart your day and get out the door on time.
Youll be able to save money, save time, and actually get a solid breakfast every day. Meal prep for breakfast and youll be more productive at work and have more energy throughout the day! Need a bit more help with your meal prepping? Weve got a Meal Prep for Beginners guide that can help you out! If you hate eggs, check out our list of egg-free breakfast ideas.
Want to figure out lunch as well? Weve got a list of 40 lunch meal prep ideas just for you!
Read Also: Recipe For Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Quinoa With Chickpea And Green Beans By Beauty Bites
Serves: 5 | Prep: 45 minutes | Calories: 453
Another vegan quinoa recipe! Who wouldve guessed! This one is made with juicy tomatoes, chickpeas, green beans, eggplant and is perfect for dinner. You can also have this as a side if youre not vegan and would like to pair it with some chicken. Recipe here.
The Best Base Recipe For Overnight Oats
Depending on how you prepare your overnight oats, the end result can be indulging, nutritious, and filling: the perfect way to start your day.
What is the best overnight oats ratio?
After testing different ratio of ingredients, this is what works best for me:
1/2 CUP OATS + 1/2 CUP LIQUID + 1/2 TBSP CHIA SEEDS
You should try this recipe as it is, and then you can play with it as much as you like. This ratio gives my oats a rich, dense texture. If you like your oats a bit wetter, simply add more milk. You can also add more chia seeds for a thicker end result .
To make your overnight oats, simply add your oats and chia seeds to a small jaror bowl. If you have a sweet tooth, add your preferred sweetener. Mix with a spoon and pour your preferred milk on top. If you are going to eat your overnight oats cold, you can also add the yogurt at this point.
Give the mixture a good stir. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. This will allow the oats to soak and soften.
In the morning, just grab one of the jars, add your favorite toppings and enjoy it at home or on-the-go.
Thats it! It takes much longer to write it down than to do it. Its a 5-minute recipe perfect as a make-ahead breakfast or snack .
Don’t Miss: Natural Total Body Cleanse Recipes
Benefits Of Overnight Oats
I hear you asking:
Are overnight oats healthy?
Their creamy texture makes them delicious, but are they actually good for you? Youll be delighted to know that the answer is yes!
Oats are rich in fiber, plant-based protein, and B vitamins. They are 100% whole grains, which means they are not heavily processed like other types of cereals. They are low in sugar and can help to increase your metabolism.
Oats also contain a good amount of iron, which helps keep your muscle healthy. And the zinc contained in them can help to regulate hormone imbalance.
So, make sure to add them to your breakfast!
Best Ways To Meal Prep
This great collection of make-ahead Meal Prep Recipes will help you eat healthier, cheaper and more convenient! We especially love this pasta salad:
- 1 lb pasta such as rotini, penne or farfalle
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1/2 cup black olives, chopped
- 1 cup garbanzo beans
- 8 oz crumbled feta cheese
Read Also: Natural Weight Loss Cleanse Recipes