34 Easy Meal Prep Ideas For A Week
Looking to learn how to quickly prep meals for dinner for the week, easy recipe ideas for meal prepping that you can make and even freeze ahead? When it comes to cooking every night, I love having a home-cooked healthy meal and saving money while not eating out, but the logistics of said goal often have me “calling Uncle” by Wednesday and ordering takeout. I went looking to some of my favorite food bloggers for the best easy meal prep ideas and recipes for planning meals a week at a time. Now, every Saturday, I go to look at my meal prep recipe lists, choosing my favorite for the week. I make my grocery shopping list as I go, so by Sunday I can go shopping in the morning and cook all evening for the week. Prep, rather. Sunday evenings have become one of my favorite times of the week, actually. My boyfriend and I love getting everything ready together so we have great meals when we come home from work every night. If you are looking for some cool and easy meal prep ideas, try these 34 foods. From bowls to bentos to casseroles, you are sure to love these one-dish wonders that all make an excellent weekly meal idea. Lots of these double as take to work lunch ideas, too. My coworkers have been inquiring often, as some of these look and smell so good, I’d be wanting them to. Fortunately, the recipes are all now in one list I get to share with these quick prep recipes and you. Healthy meal ideas with minimal prep time, easy recipes that don’t require hours of your time in the kitchen every day.
Easy Meal Prep Ideas
1. Vegan Salad Meal Prep
Learn the basics of vegan meal prep with this recipe from Saffron Trail. Healthy and delicious, this make-ahead vegan salad is perfect for a Sunday meal-prep and midweek lunches, even potlucks and gatherings. All I can say is that the dish looks mouth-watering and I am definitely trying it out. One of the best vegan meal prep ideas I’ve found, this one makes a super pack ahead lunch for work or quick dinner to put in the fridge to have ready when you come home from the gym.
2. Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Meal Prep
For easy healthy chicken recipes, it does not get much better than this simple spicy chicken and veggie dish. Healthy and quick to make, this is my favorite new Monday night dinner. I love this chicken meal prep with veggies, as it is healthy and delicious, plus super easy to make.
3. One Pan Healthy Italian Sausage Veggies
Make meal prep easy with this one pan sausage, veggie and rice recipe. I love taking this to lunch at work, as salads and other super light foods leave me feeling hangry by about 4pm. My coworkers probably love it when I bring this, too! For an easy healthy dish that will actually fill you up, this rice recipe idea is a winner.
Healthy Meal Prep Recipes
4. Caribbean Jerk Shrimp with Cauliflower Rice
Looking for a total winner recipe on a Sunday meal-prep? Well, Caribbean jerk flavors are one of my favorites – sweet, spicy with a lot of kick! And it could be yours too once you try this recipe from Eat Yourself Skinny. It’s on perennial repeat on my recipe list. For healthy meal prep ideas, look no further than this light shrimp dish you’ll love to eat for lunch or dinner. Shrimp and fish recipes are my favorites, but I had no idea you could make anything like this ahead of time.
5. Honey Sriracha Glazed Meatballs
This recipe packs a lot of flavors and the best part is it only takes 30 minutes to prepare. How amazing is that? Have a quick, easy and healthy dinner in little to no time at all. Plus this Honey Sriracha Meatballs would make such a fun party appetizer and I can guarantee would be a huge hit among your friends! A quick meal prep idea that tastes amazing, reheat this in the microwave and it tastes as good, if not better than the day you made it. Spicy! Loving this ground meat recipe idea for a hearty dish to add to your meal prep list for bodybuilding.
6. Spicy Chicken Meal Prep
Spice things up with this Spicy Chicken Meal Prep! This recipe is super clean and healthy but packs tons of flavor with all of the seasonings that are added to the chicken and that sunshine sauce is definitely on my list to drizzle on everything in the near future.
7. Meal Prep Carnitas Burrito Bowls
This Carnitas Burrito Bowl lets you have both healthy and yummy in one dish. It might seem a lot going on with the burrito bowl but it’s an especially great choice for busy weeknights. Grab the recipe from Fit Foodie Finds for a drool-worthy experience. The taste of Chipotle without the cost, and much better for you, too. Plus, you don’t have to wait in line to eat these meal prep bowls you make ahead.
8. Healthy Roasted Chicken and Veggies
Roasted Chicken Veggies is a classic family favorite recipe. I can’t say enough good things about this meal-in-one. I love it for lots of reasons. This sheet pan roasted chicken dish with rainbow veggies is a great dinner or lunch to make if you’re just starting to meal prep or if you just want easy toss in the oven kind of meal. If you are on a diet or trying to lose weight, and looking for healthy meal prep ideas that are low in fat and carbs, but high in taste. this yummy veggie chicken meal can be made ahead and even freezes well. I love having these to pull out of the freezer when I come home late from the gym or work. Now that you’ve saved time, you have plenty of time for more exercise ideas to get in shape.
9. Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken and Rice Bowls
If you’re looking for a quick stovetop dinner, or some meal prep ideas for the back-to-school season, I feel like you all just might love this Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken and Rice Bowls. All the cheesy goodness combines with veggies makes me drool over this recipe. I’ve made this prep recipe idea with chicken breast and also boneless chicken thighs, both worked great. You just can’t go wrong with chicken recipes when you add broccoli, cheese and rice. They taste great and reheat perfectly, so in my opinion, this is one of the best meal prep ideas for lunch at work, as they are great even if you freeze them and reheat in the microwave.
10. Jerk Chicken Meal Prep
Want a super flavorful meal prep to last all throughout the week? You will never go wrong with this recipe from Food Lovin Family. Bring a taste of the tropics with the sweet and spicy goodness of this jerk chicken meal to make for the week ahead. This easy meal prep recipe idea looks insanely delicious, I bet you can’t wait to try them!
