12 Healthy Meal Prep Ideas That Will Save You During Busy Weeks
Nutritious eating just got a whole lot easier.
While most healthy ideas seem to make life more complicated—who has the discipline or time to do some crazy fitness or eating challenge every day?—meal prep, or #MealPrepSunday, is one idea that's meant to simplify things! The fitness trend is all about making healthy meals and snacks for the week ahead all at one time so you can quickly reach for whatever you're going to eat next.
The benefits are seemingly endless: all your meals are organized for the week ahead, there's no last-minute fussing about what to cook, and you're less tempted to reach for chips or takeout when you have a nutritious option ready to go. "When you're prepared to fuel your body right, you'll breeze through even the craziest days with energy and positivity," wrote Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott, meal-prep enthusiasts and founders of Tone It Up.
Plus, you can get the whole family involved. Just imagine an assembly line of little helpers who are ready to prep their lunches and meals for the week. Take a look at some of these easy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack ideas that you can prepare for the week ahead. Ready? Break out the Tupperware!
Breakfast: protein shake. Lunch: chicken, quinoa, broccoli. Snacks: carrots, pretzels, coconut water, peach, and protein bar. Dinner: breaded baked eggplant, quinoa, salad, and Italian parsley.
Breakfast: overnight oats with blueberries. Lunch: cauliflower rice with chicken, eggs, carrots, corn, and broccoli. Snacks: protein bar, banana, and apple.
Breakfast: eggs, chicken sausage, sweet potato, bell pepper, kale, and zucchini. Lunch: salmon, potatoes, and broccoli. Snacks: greek yogurt, strawberries, peanut butter, and banana. Dinner: tuna patties, squash, and mixed vegetables.
Breakfast: pumpkin spiced chia waffles, pumpkin yogurt, almond butter, and Shine Organics purify apple pack. Lunch: Asian chopped salad. Snacks: edamame, beef jerky, string cheese, protein shake, yogurt, and an apple. Dinner: honey garlic chicken thighs, potatoes, and carrots.
Breakfast: orange and yogurt. Lunch: angel hair pasta and salad. Snacks: roasted seaweed, banana, watermelon water, coconut water, and Square Organics bar. Dinner: baked chicken, cilantro rice, and roasted vegetables.
Breakfast: toast, an omelet with mushrooms, spinach, peppers, sweet potatoes, and eggplant salsa. Lunch: quinoa, roasted yellow squash, eggplant, and shrimp. Snacks: popcorn, grapes, figs, Lara bar, maple sea salt bar, apple, edamame, banana bread, pumpkin almond butter bread, and berries. Dinner: cauliflower fried rice with tempeh, tomatoes, spinach, and green peas.
Breakfast: peanut butter and jelly overnight oats. Lunch: turkey taco salad. Dinner: chicken, broccoli, and wild rice soup, or pesto salmon with asparagus and sweet potato.
Breakfast: breakfast sandwiches with english muffins, turkey bacon, egg, and spinach. Lunch: salad with tuna, celery, red onion, carrots, frozen peas, bell pepper, avocado, chia seeds, and feta cheese, a whole wheat dinner roll, and frozen fruit. Snack: yogurt, apples, and oranges. Dinner: udon stir fry made with chicken, bell pepper, carrots, onion, corn, edamame, or salmon with brown rice and green beans.
Breakfast: two pieces of Ezekiel Bread toast, three scrambled egg whites, and peanut butter. Lunch: chicken wrap with romaine lettuce, feta cheese, pineapple, and barbecue sauce. Snacks: vegan protein shake, oats with almond milk and blackberries, banana, and peanut butter. Dinner: baked salmon, chickpeas, and spinach.
Breakfast: oats with peanut butter and a banana. Lunch: salmon, blue cheese, and broccoli, or white sweet potato, chicken, blue cheese, and vegetables. Snacks: fruit, almonds, and vegetables. Dinner: lentil pasta with cream cheese-veggie sauce and an egg.
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with red peppers and onions, brussels sprouts, and chicken apple sausage. Lunch: baked chipotle chicken, broccoli, baked sweet potato. Dinner: lemon pepper salmon, sautéed green beans with mushrooms, and roasted red potatoes.
Breakfast: chocolate peanut butter protein shakes. Lunch: taco salads. Snacks: white chocolate raspberry protein cookies, apples, peanut butter, peanut butter coconut energy bites. Dinner: spiced honey boneless chicken thighs with wild rice and green beans.
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