53 Healthy Meal Prep Ideas That Aren’t Boring
Prepping healthy meals should mean readying an array of nourishing recipes that’ll keep you interested. No one has time to cook from scratch three meals a day, but five days of unsauced chicken breast and limp vegetables? Hard pass.
Our healthy meal prep strategy begins with creating a few simple, adaptable, and delicious recipes that will keep well in the fridge. We make sure to include homemade sauces, dips, or other condiments that breathe new life into cooked grains, greens, and proteins. After that, we mix and match, whether it’s for an energy-boosting breakfast on the way to work, a healthy lunch that doesn’t require waiting in the endless line at your local salad chain, or a satisfying weeknight dinner—no boring leftovers here. Bonus: Meal prepping can often be a budget-friendly option.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro1/53Matcha-Mango Chia Pudding
High on the list of healthy meal prep ideas is this energizing chia pudding. The recipe makes 4–6 servings. In other words, you won’t have to think about what to have for breakfast again for a while.
Photograph by Janice Chung, food styling by Lauren Stanek, prop styling by Raina Kattelson2/53Now-and-Later Roast Chickens
Roasting two chickens at once gives you one bird for dinner tonight and one for lunches the rest of the week. (And don’t forget to save the carcass for making chicken broth!) Here are other ways to turn a dinner party into a meal-prep event.
Photograph by Janice Chung, food styling by Lauren Stanek, prop styling by Raina Kattelson3/53Greenest Mint and Ginger Pesto
Remember when we said homemade sauces come in handy when meal-planning? You can slather this pesto on grilled steak, swirl it into soup, add a dollop to pasta, use it as a sandwich spread, or mix it with kefir and call it a marinade.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro4/53Horchata Overnight Oats
This spiced oatmeal is assembled the night before and does its thing in the fridge while you sleep. Actually, it can be made up to 5 days in advance—we promised healthy meal prep recipes, didn’t we?—so make an extra-large batch.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua5/53Cozy and Quick White Chicken Chili
A big pot of hearty, tomato-free chili portioned into containers and frozen is the kind of easy meal prep we love. Real prep heads might also have cooked rice in the freezer too.
Photograph by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero, Prop Styling by Kelsi Windmiller6/53Pork and Shrimp Cabbage Rolls
Consider freezing a big batch of these stuffed cabbage rolls so that a future version of yourself—one that’s frazzled and bordering on hangry—has a quick dinner at the ready.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro7/53Cornbread Breakfast Casserole
Protein-laden, easy to portion, and highly portable, the dish takes advantage of boxed corn muffin mix, conveniently packaged with all the essential ingredients, so all that’s left to do is mix and pour.
Photograph by Janice Chung, food styling by Lauren Stanek, prop styling by Raina Kattelson8/53Winter Greens With Anchovy Breadcrumbs
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams9/53Super Citrusy Oatmeal
Photograph by Janice Chung, food styling by Lauren Stanek, prop styling by Raina Kattelson10/53Chickpeas With 40 Garlic Cloves
When we say a recipe is garlic-heavy, we mean it. Eat these chickpeas warm, with a thick slice of toast, on night one, then pack up the rest to stir into salads for lunch.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley11/53Roasted Cauliflower Salad With Feta and Dates
Photograph by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco12/53Air-Fryer Chicken Tikka
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones and Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley13/53Baked Mushroom-Rice Porridge
Photograph by Travis Rainey, food styling by Sean Dooley, prop styling by Emma Ringness14/53Bouillon-Baked Tofu
Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Nicole Louie15/53Lemony White Bean Soup
Pack this simple one-pot vegetarian soup into containers and freeze it for when you need a low-lift dinner. (PS: It’s easy to turn vegan; just swap the butter for olive oil.)
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Luciana Lamboy, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon16/53Zucchini Butter
Toss a big scoop of this gorgeously green compound butter with cooked pasta, stir some into a pot of rice, or combine it with mayo to make a spread for veggie burgers.
Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Nicole Louie17/53Ginger-Garlic Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry
This one-pan meal is adaptable, easy to reheat, and vegetable-heavy. We like to eat it with rice for dinner and then some easy instant noodles the next day.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca18/53Brown-Butter Banana Nut Muffins
These hearty, freezer-friendly muffins are a great breakfast or midafternoon pick-me-up. Feel free to go off script and mix in a dash of your favorite baking spice mix and toasted nuts.
Photograph by Travis Rainey, food styling by Sean Dooley, prop styling by Emma Ringness20/5310-Minute Broccoli in Garlic Sauce
Double this easy seared broccoli and eat it all week long. (If you eat plant-based, use vegetable bouillon.) This method also works with other sturdy vegetables such as cauliflower or cabbage.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Taneka Morris, prop styling by Gerri Williams21/53Gochujang-Butter-Braised Tofu
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua22/53Green Garlic Romesco With Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Taneka Morris, prop styling by Gerri Williams23/53Lentil Soup With Greens and Rice
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams24/53Chicken Meatballs With Sesame Green Beans
Leftover sheet-pan chicken meatballs (ground turkey works too) are great for protein-packed lunches. Tuck them into a pita or plop a few atop cooked grains.
Photograph by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Christina Allen25/53Creamy Tahini Chicken Salad
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser26/53Miyeokguk (Korean Seaweed Soup)
This nourishing soup—which comes together with just a few ingredients and freezes well—holds great significance in Korean culture. It’s especially valuable to new parents post-delivery.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Nicole Louie27/53Seedy Cumin Sprinkle
This crunchy granola-like topping comes together quickly in a hot pan with a bit of oil to bloom the spices and toast the nuts and seeds. It can be sprinkled over your favorite healthy soup, salad, veg, or dip for a welcome crunch.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams28/53Roasted Tofu Grain Bowls With Miso-Tahini Sauce
Photograph by Andre Rucker, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht29/53Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Sesame-Soy Butter
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca30/53Double-Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Photograph by Peden + Munk, food styling by Adriana Paschen, prop styling by Ceci Garcia31/53Slow-Cooker Peanut Butter Chicken
The benefit of a slow cooker is that it does almost all the work for you. Why not lean in? Skinless, boneless chicken thighs pack flavor and protein in this hands-off, kid-friendly recipe.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro32/53Just-Keeps-Getting-Better Lentil Salad
This lentil, kale, and olive salad recipe answers the question, “What can I prepare on Sunday that will taste great at my desk for an easy lunch on Wednesday?”
33/53Classic Hummus
DIY hummus is an affordable, nourishing base you can add to a number of meals. Try it with these Chicken and Rice Meatballs, for example.
Laura Murray34/53Homemade Caesar Dressing
This classic Italian-American dressing is for way more than lettuce: Slather it on a chicken pre-roast, use it as a sauce for pasta salad, spread it on toast with a fried egg or a slice of tomato, or turn it into a dip for whatever veg you have on hand.
Alex Lau35/53Overnight Oats
Open to infinite sweet or savory variations and requiring truly minimal effort, this creamy overnight oats recipe is the ideal make-ahead breakfast for anyone short on time.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman36/53Clean-Out-the-Fridge Kimchi
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano. Prop Styling by Maeve Sheridan and Molly Longwell37/53Fully Loaded Carrot Muffins
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski38/53Meal-Prep Roasted Vegetables
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Micah Morton. Prop Styling by Paige Hicks39/53Japanese Curry With Winter Squash and Mushrooms
Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Kat Boytsova41/53Marinated Lentils With Lemony Broccolini and Feta
This lentil dish can be a warm, Mediterranean-ish vegetarian main or a cold lunch left to marinate in the fridge for tomorrow. (The spiced oil is even better the next day.)
Photographs by Jenny Huang, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie Strangio42/53Granola Scones
Rich in fiber, omega-3s, antioxidants, and protein, “these scones are full of flavors and textures reminiscent of a granola bar,” writes Roxana Jullapat in her cookbook Mother Grains.
Photo by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht, Prop Styling by Christina Allen43/53Happy Fridge Salad
Allow us to take a moment and use this make-ahead recipe to talk about storage. Food containers are not all created equal; here are the best.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova44/53Cashew Nam Prik
Use this Thai condiment as a dip with lettuce leaves, sliced veg, and soft-boiled eggs; or treat it like a sauce and spoon it over cooked proteins. It will take a simple poached chicken breast, for example, to another level.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Sue Li45/53Nut Butter Granola Bars
Your own snacks will usually be more nutritionally dense than packaged versions. This just-sweet-enough, chewy-but-firm bar is bound together by peanut butter and honey, with olive oil for richness.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Andy Baraghani, prop styling by Emily Eisen46/53Vegetarian Meatballs with Soy-Honey Glaze
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Chris Morocco, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen50/53Sheet-Pan Salmon and Squash With Miso Mojo
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski51/53Crispy Eggs Over Grains
Boil grains in advance and you’re just a couple fried eggs and sliced cucumbers away from dinner. Oh, and that fried shallot mixture? You’re going to want to make extra.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Molly Baz, prop styling by Emily Eisen52/53Salted Chocolate–Tahini Bliss Balls
Consider these nutty treats a fudgy, chocolaty energy bite: Keep them in the fridge, then grab one (morning, noon, or night) when you need a sweet gluten-free pick-me-up.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Kat Boytsova53/53Curried Peanut Dip
Dips are a great healthy meal prep idea, especially for a quick, low-carb lunch. Pair this one with leftover rotisserie chicken, jammy eggs, cucumber spears, or roasted veg.