"There’s nothing that starts our week off right like a meal prep Sunday. With just an hour or two in the kitchen, you can prepare a whole slate of healthy meals and divide them into containers so they’re all set for your work week. Even if you’re not eating on the go, having individual meal prep dinners portioned out makes weeknight meals hassle-free and easy to clean up. All you have to do is reach in the fridge and heat up your already prepped dinner! No more weeknights spent struggling to figure out what to make when you’re already hungry after a long day. And because you’re not cooking a new dish every night of the week, meal prep saves you time and money while also helping you stay organized and on track with any dietary goals.
Ready to get on board? Here are 25 healthy meal prep dinners to add to your rotation. Whether you are vegan, paleo, gluten-free, or dairy-free—we’ve included something for everyone. These healthy meal prep recipes make the perfect dinners for busy weeknights.
1. Mediterranean Meal Prep Bowls
If you haven’t tried a Mediterranean bowl, you are missing out on one of the best and easiest meal prep dinner ideas. It is an absolute staple in my household that I turn to for a healthy, filling meal when I don’t have the energy to cook up something elaborate. Plus, this recipe keeps in the fridge super well, so it’s perfect for meal prep.
2. Easy Salmon Meal Prep Bowl
These meal prep salmon bowls are so tasty that you won’t mind eating them all week long. And thanks to the combination of sweet potatoes, broccolini, quinoa, and roasted salmon, this recipe is packed with nutrients and fresh flavors.
3. Carnitas Burrito Bowls
Slow cooker meal prep recipes are the cooking hack everyone should know about. For these carnitas bowls, you can simply throw the meat in the slow cooker to roast while you check other things off your to-do list. Once the meat is nearly done, prep the rest of your toppings and then pile everything in a bowl for a delicious and filling dinner.
4. One Pan Italian Sausage with Veggies
If you are hesitant to start meal prepping because you’re worried about all the dishes you will have to wash, this one-pan Italian sausage recipe is for you. It’s both quick and delicious, and it requires minimal cleanup—the perfect recipe if you ask me.
5. Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
If you have an image in your mind of meal prep recipes that consist of strictly chicken and rice every day of the week, think again. This shrimp fajita recipe has tons of flavor and only takes 45 minutes to throw together from start to finish.
6. Slow Cooker Spaghetti Squash with Bolognese
If you are a pasta lover like me but want a sneaky way to incorporate more veggies into your diet, try this spaghetti squash with bolognese. The spaghetti squash provides extra nutrients and fiber compared to typical pasta, and since it cooks in a slow cooker, it’s no more difficult to make.
7. Butter Chicken and Cauliflower
The spicy, creamy curry sauce is the star of this dish, which you’ll want to add to your usual meal prep dinners rotation. This recipe is also gluten-free and can easily be made vegetarian by swapping the chicken for more cauliflower.
8. Honey Sriracha Glazed Meatballs
These honey sriracha glazed meatballs add a little spice to your usual weeknight dinner menu. The sriracha in the sauce is balanced out with honey and soy sauce, creating the perfect kick without being too overwhelming.
9. Chicken Tawook Quinoa Bowls
This recipe is as easy as pairing grilled chicken breast skewers with quinoa, hummus, garlic sauce, avocados, cucumbers, and shredded lettuce. Spend a Sunday afternoon grilling up the skewers and prepping your toppings, then store everything separately until you’re ready to eat it to keep things fresh.
10. Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Pasta salad is an amazing meal for summer when it’s just too hot to turn on the oven and you need a dish that can cool you down. This Mediterranean version works perfectly as a vegetarian meal prep dinner, or you can add a protein source like chicken or salmon to make it more filling.
11. Sweet and Spicy Chili Tofu Bowls
Thanks to the sweet, spicy, garlicky sauce, this tofu recipe is anything but bland. Made with completely vegan ingredients, it’s also healthy, filling, and easy to make.
12. Shells & Roasted Cauliflower
This pasta recipe is ideal for warmer months because it’s not too heavy. The roasted cauliflower in this sweet and savory recipe is to die for and is a great way to get more veggies into your diet.
13. Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry
Lentils are great for meal prep recipes because they keep well in the fridge and continue to soak up flavor the longer they sit. If you’re looking for a flavorful, meatless recipe, look no further.
14. Sheet Pan Chicken Tinga Bowls
In just 45 minutes, you can have delicious homemade dinners prepped for the whole week. These sheet-pan chicken tinga bowls are super easy to make but packed with flavor thanks to the chipotle tinga sauce.
15. Honey Sesame Chicken
Stir fry recipes keep in the fridge and reheat so well, making them a great option for meal prep dinners. Plus, they taste great and are super customizable. This recipe’s honey sesame sauce goes well with anything, so feel free to swap out the veggies or protein source based on your preferences to create your ultimate meal prep bowl.
16. Greek Chicken Bowls
These meal prep bowls combine marinated chicken thighs and herb-infused rice with classic Greek flavors like tzatziki sauce, kalamata olives, and cherry tomatoes. And since this recipe is meant to be eaten cold, you don’t even need to heat it up before chowing down.
17. Curried Chickpea Bowls with Garlicky Spinach
This recipe is super efficient because you can use the same skillet to cook both the garlicky spinach and the curried chickpeas while your brown rice cooks in a separate pot. Once everything is ready, divvy the components up between bowls and you’ll be set with vegan meal prep dinners for the whole week.
18. One Pan Steak and Veggies
Nothing makes my mouth water more than the phrase “easy cleanup,” and this recipe is exactly that. It combines seasoned, tender steak with crispy potatoes and broccoli for a fantastic weeknight dinner that requires just one pan.
19. Slow Cooker Taco Spice Chili
You may not usually think of chili when it’s sweltering outside, but this recipe is so good, you’ll crave it regardless of the weather. Simply brown your ground turkey or beef, throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the work for you.
20. Vegetarian Kung Pao Quinoa Bowls
Vegetarian meals that don’t leave your stomach growling afterward can be difficult to find, but this kung pao quinoa bowl will fill you up. It’s packed with veggies and completely customizable, so you won’t get bored of this recipe quickly.
21. Meal Prep Southwest Chicken Burrito Bowls
If you want all of the flavors of a burrito without the soggy tortilla you get when you try to make them ahead of time, try this bowl. It’s easy to make and will put your usual Tex-Mex takeout order to shame.
22. Dairy Free White Chicken Chili
Dairy-sensitive girlies, trust me when I say you need to try this dairy-free white chicken chili. It’s all the creamy goodness of a typical white chili without the stomach pain.
23. Chickpea Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup is the best comfort meal, and this recipe subs chicken for chickpeas, so vegetarians can enjoy it, too. Make a big batch on Sunday to keep in the fridge for easy, filling dinners all week.
24. Creamy Kale Caesar Salad
Caesar salad is the superior salad, and this creamy kale-based recipe somehow makes the classic even better. Packed with green apple, avocado, cucumbers, red onion, and sliced almonds, this salad has so much more texture and variety than your typical Caesar. It is also dairy-free, paleo-friendly, and Whole30-approved.
25. Roasted Root Vegetable Stew
This hearty vegetable stew will fill you up with healthy veggies without compromising on flavor. With well-seasoned, caramelized vegetables mixed with tomato sauce, it’s a tasty, filling dinner to meal prep.
