Let us take the guesswork out of prepping.
If you're like us, you can easily agree that meal prepping sounds like a great idea. It saves time and money, takes the guesswork out of what to eat, and can lead to making healthier choices over time. The trouble is deciding what to make. It’s got to be interesting enough that you’ll want to eat it over and over again, easy enough that it can be prepped in one go, and simple enough that the idea of prepping it isn’t overwhelming. Phew! Good thing we’re up to the challenge, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Check out our 50 best meal prep recipes for ideas—you’ll become a master at it in no time.
If you’re unfamiliar, the idea of meal prepping is just what it sounds like—making multiple meals ahead of time rather than cooking each meal individually. It’s not a novel concept (hello, leftovers!), but it can be tricky to plan to do it for all of your meals. To start, you’re going to want to get some good meal prep-ready containers. The goal is to make you more organized, not less, so we definitely recommend getting a matching set.
Once you’ve got those ready, get to prepping! We recommend starting with a base like pasta or rice (try it in a rice cooker to make it extra-easy on yourself). Then get in some veggies and legumes, like our sweet potato salad, our Mediterranean chickpea salad, or our holiday roasted vegetables. Next up should be protein, like our air fryer rotisserie chicken, tofu scramble (not just for breakfast!), or . Speaking of, we've got a number of other recipes that include nearly everything you’ll need (including protein, carbs, and veggies) too, like our , our , or our Thai-inspired basil beef. Just add something to go with them, and you’ll be all set. Check out our steak grain bowls, our avocado breakfast bowls, our copycat Chipotle burrito bowls, or our to see examples of what a perfect meal prepped dish looks like, then get creative in making your own.
It should be noted, SO many of our recipes are already meal prep-ready (we love making things easier for you in the kitchen). Check out our favorite one-pan meals, our sheet-pan dinners, our slow-cooker recipes, our top quick dinners, and our best air fryer recipes too.
1
Mini Mushroom Pasta Bakes
For these pasta bakes, you get the best of all worlds from a creamy, cheesy sauce reminiscent of your favorite oven-baked mac and cheese, plus crispy, savory bread crumbs and hearty, almost meaty mushrooms.
Get the Mini Mushroom Pasta Bakes recipe.
2
Overnight Oats
When busy mornings hit, nothing beats overnight oats. They’re a no-bake, on-the-go-ready version of the classic breakfast that only takes a few minutes to prepare. The best part? Because these are so fast, you can easily change them up with different flavors and toppings every time you make them.
Get the Overnight Oats recipe.
3
Sheet-Pan Garlicky Shrimp & Veggies
This recipe combines well-seasoned shrimp with red bell peppers, broccoli, and onions for a quick and easy dinner ready in a little more than 30 minutes. Not only is it so simple to throw together, it's extremely versatile. This dinner is all about ease—make it work for you.
Get the .
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4
Roast Chicken
The steps to make this chicken are simple: You season the bird (just salt & pepper!), then roast it at high heat until the skin is bronzed and crisp and the flesh juicy. Use it anywhere you'd use a rotisserie chicken—the options are endless!
Get the Roast Chicken recipe.
5
Thai-Inspired Basil Beef Bowls
Pad krapow is Thailand’s most popular stir-fry dish, and it's perfect for meal prepping. In it, saucy ground meat is tossed with sliced bell peppers, spicy chiles, fresh, sweet basil, and served over steaming rice with a runny fried egg for a filling and wallet-friendly meal.
Get the Thai-Inspired Basil Beef Bowls recipe.
6
Sheet-Pan Tikka Masala
This sheet-pan recipe is a fun way to enjoy a classic Indian dish, chicken tikka masala, at home in a slightly new (and easier!) way. Paired with some rice or naan, it's a foolproof way to get a whole dinner on the table (or lunch packed for the next few days).
Get the Sheet-Pan Tikka Masala recipe.
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7
Creamy Peanut-Lime Chicken With Noodles
Who can resist rice noodles bathed in an abundance of sweet and creamy peanut sauce? The trick here is getting everything in order before starting to cook. The prep actually takes longer than the cooking, but once it's behind you, the dish comes together in a snap!
Get the Creamy Peanut-Lime Chicken With Noodles recipe.
8
Coconut Chickpea & Sweet Potato Curry
If you're craving a hearty and comforting dinner that's also vegan, look no further. This curry is bursting with ingredients inspired by chana masala, and is so chock-full of flavor that you won't miss the meat.
Get the .
9
Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
This easy-as-can-be weeknight dinner is a complete meal made on one sheet pan. Bonus: If you roast the sweet potatoes as indicated, your gift = creamy centers and crispy edges, enhanced by jammy red onions. Using bone-in thighs pretty much guarantees super-tender chicken too!
Get the .
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10
Chicken Shawarma Bowls
Meal prepping doesn’t need to be complicated, and these chicken shawarma bowls prove that. The longest step in the recipe is to let the chicken marinate, which allows you time to cut all your veggies. Win!
Get the Chicken Shawarma Bowls recipe.
11
Best-Ever Egg Muffins
Egg muffins are one of the BEST healthy breakfasts for meal prepping because you easily make a big batch of them at once. They will keep in your fridge for up to 7 days, so you can grab them on your way out the door all week!
Get the Best-Ever Egg Muffins recipe.
12
Goddess Bowls
A good sauce changes everything, and this green goddess dressing is one of our favorites yet. The veggies here are interchangeable, but in the spirit of goddess dressing, we think green is the way to go. Roasted asparagus, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are all good choices.
Get the Goddess Bowls recipe.
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13
Miso Salmon & Farro Bowl
Take your Monday night dinner into a Tuesday afternoon grain bowl with this recipe featuring some new faves, miso and farro. Miso has toasty, savory, and slightly sweet notes that pair well with hearty fish like salmon, while the dense, chewy grains have a more interesting texture than average rice or quinoa.
Get the .
14
Stuffed Peppers
Here at Delish, we’re big fans of stuffed peppers, and it’s no secret as to why—strong enough to hold their shape, peppers are large enough to hold a decent amount of filling while taking to a variety of flavors—they're the perfect vessel for countless combinations and ingredients.
Get the Stuffed Peppers recipe.
15
Red Curry Chicken Thighs & Rice
Aside from garam masala, this dish gets most of its flavor from a Thai-style curry paste that’s spiked with extra ginger, garlic, and lemongrass, then mellowed out with tomato sauce, brown sugar, and coconut milk to create a well-rounded sauce you'll love.
Get the .
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16
Freezer Burritos
To make these easy prepped burritos, ground beef gets simmered in spiced tomato sauce, then layered into a flour tortilla with refried beans, rice, and a blend of cheese. Though the goal is to get these wrapped and in the freezer for a future meal, we won’t judge if you eat one right away. 😉
Get the Freezer Burritos recipe.
17
Goddess Bowls
A good sauce changes everything, and this green goddess dressing is one of our favorites yet. The veggies here are interchangeable, but in the spirit of goddess dressing, we think green is the way to go. Roasted asparagus, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are all good choices.
Get the Goddess Bowls recipe.
18
Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas
For these fajitas you simply toss all of the ingredients—the chicken and vegetables—in an easy marinade of avocado oil and taco spices like cumin and chili powder, then bake it all together on a sheet pan. It's a meal prep DREAM.
Get the Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas recipe.
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19
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
We know that this is a "chickpea salad," but you can totally switch out chickpeas for your favorite canned beans: Creamy cannellini beans, black beans, or kidney beans are all great options. Our lemon-parsley vinaigrette is perfectly tart and fresh with a hint of spice, and it'll go great with anything.
Get the Mediterranean Chickpea Salad recipe.
20
Sheet Pan Sausage and Vegetables
This works with whatever veggies you already have and requires basically zero effort—perfect for meal prepping! Most of the time spent is waiting while the sheet pan is in the oven, and there are minimal dishes to clean when it's all said and done. What more could you need?
Get the Sheet Pan Sausage and Vegetables recipe.
