5 Nourishing and Delicious Meal Prep Ideas
I love cooking – but not always, especially when life gets hectic.
This is why I love meal prepping to have healthy, ready-made meals. I’m going to share five healthy and easy meal prep ideas.
These meal prep ideas will simplify your life by saving you time and money. These are also some of my favorite recipes.
Containers
I love clear, glass containers because I can see what’s inside. They are also microwaveable. Having airtight lids is also really important because it can keep the food fresh for longer.
I have ceramic soup bowls with lids and handles. I love making soup. It takes time to learn what size and shape containers work best for you and your family. But let’s get on to the recipes.
1. Chia pudding
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ¼ cup of almond milk or milk of your choice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Choice of fruits
Then, mix the seeds in the milk and the honey. I like honey for sweetness but if you’re vegan, add maple syrup or agave.
Then I stir all of this really well and stir again even after the seeds sink to the bottom. I leave the jar for four hours or overnight in the fridge to thicken up.
Once the pudding thickens, I add toppings such as cut-up fruit or berries. I also add unsweetened coconut lakes and drizzle it with honey.
That’s it, now I have a healthy snack or a breakfast ready to go.
2. Overnight oats
Ingredients:
- ½ cup oats
- ½ cup of almond milk
- 1-2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
Optional:
- ½ banana
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- Unsweetened coconut flakes
I top mine off with banana, almond butter, and coconut flakes. I put the lid on, pop it in the refrigerator, and wait overnight for my delicious oat breakfast to be ready. I can eat it cold or microwave it so it’s warm.
3. Pesto pasta sauce
Ingredients:
- 3 garlic cloves
- 10 spears of asparagus
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian dressing
- Lemon juice
- Heavy cream
- 8 ounces of any pasta
For pesto:
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sundried tomato
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (optional)
Optional:
- Shrimp
Pasta sauce for meal prep is great to make because it freezes really well. If you are making a large batch, store the pasta separately so it doesn’t get mushy. I’m making a small batch here for lunch so I’ll store it all together.
Make the pesto by combining all the ingredients well in a blender or food processor until it turns into a paste. I used rotini pasta.
While the pasta cooks, I prepare the asparagus, sun dried tomatoes, and garlic. I sometimes add shrimp to this recipe.
I cook the shrimp with garlic and put that aside. I then add the cut-up asparagus to the browned, crusty goodness in the pan after I saute the shrimp.
4. Lentil soup (vegetarian)
Ingredients:
- ½ onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic
- Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste
- 28 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup green lentils
- Kale or spinach
- ½ lemon for juice
- Olive oil
Soups, stews, and curries freeze the best.
It’s best transferred after it cools down. It keeps in the freezer for a couple of months.
5. Glazed tofu and veggies
Ingredients:
- 1 package of tofu, extra firm
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- Sesame seeds to garnish
- Vegetables of your choice
- Oil (sesame, avocado, or olive)
I top this off with sesame seeds. This dish pairs well with brown rice or garlic noodles.
Meal prep ideas
Meal prep looks different for everyone because of our diets, budgets, and our favorite foods. But I hope these meal prep ideas were helpful and gave you some inspiration.
Share with me in the comments some of your favorite healthy, easy meal prep ideas or your favorite recipe above.
Next, learn How I Make a Living Without a 9-to-5 Job.
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