We want to use the weekend to prep everything (breakfast(Opens in a new window) & lunch) so it’s smooth sailing with healthy options waiting in the fridge for us. Each of the components is adaptable, so after four weeks, by the time you’re bored, the habit of planning and prepping may have already taken root! At that point, expand, play, and adapt. Read on for the recipes, plus get more meal prepping tips.
Healthy Meal Prep Lunch Ideas
- Poached Chicken, Shrimp or Salmon
- Roasted Veggie Chips(Opens in a new window) + Black Pepper Dill Yogurt Dressing
- Big Batch Quinoa
- 4 Soups-in-One
Poached Chicken or Seafood
Poaching is an easy way to get tasty results. Here we use the same ingredients for poaching chicken, salmon and shrimp. Gently poached chicken breasts are mild and sweet tasting, juicy and tender. They make some of the nicest chicken salad around, but you can shred them for chicken tacos, slice or chop for salad, or even toss into a stir-fry.
Poaching salmon is easy and requires very little cleanup. The result is tender and mild.
Shrimp takes just a minute in the poaching liquid and yields great results for any salad or grain bowl.
Healthy Chips & Dip Recipe
Making your own chips is easier than you think, especially if you use a mandoline to easily slice your veggies thin. They're healthier than store bought chips and you can "chip-ify" so many different things, from beets and carrots to parsnips and apples. Get our favorite healthy chip recipes here and tips on how to use your mandoline for restaurant-quality results. Then make the Black Pepper Dill Yogurt Dressing below and enjoy your healthy chips and dip.
Quinoa Recipe
This quinoa is ready to eat. Bring it as a salad, make it into the bed for a veggie bowl or stir fry. Optional flavorings such as a pinch of curry, smashed garlic clove, ginger slices, red chili flakes, olive oil, or a parmesan rind can bring interest and fun to this simple and nutritious dish.
Meal Prep Soup Base Recipe
This soup base is incredibly versatile and can easily be made into four (or more) different kinds of soups, just by making a few tweaks and additions. Try the four ideas below or get creative and make up your own soup ideas. Plus, check out these tips for making and storing better soups.
Use the Base Above to Make These Varieties:
Butternut Squash Soup
- 3 cups cubed butternut, steamed until soft
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- Toasted pepitas, aka pumpkin seeds, for garnish
Put 2 cups of the stock with some onions, butternut, and curry powder into a blender. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to eat. To serve, heat the soup and garnish with toasted pepitas
Beet Dill Soup
- 3 medium cooked beets with skins
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped dill, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- Generous grindings black pepper
- Sour cream for garnish
Put ½ cup of stock, the beets, dill, vinegar, and black pepper into a food processor and pulse to chop beets into uneven pieces no larger than peas. They should still have some texture. Transfer to a container with 1 1/2 cups of the stock with some onions. Taste and season with salt. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to eat. To serve, heat the soup or serve chilled, garnished with a dollop of sour cream and sprig of dill.
Black Bean Soup
- 3 cups drained, cooked black beans
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro stems
- Juice from ½ lime
- Cilantro, jalapeno slices and yogurt, for garnish
Pulse some of the beans in a food processor to break them, up and release their starch. Add the rest of the beans, chili powder, cilantro, and lime juice to the food processor with 2 cups of the stock with some onions. Pulse to combine. Taste and season with salt. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to eat. To serve heat in a medium saucepan over high heat until steaming, and add cilantro leaves, jalapeno and a dollop of yogurt for garnish.
Tomato Soup
- 1 15.5 ounce can tomatoes
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Croutons for serving
Put 2 cups of the stock with some onions, the tomatoes, parmesan, and olive oil with the onions into a food processor. Pulse to puree. Transfer to a container. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to eat. To serve, heat in a medium saucepan over high heat until steaming, top with croutons.
Ready to get meal prepping? Learn the building blocks of a perfect meal prep lunch, plus the supplies you'll need and easy recipes that freeze well.
