Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Quick Weekday Lunches and Dinners

In today's fast-paced world, finding time to prepare healthy meals can feel nearly impossible. But with a bit of planning and creativity, you can streamline your cooking process and enjoy nutritious lunches and dinners throughout the week. Meal prepping saves time, helps you make healthier choices, and keeps you energized. Let's explore practical tips and ideas to help you kickstart your healthy meal prep journey.

The Benefits of Meal Prepping

Meal prepping allows you to take charge of your diet by planning and preparing meals in advance. Research shows that people who meal prep are 50% more likely to choose healthier foods (additional reading: LINK). When you have pre-prepared meals, you are less likely to reach for unhealthy snacks or fast food when hunger strikes. Additionally, meal prepping can cut your grocery costs by reducing food waste and enabling you to buy ingredients in bulk, saving you up to 30% on your grocery bills.

Choosing the Right Containers

Investing in quality meal prep containers is essential for keeping your meals fresh and organized. Look for BPA-free, microwave-safe options that are easy to stack and store. Glass containers are a reliable choice as they are durable and can be used in the oven or microwave. For best results, select a variety of sizes to accommodate different meal portions, ensuring you have everything from small snack containers to larger meal containers.

Batch Cooking

Trader Joe's and Costco are great stores to stock up on your ingredients for batch cooking. I like Trader Joe's bagged veggies to save time. Plan to dedicate a couple hours on the weekend to cooking. Prepare large quantities of grains, proteins, and vegetables to mix and match during the week. This approach lets you quickly assemble meals during the week without spending too much time in the kitchen. A few sample receipes are below. In addition, I also will do a big pot of farro (an Italian grain) or quinoa to have for the week.

Recipe for Roasted Veggies:

Roasted Veggies before they go in oven

1. Preheat the oven to 425

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

3. Grab a BIG bowl and prepare the veggies. You can use any combination of...sweet potatoes (peeled and big cubs), broccoli/cauliflower florets, mushroom caps, carrots (peeled and cut in half), shallots (peeled and cut in half), brussel sprouts (ends cut and halved). Throw veggies in bowl

4. Dressing: a couple garlic cloves (minced), salt, pepper, 1-2 T balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup EVOO. Mix well

5. Pour dressing on veggies and use clean hands to coat

6. Roast veggies for 25 min

Recipe for Airfryer Salmon or Chicken:

1. Preheat airfryer to 375 (if you don't have an airfyer, use the oven...same temp)

2. Wash your SKINLESS salmon (they sell at Trader Joe's or ask WF fish department to take skin off) and cut into cubes. If you are using more than 1 package, you may need to work in batches

3. Put salmon cubes in a bowl and coat with 1-2 T Coconut Aminos (Trader Joe's), soy sauce or teriyaki and sprinkle to coat with Salmon Rub (Trader Joe's). Use your discretion on amount, but my guess is 1 T

4. Put salmon in airfyer for 10 min, shaking the basket 1/2 way through. If using oven, put on parchment paper lined baking sheet for 15 min

5. If you want to use chicken instead, follow the same receipe but change Salmon Rub to another seasoning such as blackening, adobo or poultry. Up the heat on airfryer (oven) to 400 and cook for 12 minutes or until cooked through to 165

   

   Salmon and ingredients for meal prep

Storing and Reheating

Proper storage is key to keeping meals fresh. Allow cooked food to cool before sealing it in containers and placing them in the refrigerator. THIS IS IMPORTANT! Most meals can be stored for up to four days, while others can even be frozen for longer shelf life.

Quick Lunch & Dinner Ideas

Now that you have your batch meal prep, here are a couple ways to use them!

• Chopped Salad with veggies and salmon/chicken: See video below

• Farro Veggie Salmon/Chicken Bowl: Put a fist full of each in a big bowl and microwave for 1 min, stir and additional minute (keep heating for 30 secs-1 min until hot)- Top with Teriyaki, Tzatziki or your fav (healthy!) sauce.

• Stirfry Curry Bowl: Prepare brown or jasmine rice. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet. Add chopped up veggies and cubes of salmon/chicken to warm. Add a couple swirls of Curry Sauce (Trader) or your fav sauce. Heat all ingredients through and add to a bowl with rice and thinly sliced green onions.

• Roasted Veggie Omlet or Scramble: Heat 1 T of EVOO in a non-stick frying pan. Chop up the roasted veggies and heat up in the pan just until warm (3-4 min). Whisk 2-3 large brown eggs and 1 T milk...add a dash of salt and pepper. Add to the pan and cook eggs through. Once done, put on a plate and top with fresh arugula, a sprinkle of crumbled feta or goat cheese and enjoy!

Wrapping Up

Healthy meal prep simplifies your weekdays while ensuring you eat nutritious meals. By effectively planning your menu, batch cooking, and investing in quality containers, you can create an efficient system. Keep your meals varied and interesting, and be sure to prepare healthy snacks to sustain your energy. With these tips, you'll enjoy effortless, healthy lunches and dinners all week long.