Finding quick and healthy meal prep ideas for weight loss makes weekdays simpler and takes the guesswork out of what to cook.
I'm sure like many of us, you don't mind eating the same dish 2-3 times in a week as long as it's good food, tasty, and easy to put together. Even better? They're all less than 500 calories per serving and most take less than 30 minutes to make! It's a Whole Lotta Yum!
✅ Get our FREE healthy meal prep printables + 14 days of meal prep ideas here! 😋
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas
This collection of 30+ quick and healthy meal prep ideas for weight loss for breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all lower calorie, include healthy fats, and most use lean protein sources.
By chance you're interested in low carb or keto meal prep options, you'll definitely want to check out our popular low carb meal prep lunches post or our Whole30 meal prep recipes.
Ready to get prepping? Here's a list of some of our favorite meal prep containers! Planning meals in advance is one of the keys to meal prep for weight loss success.
- Plastic BPA free meal prep containers – We love these, especially for meals that don’t need to be reheated, but even if they do, they’re BPA free. Buying a sturdy plastic container is the least expensive way for low carb and keto meal prep.
- Glass Meal Prep Containers – 5 pack – Glass meal prep containers work great for your low carb lunch, they heat well and are very sturdy. The downside to using glass is they’re heavier, they cost more, and don’t stack as well as the plastic containers.
- Souper Freezer Cubes - great for freezing extra meals or soups in 2 cup sizes.
Meal Prep Lunch Bowls
Here are 5 weight loss meal prep recipes served in a bowl that you can take on the go for lunch or make in advance for dinner.
Shrimp Avocado Mango Bowls
Get our Shrimp Avocado salad bowl recipe that's terrific for meal prep lunches when you want something light and refreshing. Inspired by Mexican shrimp ceviche, it features cooked shrimp, avocado, a touch of sweetness from the mango, and a little bit of crunch from cucumber.
377 calories per 1 ⅓ cup serving, 25 mins from start to finish (serves 4)
Eggroll in a Bowl
Eggroll in a Bowl (Weight Watchers)
A 15 minute recipe, 425 calories per serving (makes 4 meal prep servings)
If you haven't yet tried eggroll in a bowl, you're in for a treat! This weight watchers version uses ground chicken instead of ground pork and takes all of your favorite eggroll toppings and makes a "deconstructed eggroll".
This will seriously become one of your go-to meal prep for weight loss ideas whether it's for lunch or dinner. Serve alongside crispy fresh veggies or with coleslaw.
BBQ Chicken Bowl
A healthy BBQ chicken bowl with sweet potatoes and a healthy coleslaw recipe on the side. We used an air fryer to cook the chicken and sweet potatoes but other methods are great too!
Low Carb Taco Bowl
437 calories per serving (makes 4 bowls ) Just 15-20 minutes to make! While the meat cooks on the stove, chop the veggies.
You won't believe how fast and easy it is to make these ground turkey, lean ground beef, or chicken taco bowls, an easy taco salad is always a favorite! Easy to customize to make it dairy free or Whole30.
Thai Chopped Chicken Salad
Thai chopped chicken salad by Whole Lotta Yum
A 2o minute recipe, 344 calories per serving (makes 6 meal prep servings)
You won't miss Thai food takeout when you can make this weight loss lunch meal prep version. The salad keeps for days in the fridge since it uses veggies that stay crisp. Store the dressing separately. It'll definitely become one of your new faves!
Smoked Salmon Sushi Bowls
265 calories per bowl (with cauliflower rice) | 15 mins to prep | makes 4 servings
Get that homemade sushi fix by making your favorite Japanese inspired meal prep recipe to lose weight right at home anytime sushi cravings strike. Even better? This smoked salmon bowl skips the rice and uses cauliflower rice to make lunch even lighter.
Chicken Burrito Bowl
499 calories per bowl, 20 minutes to prep starting with healthy canned ingredients
Healthy meal prep doesn't get any easier than our healthy chicken burrito bowls. It's so easy to make swaps depending on your dietary preferences. This packs so much flavor you don't need any cheese, they're naturally gluten free, sugar free, and simple to make dairy free too.
Our easy overnight oats start with a base recipe and we show you 3 different mix-ins to change up the flavors including peanut butter banana, apple cinnamon, and mixed berry. A healthy chia seed pudding with almond or coconut milk and topped with a delicious no-sugar blueberry sauce. Blueberry chia pudding makes for a healthy meal prep breakfast or snack and is only 250 calories per serving! An easy and healthy frozen yogurt bark recipe using Greek yogurt, honey, and flavored with fruit. This makes a fun meal prep breakfast recipe when you're on the go or a healthy snack or dessert. A DIY version of Starbucks Protein Bistro Box is super easy to make, and great for breakfast, lunch or a healthy meal on the go. Hardboiled eggs sprinkled with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper, fresh grapes, apple slices, cheese, multigrain bread and honey roasted peanut butter. A Starbucks protein makes an easy meal prep idea for breakfast that doesn't need to be heated when you're on the go. These Peanut Butter Green Smoothie Freezer Packs are an easy way to prep smoothies in advance to throw in the blender in the morning! Smoothies are my personal favorite healthy meal prep idea for breakfast, sometimes I'll skip the banana and add a scoop of protein powder instead. Even the kids don't realize there's spinach in their smoothie! Breakfast Meal Prep is the best way to get your morning and week off to a healthy start! Packed with protein, fresh fruit and a sprinkle of low-fat granola, these Fruit and Yogurt Bistro Boxes are a fresh idea for busy mornings. Meal prep ahead of time so you can have breakfast done right every morning! This breakfast quesadillas recipe has less than 300 calories per serving! These chocolate chip baked oatmeal breakfast squares are like eating a giant chocolate chip oatmeal cookie for breakfast, straight from the oven! If you don't want chocolate chips with sugar for breakfast, we love to use Lilly's Stevia sweetened chocolate chips. This 5-Ingredient Meal Prep Egg White Frittata is hands down the easiest way to get your work week breakfasts ready all at once – with minimal ingredients, prep time and clean-up, this will become your go-to meal prep each week! I don't know about you, but finding healthy meal ideas for lunch is the biggest struggle for me. While I could have a smoothie every day for breakfast and would be content eating lean protein, roasted vegetables, and a healthy grain for dinner, lunch always seems to be a struggle. This list of healthy meal prep ideas you can take to work, eat as a light dinner, or eat on the go. Most of these will keep for days on the fridge if you like to meal prep on Sundays like we do and then have lunch ready made. A quick and easy vegan buddha bowl recipe that combines sweet potatoes, avocado, chickpeas, and a touch of spicy sauce to make for the perfect meal prep lunch or dinner. Easy and healthy fish taco bowls, you won't believe the fish cooks in just 10 minutes. Serve over healthy coleslaw with avocado and lime on the side. These cold sesame noodle meal prep bowls are the perfect vegan prep ahead lunch: spiralized vegetables tossed with chickpeas and whole wheat spaghetti in a spicy almond butter sauce. These easy vegetarian quinoa burrito bowls are the perfect recipe to meal prep for a healthy lunch or dinner. It makes 5 days worth of food in less than 20 minutes, is packed with nutrients and tastes delicious! Prep your lunches for the week with these turkey spinach and cheese pinwheels! No more overpriced snacks and lunches!!! Make your next meal prep session quick and easy with this Low Carb Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps Meal Prep lunch! It’s a simple three serving meal prep of tuna salad on romaine lettuce wraps paired with fruits and veggies – healthy, easy, and no heating required! Greek couscous salad is a healthy meal prep idea you'll want to eat time and time again. It's easy to swap out chickpeas for your favorite protein like chicken, other beans, cheese balls, or tempeh. Learn how to make Greek Quinoa Salad Jars for your weekly meal prep! These have the dressing on the bottom and all the fresher ingredients at the top so that they last in the fridge all week long! Gathering Dreams has fantastic and delicious healthy meal prep ideas for lunch that are perfect for adults! My personal favorite is the Hasselback tomato and mozzarella with pesto lunch box. This Chicken & Hummus Plate Lunch Meal Prep is so simple yet incredibly filling and delicious! Get back to basics with fresh cut bell pepper, carrot, cucumbers, paired with a perfect portion of chicken breast, cheese slices, and grapes for a touch of sweetness. Healthy Asian chicken lettuce wraps that are BETTER than P.F. Changs! Perfect as a meal prep lunch or light dinner. Low carb and easy to make gluten-free with simple swaps. Our Greek chicken salad bowl is the best way to enjoy a Mediterranean-inspired meal that comes together in just 15 minutes if you use precooked chicken, store-bought tzatziki, and rice. Combining olives, cucumber, feta, and cauliflower rice, with a delicious tzatziki sauce and chicken, our Greek salad is a hearty and filling salad. Chicken Fajita Meal Prep Lunch Bowls with cilantro lime quinoa is a healthy, tasty, fast recipe to make meal prep for weekdays super easy! We love to make chicken fajitas for dinner, and by doubling or tripling the recipe (which is so easy to do!) you can put together easy meal prep ideas for later. Fajitas are a healthy meal prep option that freezes well. A lightened up version of Mongolian Beef that is easy and flavorful. It can be made ahead of time, reheats well, and is perfect for your weekly meal prep. This teriyaki chicken meatball meal prep recipe is great for prepping on the weekend to have lunches or dinners for the week! It’s paleo, whole30, AIP and an all-around healthy lunch option. A quick and easy turkey stirfry recipe that takes less than 30 minutes to make. This will become a favorite meal prep idea for weight loss since you can easily swap other vegetables or other protein sources to customize this dish. These skinny bang bang zucchini noodles are an easy way to start your week. You can make multiple servings ahead of time, enough for a few meals during the week. 15 Minute Meal-Prep Garlic Butter Salmon with Asparagus – This easy garlic butter salmon meal prep with asparagus is a great way to guide yourself into a healthier lifestyle. Swap the butter for olive oil to make things even more clean and hearty healthy. Tastes like Korean BBQ in meal prep form and you can have it ALL WEEK LONG! Simply prep for the week and you’ll be set. EASY! 30-minute chickpea curry makes a fast meal prep idea for a vegetarian dinner. Feel free to substitute other protein sources like a cut-up a rotisserie chicken for a speedy chicken curry.Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Breakfast
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Lunch
Easy Dinner Meal Prep Ideas
15-Minute Meal-Prep Salmon and Asparagus in Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce
30 Healthy Meal Prep Recipes for Weight Loss: Greek Chicken Bowl + More!
Make our Greek chicken meal prep bowl for lunches or dinner. Cut back on the tzatziki or feta to lighten it up even more. Be sure to check out the other 30 healthy meal prep recipes for weight loss in the post!
Ingredients
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted
- 1 cup cucumbers, sliced (we used TJ Persian)
- Tomatoes, cut into small wedges 8 oz
- Feta cheese, 8 oz cut into small cubes or crumbled
- ½ green pepper, sliced
- 4 thinly sliced chicken breasts, precooked
- 1 lb cauliflower rice, sauteed
- 4 cups lettuce
- tzatziki sauce, 1 tablespoon per bowl
- fresh dill, optional garnish
- ¼ cup+ red wine vinegar dressing
Instructions
- Slice the chicken and set it aside
- Make the Greek salad
- Cook the cauliflower rice
- Assemble the Greek chicken salad bowls
Greek Salad Recipe
- Prep the Greek salad vegetables by slicing the onions, cucumber, and green pepper, and cutting the tomato into sections.
- Add the vegetables to a medium-sized bowl and add the red wine vinegar dressing, dill, and feta cheese crumbles. Combine well and set aside.
Cauliflower Rice Recipe
- Heat a medium-size non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan.
- Add the 1 lb bag of cauliflower rice to the pan and saute it until the cauliflower is cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble
- You'll be layering the vegetables in a bowl or meal prep container. Place the chopped lettuce in the bottom of the bowl.
- Top the lettuce with the Greek salad.
- Add cauliflower rice and top it with a sliced pre-cooked chicken breast. Serve and enjoy! This is a great recipe for meal prep lunches or dinner and makes 4 servings.
Notes
Simplify the recipe by making Greek chicken salad meal prep bowls using pre-cooked chicken, store-bought tzatziki, and pre-cooked cauliflower rice.
This is an easy recipe to make swaps like skipping the cauliflower rice, adding shrimp instead of chicken, or leaving out any vegetable you don't want in the salad, or adding avocado.
The salads will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Be sure to pin this to Pinterest so you can find it again later!
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Stephanie says
I love all these ideas! Do you happen to have a grocery list for all your meal prep meals to make it quick shopping for.
WholeLottaYum says
Hi Stephanie, Thank you! I don't have a grocery list for the meal prep recipes yet but I'm hoping to do that in early 2023 🙂 Jen
Angel Rattay says
This list is amazing!! All
If the recipes look incredible and so fast and easy. Just what I was searching for. Thank you. Love the breakfast ideas too. I feel like breakfast meal prep options are so hard to find and that’s the most challenging meal for me! I’d eat cereal and pop tarts every day if I could! Haha!
Bekka says
Is there any Nutrition Facts available for this recipe?
NHATANH PLY says
Great article. Thank you for all off the great info. Have nice day.