"There is a reason it seems like everyone is meal prepping these days. Nothing relieves stress like eliminating that dreaded moment when the afternoon slump hits, your stomach grumbles, and you think, “So… what am I going to do for dinner?” With meal prep, you’re strategically frontloading your cooking, so when you’re busier during the week, you have one less thing to do. That way, you can spend your lunch break actually taking a break instead of cooking, and you don’t have to decide between foregoing breakfast entirely or starting your day with the chore of making something.
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However, the absolute last thing you want is to open your fridge on Friday and see a soggy, mushy mess that you meal prepped earlier in the week but is now inedible. During a hectic week, it’d be a shame to have all your hard work reduced to rejected leftovers you’d rather abandon in the trash than eat. Thankfully, this fate is avoidable. Focusing on ingredients that stay fresh all week (or meals you can easily freeze and reheat later) will ensure your meal prep recipes are as tasty on day five as on day one. Keep scrolling for 20 meal prep recipes that will last all week.
1. Turkey Taco Meal Prep Bowl
Tacos are always delicious, but a soggy tortilla completely ruins the meal when you try to enjoy leftovers the next day. This recipe lets you enjoy all the taco fixings, but it will keep much better in your fridge.
2. Mediterranean Bean Salad
If you spend a lot of time scrolling on TikTok, you may have come across people raving about dense bean salads. Beans work very well in meal prep recipes because they absorb the dressing while they sit in the fridge, making the recipe more flavorful as time goes on. This bean salad embodies fresh Mediterranean flavors and is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free.
3. Balsamic Tempeh & Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowls
This incredibly convenient sheet-pan recipe will save you so much time during the week. Toss your ingredients into a bowl with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Italian seasoning, throw it on a sheet pan, and pop it in the oven. Then, serve with quinoa, and you have tomorrow’s lunch or dinner ready to go.
4. Homemade Toaster Waffles
If you were absolutely obsessed with Eggo Waffles growing up, you’ll love this toaster waffle recipe. They’re super simple to make and freeze, so when you’re running out the door on a busy morning, all you need to do is throw one in the toaster. A delicious breakfast minus all the effort and mess.
5. Marinated Tomato Feta Orzo Salad Jars
Not only do these salads look adorable in the mason jar, they are insanely easy to make. All you have to do is chop and layer your ingredients, and your salad is already packaged up and ready for you to grab on the go. And since the dressing goes on the bottom, your greens will stay fresh and crisp.
6. Breakfast Sandwich
This breakfast sandwich recipe can be made ahead of time and then stored in the freezer for whenever you need a quick bite. No need to stop for breakfast on the way to work—you’ll save time and money by opting for this freezer-friendly recipe instead.
7. Greek Vegetables with Feta
While this recipe has few ingredients, its flavor is anything but basic, thanks to the homemade Greek marinade. You can store the marinated veggies for up to two days before cooking, so you can easily grab the ingredients out of the fridge and roast a single portion for dinner. Or simply bake the whole batch at the same time—the roasted veggies will stay good for up to three days in the fridge.
8. Lentil Salad
Lentils are an ideal meal prep ingredient because they pack in tons of protein to keep you full and store really well in the fridge. This lentil salad requires little effort and is loaded with vegetables and flavor—it will definitely become a staple in your household.
9. Easy Overnight Oats
There are endless ways to customize overnight oats to create your new favorite breakfast. Strawberries and cream, lemon blueberry, pumpkin pie, and PB&J oats are just a few variations you can try. With all this variety, you could eat overnight oats every morning and never get sick of them.
10. Korean Beef Power Bowls
This Korean-inspired power bowl is great for spring and summer. It features fresh and light flavors balanced with pork and farro, making it the ideal meal prep lunch or dinner.
11. Turkey Meatballs
Spaghetti and meatballs is such a comfort meal, but by swapping the typical ground beef for turkey and mixing in spiralized zucchini, this recipe offers a healthier option to the traditional recipe. Freeze the meatballs to use for a future meal, or just keep the whole batch in the fridge to eat during the week.
12. Egg Muffins
If you love Starbuck’s egg bites, this is the perfect meal prep breakfast idea. You can make a dozen egg muffins at once, add whatever veggies and toppings you like, and have breakfast ready in the freezer to reheat whenever you need it.
13. Vegetable Soup
Even though the weather is warming up, a steaming bowl of soup still hits the spot on a rainy spring day. This vegetable soup is perfect to have on hand for when storm clouds start rolling in or when seasonal allergies start to get you down.
14. Breakfast Bowls
Who says bowls are just for lunch and dinner? This savory breakfast bowl will start your day with a filling, nutritious meal, fueling you for the day ahead. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all.
15. Fresh Spring Rolls
I don’t know about you, but premade grocery store spring rolls are a common on-the-go lunch for me, and I had no clue they were so easy to make at home to eat throughout the week. These spring rolls are so light and refreshing and, unlike a too-heavy lunch, won’t make you feel bogged down or tired in the middle of the day.
16. Stuffed Peppers
These stuffed peppers are a classic dinner option that’s great for meal prepping. If stored in an airtight container, they can last up to five days in the fridge, and when frozen, they can last up to three months. To reheat, you can either put them in the oven or just pop them in the microwave for a few minutes.
17. Paleo Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken Bowl
If you’re bored of eating the same three meals on repeat, this recipe is an amazing way to infuse some more flavor into your meal rotation. The mango salsa on the chicken adds a mouthwatering, fresh twist that will make you want to add it to all of your meals.
18. Thai Chicken Zucchini Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce
If you struggle to get your veggies in, swapping zucchini noodles for traditional pasta is an easy way to increase your intake while still enjoying a tasty meal. Plus, the peanut sauce is so good you’ll be tempted to eat it alone with a spoon (we won’t judge you if you do).
19. Green Chile Chicken Burritos
These burritos may be freezer-friendly, but they’re a huge step up from your run-of-the-mill store-bought frozen burritos. Top them off with salsa or guacamole to really take them to the next level.
20. Chipotle Tofu Quinoa Bowls
Whether you eat meat or not, these chipotle tofu quinoa bowls are a must-try. This meal prep recipe is packed with protein and nutrition, so it’s the best lunch to get you through a mid-day slump.
Lauren Blue, Lifestyle Staff Writer
As a Lifestyle Staff Writer for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives. Her articles span the topics of home decor, delicious recipes, hobbies, travel itineraries—and everything in between. When she isn’t testing the latest TikTok trend, she can be found scouring Instagram for beautiful homes to feature on the site.