4 Easy Weeknight Dinner Meal Prep Recipes

By Alexia Gonzalez on September 27, 2016

Do you even meal prep, bro?

Meal prepping, or simply preparing your meals ahead of time, is a craze that has blown up on social media over the past couple of years. Although many may be unfamiliar with the concept, the health conscious population has adopted this habit for quite some time.

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The reason being that it works. If you’re looking to lose weight, bulk up, eat healthy, or simply make your life a little less hectic and more organized, then meal prepping will help you tremendously.

Meal prepping is especially helpful for individuals who follow special diets such as vegans, Paleo eaters, or those who suffer from gluten intolerance since it can be hard to find dishes that conform to their dietary needs on a whim.

However, meal prepping has received a lot of mainstream attention as more and more people try to get a handle on the week ahead. It’s also a great way to ensure that you eat healthy and when you need to, and not to mention for much less than buying meals at a restaurant.

By simply Google searching the phrase “meal prep” you will find thousands of recipes for preparing everything from breakfast and lunch, to snacks and smoothies ahead of time. In my own life, I’m a big believer of meal prepping dinners. I find I have the tendency to eat crappiest after a long day of work when I would just rather buy something and get it over with.

But ever since I started preparing my dinners, I find that not only are my meal choices drastically healthier, all that I have to do once I arrive home is put on my comfy pants and pop a dish in the microwave or oven and I’m good to go. It especially diverts my temptations to go out on weeknights knowing that I already have food waiting for me once I arrive home.

All that I do is dedicate my Sunday or Monday evening (depending on the week) to cooking up a big batch of a meal or two, that I just divide in Tupperware containers and save in the fridge for the remainder of the week.

I promise that meal prepping is not only limited to chicken breasts and broccoli; there are an endless variety of healthy meals to be prepped. Take a look at a few of my favorite dinner meal prep recipes below!

Burrito Bowl Mason Jars

Everybody loves a good chipotle bowl, except for the extra butter and sodium. This chipotle take has all of the same delicious taste without all of the additives. The best part is that you can layer it all up into individual mason jars for a delicious, simple, and healthy portable meal.

Image Via strictlydelicious.com

Get the recipe here, from strictlydelicious.com.

Health Tip: If you prefer a lower carbohydrate diet, you can remove the quinoa or sweet potatoes.

Thai Meatballs

These savory meatballs are versatile and easy-to-freeze with a hint of curry spice. They can be served in lettuce wraps, over a bed of brown rice, or with a side of sautéed veggies. They will last you for an entire week and the possibilities are endless. Try dipping them in a homemade peanut sauce for an added Thai bonus.

Get the recipe here from inquiringchef.com.

Grillable Veggies Burgers

These veggie burgers are way better than any frozen store-bought version, not to mention that one patty has a whopping 14 grams of protein. These burgers will even stay fresh in your freezer for up to three weeks, so that you can easily grill them or pop them in the oven for a healthy and easy weeknight dinner. You can top these with onions, tomatoes, or some cheese.

Image Via minimalistbaker.com

Get the recipe here from minimalistbaker.com.

Health Tip: Instead of bread use lettuce cups to wrap your burger.

Cauliflower Fried Rice

You may be thinking how can I get Chinese takeout from a head of cauliflower? Well, with this version you will not need to sacrifice a cheat meal in order to eat some yummy fried rice! The texture of the rice can actually fool even the most devout fried rice eater.

It’s soft and grainy and absorbs all of the added flavors of the dish that you decide to prepare. The best part is that your typical serving of fried rice can exceed 600 calories (and that’s just one serving!). One serving of this faux Chinese staple is only 130 calories!  You can make a big batch and refrigerate several servings to last you for a week! Add some chicken, shrimp, or beef and you will never have to call your favorite takeout spot again! Okay, maybe once a month …

Get the recipe here from eat-yourself-skinny.com.

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