23 Easy Weight-Loss Meal Prep Recipes

By Wilma Crank March 21, 2024 8 mins read 106 Views

A weight-loss journey can be filled with both small and big victories. It can also create roadblocks and challenges along the way—but meal prepping doesn't need to be one of them. With the right tips, tricks, and shopping list on deck, this part of the weight-loss process can be a total breeze—and not to mention, truly delicious. We here at Eat This, Not That! rounded some of our best easy weight-loss meal prep recipes to have in your arsenal.

Article Essentials

Why are meal prep recipes so beneficial when you're looking to lose weight?

Lisa Young, Ph.D., RDN, the author of Finally Full, Finally Slim, a nutritionist in private practice, and a member of our Medical Expert Board, explains, "Meal prep recipes are a great opportunity for those looking to lose weight as they help with portion control and allow the incorporation of nutrient-dense foods into each meal. It encourages preparing meals at home rather than relying on processed foods with high amounts of unhealthy fats, added sugars, and excessive calorie content."

The beauty of meal prepping

The beauty of meal prepping is that you're able to control the quality and quantity of the food you're consuming. In addition, you're much more likely to incorporate healthier choices like lean proteins, fresh fruits and veggies, healthy fats, and whole grains into meals.

Include fiber and lean proteins

Young suggests including foods that offer plenty of fiber to help fill you up, along with items that are chock-full of essential vitamins and minerals, such as blueberries, walnuts, and leafy green veggies, in addition to healthy starches like brown rice and sweet potatoes. "Opt for lean proteins such as salmon, eggs, chicken, and beans like chickpeas," she adds. "Protein is essential for weight loss as it helps to maintain lean muscle mass throughout the process; it also provides essential nutrients to enhance bodily functions. Overall, such foods help promote satiety and reduce hunger beneficial for weight management."

Easy Roast Salmon With Lentils

Salmon is an excellent choice for meal prepping—especially when it's combined with a healthy helping of veggies, like lentils (which are packed with protein and fiber). This roast salmon with lentils is a seamless recipe to pull together on a Sunday and sort into glass meal prep containers for lunch and/or dinner to kick off the week. Salmon receives Young's stamp of approval, as it offers omega-3 fatty acids and plenty of protein (around 40 grams per half of a fillet).

Whole30 Chicken Kababs With Celeriac Rice

These tasty chicken kababs are another easy recipe option to prepare ahead of time and enjoy for lunch or dinner during the week. Rather than grilling these kababs, we season them to perfection and pop them in the oven. We also suggest enjoying this lean protein with celeriac "rice" for a grain-free and gluten-free meal.

Mason Jar Bean, Salmon, and Kale Salad

Who doesn't love a good mason jar recipe—especially on busy weekdays? This mason jar bean, salmon, and kale salad couldn't be easier to meal prep in advance and take to work for lunch (or enjoy at home)! It's packed with nutrients from the salmon, garbanzo beans, kale, and grapefruit that will help support your weight-loss efforts. One mason jar salad is 369 calories and offers 11 grams of fiber.

Keto Overnight Oats With Berries and Cream

Breakfast can be meal prepped, too! When your goal is weight loss, skipping breakfast as you're rushing out the door is a major no-no. These keto overnight oats with fresh berries and cream are prepared in advance and easily accessible on busy mornings to savor before you leave or to take on the go. Chopped walnuts, chia seeds, and fresh blueberries round out this nutrient-packed recipe, and full-fat coconut milk-soaked hemp hearts replace oats to keep things keto.

Customizable Overnight Chia Pudding

Chia pudding is another quick and easy breakfast recipe you can easily prepare in advance, sort into mason jars, and enjoy for the next few mornings. Our recipe features coconut chips, fresh mango, and chopped macadamia nuts, but the possibilities are truly endless as far as toppings go. This recipe is 360 calories and provides 12 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein.

Whole30 Fish Taco Bowls

A taco bowl is an excellent idea to make in advance when you're pressed for time during the week. You can prepare all of the ingredients ahead of time—except for the fresh guacamole!—and assemble your bowl whenever you're ready to enjoy it. Our Whole30 fish taco bowl is complete with fresh mango salsa, cabbage slaw, coconut milk-infused cauliflower rice, and perfectly seasoned salmon.

Best-Ever Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Soup may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of meal prep recipes, but it's one of the simplest one-pot meals you can whip up in advance. Plus, people are "souping" for weight loss—and swear by its flat-belly effects. This homemade chicken noodle soup hits the spot in more ways than one. It's complete with lean protein (shredded chicken) and carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, and egg noodles for a hearty yet healthy meal.

Whole30 Chicken Zoodle Soup

Let's be honest: There's nothing like a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter's night. That's where this recipe comes into play. For an even healthier version of chicken noodle soup, check out this Whole30 chicken zoodle soup, which swaps out traditional pasta noodles for zoodles. Whip it up in your Instant Pot in just about 25 minutes, package it up, and serve it during the week for an incredibly soothing meal.

Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

This Instant Pot lemon chicken recipe delivers juicy, incredibly tender lean protein that pairs perfectly with roasted veggies or quinoa for a healthy prep-ahead meal. The Instant Pot makes your life so much easier; this recipe doesn't call for a lot of prep time and will have your meal ready to divvy up into containers in less than 30 minutes.

Mediterranean Rice Bowl with Rotisserie Chicken

Like the Instant Pot, rotisserie chicken also makes meal prepping all the more seamless. You can prepare the ingredients for this Mediterranean rice bowl in advance, then assemble your bowl when lunch or dinner time rolls around—or pack each "bowl" into separate meal prep containers to save some time. This recipe doesn't call for any cooking of the chicken, but rather warming it up in a pan and adding some lemon juice and spices for the ultimate zest.

Bruschetta Chicken

We love a good sheet pan meal prep recipe, and this bruschetta chicken takes the concept to the next level. Topped off with fresh, juicy cherry tomatoes, our recipe will be your new favorite way to enjoy this lean protein.

Crunchy Thai Ginger Salad with Peanut Butter Dressing

This recipe for crunchy Thai ginger salad comes full circle with the homemade peanut butter dressing; it has a refreshing kick thanks to the lime juice, ginger, and rice vinegar. Meal prepping this recipe involves whipping up the dressing in a food processor and storing it in the fridge, along with preparing all of the salad ingredients and combining. You can even top off your salad with some shredded rotisserie chicken for a lean protein boost.

Veggie-Packed Minestrone With Pesto Soup

Minestrone is always a good idea, and our recipe is filled to the brim with veggies and deliciousness. Yukon gold potatoes, carrots, zucchini, green beans, white beans, and diced tomatoes create a healthy vegetable medley you won't be able to get enough of. Top off your soup bowl with some fresh pesto, and you're set to enjoy.

Crockpot Roasted Turkey with Oranges and Herbs

This scrumptious slow cooker recipe is truly one of a kind, where fresh citrus and herbs take classic turkey to next-level deliciousness. Our recipe offers a simple, "no-fuss" way to meal prep and savor this lean protein no matter the time of year.

Grilled Salmon with Chermoula Chickpeas

Grilled salmon is a stellar meal prep idea to make all summer long. You can't beat this recipe, where our grilled salmon is paired with chermoula chickpeas, which are full of protein and fiber to help keep you fuller for longer. This meal takes about 30 minutes to pull together; just make sure you grill more than two fillets so this recipe truly serves its meal-prepping purpose.

Instant Pot Greek Chicken Rice Bowl with Tzatziki Sauce

Our Instant Pot Greek chicken rice bowl is the ideal choice to prep in advance if you need something simple, quick, and delicious. This bowl delivers chicken that's packed with protein, rice, fresh veggies, and tzatziki for a healthy dinner that comes together without a hitch in your handy-dandy Instant Pot.

Healthy Chinese Chicken Salad

This healthy Chinese chicken salad features the perfect combination of sweet and savory and is just 380 calories. It makes for a light and refreshing meal-prep lunch. To make the prep process even easier, you can use store-bought rotisserie chicken.

Roasted Autumn Harvest Salad

Another sheet pan recipe for the books, this roasted autumn harvest salad is the ideal sweet and savory lunch for vegetarians. It's a scrumptious spin on your classic salad and comes together with figs, seedless grapes, tart apple, baby romaine, baby arugula, and hazelnuts.

Quick Chicken Burger With Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli

Whipping up a batch of quick chicken burgers in advance will be a true life-saver during the week. Plus, this option offers a much healthier alternative to a classic beef burger. Our chicken burger recipe with sun-dried tomato aioli can be savored atop a bed of fresh greens, quinoa, or rice. You can also enjoy it open-faced on a whole-grain bun.

Savory Artichoke Feta Quiche

Quiche is another smart meal prep idea, as you can seamlessly sneak a bunch of veggies and healthy ingredients into it. Our savory artichoke feta quiche recipe can be an easy breakfast or lunch to warm up during the week. It packs flavor into every bite with artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, lean chicken sausage, and feta cheese.

Healthy Turkey Meatloaf

Meatloaf is a meal prep favorite for good reason. However, our turkey meatloaf recipe instantly kicks any unhealthy thoughts of meatloaf from your childhood to the curb. Enjoy a slice of this meatloaf with a freshly tossed salad for a mouthwatering lunch or dinner.

Mediterranean-Inspired Baked Chicken With Tomatoes and Capers

A delicious meal prep recipe with minimal cleanup? We'll take it! This Mediterranean-inspired baked chicken with tomatoes and capers is prepared in a single baking dish with some foil to get all the drippings.

Healthy Pesto-Topped Grilled Swordfish Steak

Put your grill to good use by throwing a few swordfish steaks on it to cook and enjoy as a tasty lunch or dinner meal prep. This grilled swordfish steak recipe is topped with fresh pesto to create the ultimate summertime bite you'll want to make time and time again. Plus, a serving is just 250 calories, so you can't go wrong enjoying this for a weight-loss-friendly meal.