Kale Barley Salad With Feta And A Honey
This vegetarian salad is anything but boring. Kale? Barley? We know, we know. The name is a little lackluster. Trust us on this one, though. This dressing is seriously fantastic, and the kale soaks it right up. The barley lends a bit of a softer texture and a nutty flavor to the dish. Its balanced out nicely with the honey-lemon dressing. And cheese. Dont forget the cheese. This vegetarian dish really has it all.
Fresh & Healthy Meal Prep Salads
The best meal prep salads that make the perfect weekday lunches! These healthy meal prep salad recipes pack plenty of veggies and protein, and are tossed with incredible, homemade dressings. Learn how to store them in mason jars or meal prep containers and enjoy all week long.
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Lets talk LUNCH. Or dinner, or really any meal you want something delicious and hearty. Today Im bringing you over 40 fresh and healthy meal prep salads that make the absolute best lunches and dinners during busy work weeks.
After updating and re-sharing these amazing 4 mason jar salads, I wanted to put together an even bigger roundup of salad recipes that are protein-packed and easy to meal prep during the week. Each of these hearty salad recipes packs at least 8g of protein and plenty of fiber to keep you full and satisfied.
Get all of my tips for meal prepping salads below, and then scroll through and pick out your fav recipes to try!
Why We Love Meal Prepping Salads
- Convenience: there’s nothing more rewarding than opening the fridge on a busy day and finding completely pre-assembled materials for a healthy, filling meal. Perfect for busy, on-the-go families or those that are trying to eat more healthy, easy meals.
- Quick, healthy meals: as mentioned above, salad meal prep is a great way to kickstart a healthy habit. If you have everything prepped, you’ll be SO much more likely to opt for salad instead of takeout or office treats.
- Customizable for the whole family: if your family has many different preferences, this salad meal prep is a great way to make everyone happy. Each family member can pick and choose their own ingredients!
- Batch cooking is SO much quicker. Instead of making 3 smaller batches of quinoa in a week, why not prep a week’s worth in one go? You’ll spend so much less time at the stove and/or cleaning dishes .
Read Also: No Oil Salad Dressing Brands
Meal Prep Spinach Beet And Chicken Power Salads
Chicken breasts are classic diet food. Thats because theyre high in protein yet low in calories.
So if youre trying to lose weight, youre probably eating lots of chicken breasts. But after a while, chicken breasts, broccoli, and brown rice get kind of blah.
Theres definitely nothing blah about this Power Salad. First of all, lets talk about chicken breasts.
Chicken breasts are notorious for being bland. Not these ones theyre bursting with garlic and herby flavors.
But thats not all this Salad is packed with sweet veggies like carrots and beets. This helps offset the bitterness of the baby spinach.
And youre topping your Salad with toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch. And the crowning glory is the apple cider vinegar dressing.
All Ill say is make extra youll thank me later. To make the dressing, youll need shallots, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper.
Mix your shallots and olive oil in a blending jar. Then add the rest of your ingredients.
Puree until smooth using an immersion blender. I recommend this immersion blender here.
Its pretty powerful, and it comes with a blending jar and whisk.
Per Serving:
Chicken Avocado Club Mason Jar Salad
This chicken avocado club mason jar salad combines chicken, turkey bacon, blue cheese and avocado. Its filling, loaded with flavor and perfect for meal prep. Low carb + gluten-free.
If you couldnt tell by now, Im obsessed with salads that I can meal prep for the week and this chicken avocado club mason jar salad is one of my favorites! I honestly dont know if Ive ever even had a club sandwich , but the ingredients sounded fun for a salad so Im rolling with it.
The combo of seared chicken, crispy turkey bacon, rich blue cheese and creamy avocado is pure perfection. And when tossed in a honey mustard dressing its SO good!
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Super Healthy Cobb Salad That You Can Meal Prep
You need to try this super healthy cobb salad, theres a meal prep version included below too! Made with eggs, chicken, avocado, lots of fresh vegetables and a super simple healthy dressing, this high-protein chicken cobb salad is perfect if youre looking for some delicious easy clean eating lunch and dinner ideas to make ahead.
Easy Meal Prep Recipe Ideas
Here are 50 easy meal prep ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner. We also include a list of nutritious snacks!
Many of these recipes utilize time-saving Trifecta A la Carte Ingredients such as Trifecta chicken,rice, and beyond meat, but provide instructions on how to easily substitute out other raw ingredients.
These recipes fit a variety of dietary approaches. Keto, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, plant based whole-foods, Mediterranean, flexitarian it doesn’t matter what you call you’re diet just make sure you enjoy what you’re eating and maximizing quality over quantity to conquer your goals.
Read Also: How Many Calories In A Chef Salad
As You Can See Meal Prep Doesnt Have To Be Boring
Most people dont want to keep eating the same foods over and over again. Some people do want to eat the same few things over and over again because they like to make things as simple as possible. If that works for you, GREAT! But if that is not you and you want more diversity in your daily fare, good news! Meal prepping is the opposite of boring if you make good use of the wide array of options that are available to you.
Dont be intimidated by food! Find a great protein, vegetables and fruits, a fat, a wonderful spice and youve got a healthy lunch ! Then switch it up the next time. Dont forget to make good use of the simple and delicious recipes in this guide. We are going to do everything we can think of to get you started on your meal prepping journey. Plan on making meal prepping part of your lifestyle and this meal prep ideas post will guarantee you will never eat boring again!
Gnocchi With Peas And Prosciutto
Here, we take the classic Italian pasta pairing of peas and prosciutto, replace the noodles with dumplings, and throw in plenty of asparagus to round out the creation. You can make this gnocchi recipe richer with a drizzle of cream or half-and-half or a bit of butter, but this one is great as-is.
Get our recipe for Gnocchi with Peas and Prosciutto.
It’s a warm bowl of goodness that’s perfect for your lunch meal prep.
Get our recipe for Meatball Soup.
Also Check: Best Salad Dressing To Buy
Recipe Notes And Tips
Meal Prep Ingredients In Bulk
This is similar to purchasing Trifecta A La Carte. Cook batches of your protein of choice, vegetables, carbohydrates, and choose a variety of sauces and garnishes to build your meal plan for the week. Portion out each individual meal prep recipe for the week based on your nutrition needs and goals.
Pros
You can control your food intake more closely if you are tracking your calories or macronutrients to reach your health goals. You can add a variety of nutrient-dense seasonal vegetables, fruits, and go ham on herbs and spices to season your ingredients.
Overall you have more variety in your flavors, portioning, and meal plan when you choose to prepare ingredients in bulk. You can learn to use a variety of ingredients and sharpen up your cooking skills in the process.
Cons
If you’re lacking culinary skills you may end up eating the same kind of cooked foods all week long, this goes for having the right kitchen equipment as well to cook all of your food safely and efficiently.
You should know how to portion your meals to meet your macros or how much you should be eating on a daily basis to make sure you’re meeting your body’s basic needs and able to tailor your nutrient needs to your personal health and wellness.
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Lunches You Can Meal Prep On Sunday
Source: Gimme Delicious
Avoid drive-thru urges and packaged food cravings this week by preparing nutritious lunches ahead of time. This meal-prep technique will not only remove stress from your weekly grind, but its also easy on the wallet and good for the body. Here, we rounded up 20 make-ahead lunches you can prep on a lazy Sunday for a productive week. From protein-packed to vegetarian-friendly, we have plenty of recipe inspiration to get you started!
How To Store & Batch Prep Mediterranean Chicken Pasta Salad
This Mediterranean Chicken Pasta Salad is the perfect recipe to work into your healthy meal prep routine. Its especially good for lunch because it can be eaten cold, warm, or at room temperature. Heres how to prep it
- Weekly Fridge Prep: will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer Batch Prep: will last in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Storage: If youre using this recipe for your weekly/monthly meal prep, then I would suggest storing each serving in individual containers so you can defrost them one at a time and grab-and-go whenever youre ready to serve it or pack it for lunch.
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1/4 tsp EACH of Sea Salt& Black Pepper
Read Also: Fruit Salad With Yogurt For Weight Loss
When Ready To Serve
Warm the protein and chop it bite-size, if needed. Add the protein to the pre-made salad greens and vegetables. Add the toppings of your choice, although Fritos are never optional.
Squeeze lime generously over the salad, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Or toss with your favorite salad dressing.
Love these salads? Check out the eBook for How To Eat A Salad Every Day for more fantastic salad recipes, dressings, and tips to simplify your salad making!
With this eBook, if youre grocery shopping, meal planning, or just trying to eat a little bit healthier, youll have this information at your fingertips whenever you need it.
The Perfect Healthy Lunch Recipe: Easy Meal Prep Cobb Salad
There is nothing like a flavorful, fresh salad for a quick and hearty lunch. This cobb salad recipe is perfect for meal prep and will give you an easy lunch option that you can grab and go all week long.
Cobb salads are one of my personal favorites because they are hearty and packed with protein. Chicken, bacon, and hard boiled eggs are all full of the protein your body needs to feel great.
Keep reading to learn how to meal prep this easy cobb salad!
Recommended Reading: Egg Salad With Greek Yogurt
Healthy Lunch Meal Prep Recipes
Published: by Tammy Overhoff
If you are looking for some healthy lunch meal preprecipes that dont consist of leafy salads, then you are in the right place!
If youve been following my blog and weekly meal plans, then you already know that Im a huge fan of mason jar salads! In fact, mason jar salads have been a staple in my weekly meal plan for close to 8 years now.
Even though salads play a big role in my meal plan, I realize not everyone wants to eat salads for lunch or maybe just want to add a bit of variety. If this is the case, I got some delicious options for youno lettuce required!
Before I jump into all the non-salad recipes, I want to share with all of you some make-ahead basics Ive come to learn and depend on.
Healthy Cobb Salad Protein
This chicken cobb salad is naturally a great source of protein. We know that eggs and chicken breast are full of protein. But did you know leafy greens also have a lot of protein per calorie? Thats true, for example, one cup of raw spinach has 7 calories and about one gram of protein. It might not seem like a lot, but it does add up. Dont underestimate the leafy greens.
This low carb salad provides 54 grams of protein per serving.
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How Long Do Meal Prep Salads Last
Feel free to store your salad ingredients separately from the dressing in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days. If you add dressing to your salad and have leftovers, the salad wont stay as fresh, which is why I recommend storing your salad ingredients separately from the dressing until youre ready to eat it.
Quinoa Sweet Potato Salad
Fall is the perfect time for sitting by the fire. And sipping a nice warm cup of tea or coffee.
But just because its cold outside doesnt mean you cant have salad. Like this one here.
Its packed with harvest flavors. Like roasted sweet potatoes, beautifully caramelized onions, crispy chickpeas, toasted maple walnuts, and fresh rosemary.
What I love about it is that its a sheet pan meal. So, you dont have to wash a ton of pots and pans after making it.
Just add some baby kale, cooked quinoa, and your favorite salad dressing. And youre good to go.
Per Serving:
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What Do You Put In Meal Prep Salads
I make a basic meal prep salad of lettuce, shredded carrots, red cabbage, chopped green onions, and sliced bell peppers. Ive found these to be ideal basic ingredients that can go with almost any flavor profile.
I go with this basic base salad so that I can add whatever toppings I like on the day in question. I dont have to commit to certain flavor profiles too far in advance and I can add leftover proteins from dinners as the week progresses.
How To Make Homemade Salad Dressing
Its easy and healthy to make your own salad dressing. When you take just a minute to make your own salad dressing, you know that it does not contain any preservatives, additives or extra sugars. You can always be sure that it fits with your eating plan.
The basic recipe for homemade salad dressing is one part acid to three parts oil. For the acid, you can use any kind of vinegar or, as I do in this recipe, citrus fruit juice.
Extra virgin olive oil is a common choice for salad dressing but you could also use other oils to subtly alter the taste.
Other ingredients can be as simple or complex as you choose. A little red pepper, salt and black pepper will give it plenty of flavor. Or you can experiment with fresh herbs, garlic, flavored salts or any other seasoning.
Homemade salad dressing will last for two weeks. So you can make a large batch of this salad dressing and keep it in the refrigerator to use on any salad you make.
You can also check out this post on how to make basic vinaigrette if you want to make a different dressing.
Read Also: Bumble Bee Snack On The Run Tuna Salad With Crackers
Apple Cranberry Almond Mason Jar Salad
The chopped celery and tangy cranberries in the salad just scream autumn. But really, this salad is perfect year round. The poppy seed dressing is one of the easiest recipes weve seen. Plus, its made with Greek yogurt to give it a rich and creamy texture. This salad easily stands alone as a complete dinner, but it also makes an easy lunchtime meal.
Our Favorite Healthy Lunch Recipes
This is a crazy idea, but hear us out: your lunch doesn’t have to be a completely thought out meal. By that we mean you don’t need prep and prepare a composed meal like a steak sandwich or a mushroom pesto ravioli. You can also consider putting together some bento box ideas that feature a little bit of everything you want to snack on. Consider themes like:
- Mediterranean lunch box: hummus and pita with a cucumber, tomato, onion, feta salad and a side of kalamata olives
- Breakfast-style lunch box: everything bagel pretzels, hard-boiled eggs, apple slices, cheddar cheese
- Veggie lunch box: roasted chickpeas, fresh peppers, cucumbers, carrots, green goddess dressing, almonds
If you’re in the market for some healthy lunch ideas, here are dozens of our favorite recipes to make for our midday meal.
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Chicken Tacos With Salsa Verde
Tossed with a good dose of bright, mildly spicy salsa verde, rotisserie chicken is the perfect filling for tacos, burritos, and even enchiladas. Indeed, there might not be a better use of a supermarket rotisserie chicken.
Get our recipe for Chicken Tacos with Salsa Verde.
It’s the low-calorie dish you can have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
Get our recipe for Spinach and Ham Quiche.