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A roundup of 30+ dietitian-approved easy, healthy meal prep recipe ideas for lunch and dinner. These recipes are nutritious, tasty, and perfect for making in advance – helping you save time, money, and stick to your healthy eating habits. You’ll find everything from entrée salads, pasta salads, grain bowls, stir-fries, soups, and more!
Having lunch and dinner made in advance for the week can help save you valuable time as well as money – eating out every day can really add up! Having these meals prepared can also help reduce the stress and mental burden of wondering what to make or where to get takeout after a long day at work. Of course, it also helps you stick to your health and nutrition goals in the long run.
Not sure what meals work well for meal prep? I’ve rounded up 30+ of my favourite healthy meal prep ideas for lunch and dinner in this post. These meals store easily, reheat well, and are great for packing with you to work or school.
As a dietitian, I’ve kept your nutrition in mind and ensured that these meals provide a balance of protein, healthy fats, complex carbs, and fibre-rich veggies, while still tasting absolutely delicious. These recipes are a mix of vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian options, but many can be modified to suit your dietary needs. I hope this roundup gives you plenty of healthy meal prep ideas for lunch and dinner!
Keep scrolling to explore all the recipes, or click to get to the following sections:
- salad recipes
- pasta salads
- grain bowls
- sandwich fillings
- stir-frys
- warming soups, chilis, and curries
Healthy Salad Recipes
Salads are a popular meal to pack for lunch, but there are always a few things I take into consideration when I’m making or packing them:
- Make sure your salad is filling + balanced, or else it’ll leave you unsatisfied and hungry an hour later. Aim to include a source of protein, healthy fat, and fibre-rich carbohydrates in your salad to make it a complete meal. I’ve made sure that the salads below are nutritionally balanced, but if you’d like to add an extra protein source to them – feel free!
- For meal prep, the number one thing is to make sure that your salad doesn’t go soggy! This might mean choosing heartier greens (like kale), having salads made with chopped vegetables + grains only (no leafy greens), or simply keeping the dressing on the side until you’re ready to eat it.
- Dressings can easily be stored in a small airtight container or glass jar. I LOVE washing out old spice jars + using them to pack salad dressings – they’re the perfect size!
- Salads can also be packed in large mason jars, with the dressing on the bottom layer. This helps to prevent the other ingredients from getting soggy, and you can shake things together when ready to eat.
- If you salad calls for avocado, add it in the morning before work or right before eating. A squeeze of lemon will also help prevent it from browning.
1) Crispy Tofu Salad With Miso Tahini Dressing
Crispy Tofu Salad With Miso Tahini Dressing
Filled with crunchy veggies and crispy tofu, this healthy salad is satisfying, delicious, and packed with nutrients. With a creamy and rich miso sesame tahini dressing, this recipe is vegan and gluten-free. This salad is meant to be eaten cold and enjoyed as a complete meal!
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2) Broccoli, Cauliflower & Salmon Salad With CurryTahini Dressing
This roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and salmon salad is made with arugula, quinoa, dried cherries, and a creamy curry tahini dressing. It's an easy, healthy, and balanced meal that packs in a ton of nutrition, like fiber and protein. Recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.
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3) Kale Butternut Squash Salad With Farro
This kale butternut squash salad is made with delicious ingredients like farro, goat cheese, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds. It's easy, healthy, and so satisfying!
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4) Warm Mushroom Salad With Miso Dressing
Warm Mushroom Salad With Miso Dressing (Vegan)
This warm mushroom salad recipe is made with kale, farro, avocado, and topped with a delicious miso-sesame dressing. It's a hearty vegan salad that can been enjoyed as a side or a main!
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5) Roasted Broccoli Salad With Cranberry, Farro & Feta
This Roasted Broccoli Salad is made with chewy farro, dried cranberries, crumbled feta, and a simple red wine vinegar + oregano salad dressing. It's easy, healthy, and the perfect side to add to your meal!
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6) Massaged Kale Salad With Roasted Sweet Potatoes
This fall salad combines massaged lacinato kale, roasted sweet potatoes, pomegranates, and toasted pecans for a delicious and filling meal or side.
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7) Cold Chopped Quinoa Salad With Eggs
Cold Chopped Quinoa Salad With Eggs
This Cold Chopped Quinoa Salad is perfect for lunch or dinner meal prep! It's made with pomegranates, chopped carrots, cucumbers, parsley, and protein-rich eggs to help make this salad a complete, healthy meal. It's gluten-free, vegetarian, and ready in under 30 minutes.
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8) Shrimp Taco Salad Bowl
This taco salad recipe is such an easy and quick-to-make shrimp dinner idea. It combines sautéed shrimp and nutritious cooked quinoa with healthy salad ingredients, such as crunchy romaine lettuce and chopped bell peppers. A terrific 35-minute meal!
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9) Cold Soba Noodle Salad With Tempeh
Asian-Inspired Cold Soba Noodle Salad
This nutritious soba noodle recipe is made with a delicious tamari lime dressing. Vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 30 minutes!
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Healthy Pasta Salad Recipes
One of my FAVOURITE healthy meal prep ideas = pasta salad! Pasta salads almost always hold up well and even seem to taste better the next day. They’re also meant to be enjoyed cold, which is always a plus.
Like the salads above, I’ve made sure that each of these pasta salads have a source of healthy fat and quality protein to make them a complete and satisfying meal.
To up the protein and fibre content even more, you can even choose bean- or lentil-based pastas. They’re now widely available in grocery stores! For gluten-free versions, be sure to choose gluten-free pasta noodles.
10) Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad With Shrimp
Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad With Shrimp
This roasted veggie pasta salad is packed with balanced nutrition and tons of antioxidants! Perfect to make for an easy weeknight dinner, packed lunch, or to bring to your next summer BBQ.
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11) No-Mayo Tuna Pasta Salad
Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad
This Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe is easy, fast, and healthy. Made without mayo and ready in 20-minutes! Perfect for a make-ahead meal.
Recipe is dairy-free and can be gluten-free if using gluten-free pasta.
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12) Refreshing Caprese Pasta Salad
Refreshingly Simple Caprese Pasta Salad
Bursting with flavour, this caprese pasta salad recipe is easy to make, or make-ahead. It's perfect for a BBQ, picnic, or packed lunch idea. Balsamic vinaigrette and pesto dressing options included!
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13) Tuna Pasta Salad With Pesto
Tuna Pasta Salad With Pesto
This Tuna Pasta Salad With Pesto is an easy, healthy make-ahead lunch idea. It's made with protein-packed canned tuna and a dairy-free hemp seed pesto. Simple, delicious, and ready in 30 minutes!
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14) Canned Mackerel Pasta Salad
Easy Canned Mackerel Pasta Salad
This Canned Mackerel Pasta Salad is an excellent source of omega-3s, protein, and tons of veggies. Super delicious, ready in 30 mins, and great for meal prep or a packed lunch!
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15) Winter Pasta Salad With Roasted Vegetables
Winter Pasta Salad With Roasted Vegetables
This Winter Pasta Salad is made with oven-roasted butternut squash, broccoli, and mushrooms, as well as arugula, shrimp, and a thyme-mustard vinaigrette. This recipe is easy, healthy, and can be made dairy-free, gluten-free, and/or vegan if needed.
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Healthy Grain Bowl Recipes
Grain bowls are awesome for lunch and dinner meal prep! The individual items can be prepared in advance, and either assembled in Tupperware containers or kept separate until serving.
Again, to make sure these are nutritionally balanced, I’ve chosen grain bowl recipes that combine quality proteins, healthy fats, fibre-rich whole grains, and lots of veggies! Each of these recipes have unique flavour combinations as well.
16) Shrimp & Broccoli With Lemon, Honey & Feta
This healthy shrimp and broccoli dinner recipe is made with garlic, lemon, honey, and feta. Ready in 30 minutes and served over a bed of whole grains or pasta!
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17) Cheesy Butternut Squash Rice With Shrimp
Cheesy Butternut Squash Rice Bowl With Shrimp
This cheesy butternut squash rice bowl with sautéed shrimp is so comforting, nourishing, and absolutely delicious. It's healthy, easy to make, and just perfect for batch cooking or meal prep!
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18) Green Goddess Rice Bowl With Shrimp
This shrimp rice bowl is made with brown rice, fresh spinach, shrimp that’s sautéed on the stovetop, and a fresh vegan green goddess dressing. Nourishing and quick to make, this rice bowl is a perfect blend of flavours, and an easy, filling meal!
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19) Chimichurri Grain Bowl With Eggs
High-Protein Chimichurri Grain Bowl
This High-Protein Chimichurri Grain Bowl is a healthy vegetarian lunch or weeknight dinner idea. Recipe can be made ahead and enjoyed either warm or cold!
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20) Pesto Quinoa Bowl
This Pesto Quinoa Bowl is packed with nutritious and tasty ingredients! It's great for meal prep or as a packed lunch. Recipe is gluten-free, with vegan option available.
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21) Kimchi Quinoa Bowl
Easy Probiotic-Rich Kimchi Quinoa Bowl (Vegan Option)
Looking to try kimchi? Incorporating it into a grain bowl is one of the easiest ways to do it. Kimchi adds incredible flavour to a simple quinoa and veggie fried "rice," along with gut health benefits! Gluten-free. Vegan option available.
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22) Shrimp With Tomato Sauce, Feta & Rice
This sautéed shrimp with tomato sauce, feta, rice, and vegetables is the BEST dinner. It's healthy, so easy to make, and super flavourful!
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23) Vegan Noodle Bowl With Spicy Peanut Sauce
Vegan Noodle Bowl With Spicy Peanut Sauce
This vegan noodle bowl is made with the BEST spicy peanut sauce. It's packed with vegetables, fibre, and healthy fats – perfect for a weeknight dinner!
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Make-Ahead Sandwich Fillings
Sometimes there nothing that hits the spot like a good sandwich! Healthy sandwich fillings can be made in advance, kept in the fridge, and then added to your sandwich either in the morning or right before eating.
When making a sandwich, I recommend choosing a high-quality, fibre-rich whole grain bread. Some of my favourite brands are Good For Life Bakery and Silver Hills – I always keep a loaf or two of these in my freezer.
If you’d prefer, you can also add these sandwich fillings to a lettuce/collard wrap, whole wheat pita, or as a salad topping. Changing things up can be a great way to combat taste fatigue in meal prep!
24) Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich
Easy, Avocado Boiled-Egg Sandwich (No Mayo)
Using avocado as a substitute for mayonnaise, this healthy boiled-egg salad sandwich recipe is packed with protein, healthy fats, and fibre for a filling, balanced meal. Plus, it's made in 20 minutes or less!
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25) High Protein Tuna Salad
No-Mayo, High-Protein Tuna Salad
Greek yogurt adds extra protein and avocado adds healthy fats and fibre to a traditional tuna salad. This no-mayo option comes together in under 10 minutes. Add to toast, pitas, or wraps for a quick lunch.
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Healthy Stir Fry Recipes
Stir-fries are the ultimate easy weeknight dinner or lunch idea. The flavour combinations are endless, you can get so many colourful vegetables in, and they are super easy to reheat (the stovetop or microwave often work well).
Like all the recipes in this roundup, I’ve focused on stir-fries that are balanced in nutrition! The two below are vegetarian, but if you prefer meat, you can easily swap out the tempeh or tofu.
26) Tempeh Stir-Fry With Miso Peanut Sauce
Tempeh Stir-Fry With Miso-Peanut Sauce (Vegan)
This tempeh and vegetable stir-fry is topped with a creamy miso peanut sauce for a delicious and nutritionally-balanced meal. Serve with rice or noodles!
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27) Tempeh Stir-Fry With Spicy Coconut Sauce
Tempeh Stir-Fry With Spicy Coconut Sauce
This Easy Tempeh Stir-Fry Recipe is made with tons of veggies (broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, and snow peas), quinoa, and a spicy coconut milk sauce. It's a savoury, vegan, and gluten-free tempeh recipe that's perfect for a weeknight dinner or a make-ahead meal prep option.
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Make-Ahead Soups, Chilis, Casseroles & Curries
If you’re meal prepping in the winter months, you might be craving something cozy and warm! There’s nothing like coming home after a long, cold day to something warming and nutritious.
Soups can easily be prepped in advance and stored in the fridge for a few days, or in the freezer for longer. A great thing about soups is that they reheat great in the microwave or on the stove.
Again, I’ve made sure these soups and chilis are nutritious and filling to make them a complete meal (not all soups are!)
28) No-Bean Vegan Chili
No-Bean Vegan Chili
This hearty no-bean vegan chili recipe is packed with vegetables, spices, and tempeh. It's gluten-free and high in protein and fibre. Healthy, easy to make, and SO comforting!
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29) Vegan Tofu Coconut Curry
Healthy Vegan Tofu Coconut Curry
This tofu coconut curry recipe is vegan and packed full of protein, nutritious vegetables and warm spices. Leftovers taste amazing, making it perfect for meal prep.
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30) Miso Ramen Noodle Soup
Quick, Healthy Miso Ramen Noodle Soup
This recipe for healthy miso ramen noodle soup is warm, comforting and packed with tons of veggies and micronutrients. An easy 30-min meal!
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31) Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Casserole
This Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Casserole is packed with vegetables and protein. Spaghetti squash is cooked and mixed with a tasty homemade tempeh bolognese, then topped with freshly grated parmesan and oven-baked for a delicious weeknight dinner. Vegan/dairy-free option available.
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More Meal Prep Ideas
- 35 Dietitian-Approved Healthy Breakfast Meal Prep Ideas
- 27 Healthy Make-Ahead Snack Recipes
- How To Meal Prep With Eggs
I hope this post has given you tons of healthy meal prep ideas for lunch and dinner! If you include any of these recipes in your weekly meal prep, let me know in the comments below. Be sure to follow along on InstagramandPinterestfor more nutrition tips and simple, healthy recipe ideas.
Get the Recipe:30+ Healthy Meal Prep Ideas For Lunch & Dinner, Including Vegan Chili
This hearty no-bean vegan chili recipe is packed with vegetables, spices, and tempeh. It's gluten-free and high in protein and fibre. Healthy, easy to make, and SO comforting.Plus, more healthy meal prep ideas for lunch and dinner!
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Rest: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 6
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Ingredients
- 2 packs tempeh (approx. 400g or 14 oz)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced (optional)
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1.5 cups carrots, chopped (about 3 large)
- 1.5 cups celery, chopped (about 3 large)
- 2 med-large bell peppers, chopped
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 1 can corn (approx. 398 ml or 14 fl oz)
- 1 large can crushed or diced tomatoes (approx. 796 ml or 26.9 fl oz)
- 1 + 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- Salt + pepper, to taste
- For serving (optional): avocado, limes, yogurt, sour cream, bread, grains, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, etc.
Instructions
Start this recipe by prepping all your ingredients – crumble the tempeh into small pieces with your hands, chop all the vegetables, and get all your spices ready to go.
Heat up a LARGE pot on the stove and add the olive oil, garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano. Stir for 1-2 minutes before adding crumbled tempeh to the pot. Stir and cook for 5 mins.
Next, add in all the chopped veggies, along with the canned tomatoes, corn, vegetable broth, and tomato paste. Stir everything together well, adding salt + pepper to taste.
Bring the liquids to a boil before lowering the heat to a simmer. Allow the chili to simmer (uncovered) for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When 60 minutes are up, turn off the heat, stir in nutritional yeast, and allow the chili to rest for 5-10 mins before serving. Add toppings as desired!
Notes
*This recipe is large in volume and makes about 6 servings. I used a pot that holds 12 cups or 3 L. If you don’t have a big enough pot, I would recommend cutting the recipe in half!
*Be sure to salt this recipe to taste – you may need to be more generous than you think, especially if you’re using low sodium versions of veggie broth and canned tomatoes.
*Cooked chili will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge, or up to 6 months in the freezer. Store within 2 hours of cooking in an airtight container.
*Modifications:
- Feel free to swap veggies as desired. Don’t feel like one of those listed here? That’s ok! Just increase the servings of the other vegetables.
- Don’t want to use tempeh? You could try this with crumbled tofu, a vegan meat crumble, or ground meat if you aren’t vegan/vegetarian.
- I didn’t include onion + beans because I can’t digest them. If you tolerate these ingredients – feel free to add them in!
*As desired, you can serve this chili with:
- a starch, like quinoa, farro, rice, toasted bread, cornbread, or tortilla chips
- shredded cheddar cheese or vegan alternative
- a scoop of greek yogurt or vegan alternative
- toppings, like avocado chunks, limes (to squeeze in), cilantro or parsley
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: comforting, easy, healthy, hearty
Author: Carrie Walder
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This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy.
