Are you looking for the best meal prep recipes to make for cheap, then take a look down below!
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If you’ve been on the lookout for the best meal prep recipes to make for cheap, then you’ve come to the right place. If you’re wondering what meal prep is, it’s basically a method of planning and preparing meals in advance, typically for several days or a whole week.
When you meal prep in advance, it will save you time and money. It also makes it more convenient to eat more nutritious and balanced meals throughout the week, especially for those with busy schedules and not a lot of time for cooking.
Meal Prep Recipes:
1. Sweet Potato Hash (Whole 30)
Do you love sweet potatoes? Me too!
This sweet potato meal prep idea perfectly balances the sweet and savory flavors. It includes veggies like green bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, and red bell peppers.
You can also substitute the ingredients and mix in other veggies that you’ll like instead such as mushrooms, celery, or onions. This meal is very easy to make for busy days.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 352
Protein: 27g
Fiber: 5g
Carbs: 26g
Sugar: 9g
Fat: 16g
2. Taco Lettuce Wraps Meal Prep
These are a healthier alternative to tacos but just as good. This includes corn, tomatoes, black beans, and turkey. If you don’t like turkey, then as always you can substitute it with something else. For this recipe, you’ll want to pack the filling and lettuce differently.
This is an easy and flavorful meal that can be prepared ahead of time for your busy schedule.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 325
Carbs: 33.2g
Protein: 26.4g
Fat: 11.6g
Fiber: 9.9g
Sugar: 6.9g
3. Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
You can make this easy recipe in just one pot. All you need is rice, chicken, and frozen veggies. There is very minimal cleaning up to do and doesn’t take much time at all.
You can eat this by itself or with a side dish such as dumplings, egg rolls, or steamed broccoli.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 325
Carbs: 35g
Protein: 22g
Fiber: 3g
Fat: 11g
Sugar: 2g
4. Garlic Herb Chicken And Asparagus
This is a super tasty and family-friendly dinner idea or a healthy meal prep. It’s packed with veggies and is also low on carbs. This meal requires minimal prep work and minimal cleaning as well. You can always substitute the items you don’t like in this meal.
It takes less than 30 minutes to make this so it’s very convenient for those who don’t have a lot of time to cook.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 320
Carbs: 19g
Protein: 29g
Fat: 16g
Fiber: 8g
Sugar: 7g
5. Chicken Burrito Bowls Meal Prep
These chicken burrito bowls are super easy to make and are full of nutrition. Our go-to lunches are often sandwiches and salads. After a while, they can get pretty boring and repetitive.
All it takes is about 30 minutes to make and you’ll be covered for the whole week.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 520
Fat: 13g
Carbs: 64g
Fiber: 9.5g
Sugar: 4.2g
Protein: 37g
6. Meal Prep Shrimp Taco Bowls
Make a week’s worth of lunch in under 30 minutes. This meal has lots of cheese, black beans, corn, brown rice, tomatoes, and shrimp which is considered one of the world’s healthiest foods.
This bowl is super healthy and has lots of nutritional value.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 335
Carbs: 45g
Protein: 17g
Fat: 10g
Fiber: 7g
Sugar: 3g
7. Greek Chickpea Salad
This Greek chickpea salad recipe is really easy to make. This doesn’t take much time to make at all. It’s so nice to see that the refrigerator is full of a week’s worth of lunches and you don’t even have to spend a lot of time making it.
This meal is full of flavor and nutrition. It’s packed with garbanzo beans for protein, cucumbers for that extra crunch, and cherry tomatoes. You can garnish this salad with fresh parsley or cilantro.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 668
Carbs: 91g
Protein: 22g
Fat: 27g
Fiber: 12g
Sugar: 11g
8: Teriyaki Chicken Meatball Meal Prep
This is another great healthy lunch option. This recipe is super flavorful and easy to make. It includes broccoli, ground chicken, and lots of seasoning for flavor.
This recipe only takes 50 minutes to make including prep time.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 595
Fat: 15.2g
Carbs: 71.6g
Fiber. 4.9g
Protein: 42.2g
9. Crispy Sesame Tofu With Zucchini Noodles
This is the perfect healthy vegetarian meal. This is served with crispy sesame tofu on zucchini noodles and a tasty peanut sauce to go with. You can either eat these cold which makes the zucchini crunchy or you can pour the sauce over the tofu and microwave it.
These are amazing for those lazy afternoons and for work lunches when you don’t have a lot of time.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 397
Carbs: 16g
Protein: 18g
Fat: 31g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 10g
10. Sheet Pan Sausage And Veggies
This is a very low-carb meal prep idea. This is packed with nutrients and is easy and delicious. It has lots of veggies like butternut squash, bell peppers, onion, and zucchini, but you can definitely switch things up and just use whatever you’ve got in hand.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 404
Carbs: 21g
Protein: 14g
Fat: 29g
Fiber: 5g
Sugar: 8g
11. Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken
This is another perfectly well-balanced meal for a whole week of lunches and dinners. This is a super simple slow cooker recipe. Chicken is great for meal prep because it’s super versatile and high in protein.
The best part about this is you have to do literally no work. You just put the chicken and sauce into the crock pot and let it cook until it’s time to shred the chicken and thicken the sauce!
NUTRITION:
Calories: 534
Carbs: 63g
Protein: 43g
Fat: 14g
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 22g
12. Mediterranean Hummus Bowls
This recipe takes only 25 minutes to make, so they’re great for when you don’t have a lot of time to meal prep.
It includes seasoned ground beef, hummus, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese. This is best if you eat it cold so you can avoid cooking the raw vegetables.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 664
Carbs: 64g
Protein: 20.9g
Fat: 31.8g
Fiber: 7.3g
13. Spicy Pineapple Chicken Meal Prep
This tasty dish is a one-pan stir fry. It is packed with flavor, is high in protein, and is very easy to make. The pineapple adds the perfect amount of sweetness to this meal. If you love a nice little heat, then definitely try this meal out.
It includes lots of chili sauce, jalapeno peppers, and red pepper flakes for that perfect kick. This is a very nutritious and tasty meal!
NUTRITION:
Calories: 324
Fat: 10g
Carbs: 29g
Fiber: 1.8g
Sugar: 23g
Protein: 31g
14. Chicken Burrito Bowls
This meal is packed with ground chicken, cilantro lime cauliflower rice, black beans, corn, and tomatoes. It’s perfect for meal prep and amazing for those busy weekday dinners.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 517
Carbs: 57g
Protein: 42g
Fat: 17g
Fiber: 15g
Sugar: 8g
15. Honey Garlic Chicken Meal Prep
This meal is the perfect balance of sweet and sour. They’re quick and easy to make and are really high in protein. It only takes about 20 minutes to make and is great for post-workout meals as well.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 803
Fat: 23g
Carbs: 105g
Fiber: 4.1g
Sugar: 26g
Protein: 47g
16. One-Pan Chicken Legs with Chickpeas and Quinoa (Meal Prep)
This spiced one-pan chicken legs with chickpeas and quinoa is literally so flavorful. This meal prep is high in protein and is budget-friendly as well.
If you’re trying to lose weight or gain some muscle then eating meals with high protein is the way to go, plus it’s delicious!
NUTRITION:
Calories: 932
Fat: 46g
Carbs: 79g
Fiber: 14g
Sugar: 19g
Protein: 54g
17. Salmon Patties With Coleslaw Meal-Prep Bowls
This meal is low in carbs, gluten-free, and keto friendly too. You can make this for a quick weeknight dinner or use it to meal prep for busy weeks. It only takes 35 minutes to make including prep time.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 186
Carbs: 3g
Protein: 24g
Fat: 9g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 1g
18. Roasted Vegetable Salad Meal Prep
Making sure we have vegetables in our diet is a daily struggle. If you already have your meals prepped, you’re more likely to eat them. This salad is meant to be eaten cold but you can also heat it up if that’s what you like.
This meal includes grape tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, dried oregano, and lots of spinach.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 395
Carbs: 52.2g
Protein: 16g
Fat: 20g
Fiber: 12g
19. Cottage Cheese Tuna Salad Meal Prep
This tuna salad is high in protein and perfect for meal prep. It includes cottage cheese, tuna, celery, and radishes.
You can pair it with carrot noodles or another low carb veggie side and it only takes 10 minutes to make!
NUTRITION:
Calories: 337
Carbs: 14g
Protein: 43g
Fat: 11g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 7g
20. Tofu Burrito Meal Prep
This healthy meal can be prepared in 15 minutes. It’s high in fiber, good fats, and protein. You can turn this into a taco or a wrap- eat them with tortilla chips or just as a regular bowl.
This is a great alternative to all of the meat-based meal prep.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 210
Sugar: 0.1g
Fat: 18.6g
Carbs: 40g
Fiber: 12.1g
Protein: 10g
21. Baked Herb Chicken Breasts with Couscous Meal Prep
This meal is very high in protein and is very filling. It also includes lots of veggies like red onions, zucchini, red bell peppers, and yellow bell peppers.
It’s a great way to include more veggies in your diet. It’s super yummy and is packed with both fiber and protein.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 633
Fat: 17g
Carbs: 56g
Fiber: 7.5g
Sugar: 9.7g
Protein: 61g
22. Mexican Red Bean Quinoa Casserole Meal Prep
This meal is full of flavors, easy to make, and super tasty. It’s also vegetarian, high in protein, and gluten-free as well.
This casserole is super healthy and even tho it’s vegetarian, it’s really filling. You can make this for either lunch or dinner and is great if you’re trying to lose weight.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 560
Fat: 18g
Carbs: 77g
Fiber: 14g
Sugar: 15g
Protein: 27g
23. Tuna Salad Meal Prep
This recipe takes little effort to make. It includes cucumber slices, apple slices, a hard-boiled egg, almonds, and a Greek yogurt tuna salad.
This meal is very easy to make, healthy and filling. It’s perfect for those with very busy schedules.
24. Ground Beef Zucchini Sweet Potato Skillet (Meal Prep)
Ground Beef Zucchini Sweet Potato Skillet is easy to make, takes less than 30 minutes, and requires minimal cleanup because you only need 1 pan to make this!
A few of the ingredients are ground beef, zucchini, red bell peppers, and sweet potatoes. You can switch up the vegetables to your liking and can also switch the ground beef to any other ground meat.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 373
Carbs: 41g
Protein: 30g
Fat: 8g
Fiber: 8g
Sugar: 16g
25. Meal Prep Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
This is such a simple chicken salad that’s both healthy and flavorful. It’s very rich in protein and fat so you’ll be full all day long.
It takes about 15 minutes to make so it’s super convenient for those lazy days or when you just don’t have a lot of time to cook.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 292
Carbs: 11g
Protein: 31g
Fat: 13g
Sugar: 5g
26. Autumn Kale and Sweet Potato Salad
This meal just gives off the best fall vibes. You can swap out the sweet potato with a butternut squash for that flavor or something of your choosing.
It takes about 50 minutes to make for the whole week and it tastes delicious.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 512
Carbs: 79g
Protein: 13g
Fat: 20g
Fiber: 10g
27. Meal Prep Roasted Tofu Recipe
This is a delicious vegetarian meal prep idea. It’s packed with nutrients and is a really healthy meal for you to enjoy throughout the week. For storing this for meal prep, I recommend putting the tofu in a separate container.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 371
Fat: 27g
Carbs: 9g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 4g
Protein: 27g
28. One-Pot Cheesy Broccoli Chickpea Rice Casserole
This recipe needs minimal ingredients, most of which are already in your home. It’s so creamy and delicious and perfect for busy weeknights.
The best thing about this meal is that you only need one pot, so you won’t be spending a lot of time cleaning up.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 290
Carbs: 36g
Protein: 15g
Fat: 10g
Fiber: 6g
Sugar: 8g
29. Vegan Burrito Bowls Loaded With Veggies
This meal tastes just as good as it looks. It is loaded with lots of veggies, whole grains, and black beans. It contains the perfect amount of protein, fiber, and nutrients. Plus, it tastes delicious and doesn’t take a lot of time to make.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 317
Carbs: 58g
Protein: 10g
Fat: 6g
Fiber: 10g
Sugar: 4g
30. Breakfast Burrito Recipe
Who doesn’t love breakfast burritos? Personally, they’re my favorite. They are easy to eat on the run, are packed with protein, and are far more filling than those breakfast burritos you get from fast food restaurants.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 220
Fat: 6g
Carbs: 3g
Sugar: 1g
Protein: 13g
31. Easy Roasted Veggies Meal Prep Bowls
This is such an easy meal to make. It is packed with nutrients and makes for a great meal prep idea. You can also buy pre-chopped veggies to save time in the kitchen.
This is also great with a side dish such as brown rice, wraps, zucchini noodles, soups, or chickpea salad.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 254
Carbs: 25g
Protein: 13g
Fat: 13g
Fiber: 8g
Sugar: 8g
32. Healthy Meatloaf Meal-Prep Bowls
This meatloaf is packed with flavor and is delicious served with green beans and sweet potatoes. This is a great, healthy comfort food and is amazing for dinners.
It’s super easy to make and takes only 45 minutes with minimal cleanup!
NUTRITION:
Calories: 484
Carbs: 39g
Protein: 31g
Fat: 23g
Fiber: 8g
Sugar: 13g
33. Buddha Bowl Recipe
This meal prep recipe is so tasty and easy to make. This is packed with healthy plant-based ingredients and is great for when you’re in a rush and don’t have a lot of time to cook. It looks great and tastes even better!
NUTRITION:
Calories: 496
Carbs: 70g
Protein: 19g
Fat: 16g
Fiber: 15g
Sugar: 12g
34. Cajun Chicken Thighs Meal Prep
This is another delicious meal prep idea. I absolutely love the crispy skin, the tender meat, and the burst of flavors I get from this meal. It goes great with roasted sweet potatoes and some corn.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 811
Carbs: 23g
Protein: 50g
Fat: 58g
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 4g
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