10 Easy And Healthy Meal Prep Ideas For The Week

In today's fast-paced world, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be challenging, especially when it comes to nutrition. 

However, there is a simple and effective solution that can help you stay on track with your fitness goals while saving time and effort: meal prepping. 

Whether you're aiming to build muscle or shed unwanted fat, meal prepping offers a multitude of benefits.

In this blog, we will explore the benefits of meal prepping for both muscle gain purposes and for fat loss efforts. Also, we will provide you with 10 easy and healthy meal prep ideas that you can use.

Benefits of Meal Prepping for Fitness and Muscle Gain:

1. Portion control: Meal prepping allows you to control your portion sizes accurately. By measuring and dividing your meals in advance, you can ensure that you're consuming the right amount of nutrients to support your muscle-building goals.

2. Nutritional balance: Preparing your meals ahead of time enables you to plan a well-balanced diet. You can include the right proportion of macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) and essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) needed for muscle recovery and growth.

3. Time-saving: Meal prepping eliminates the need to cook every meal from scratch. By dedicating a few hours each week to prepare and portion your meals, you can save significant time throughout the week and avoid resorting to unhealthy fast food options.

4. Consistency: We know that consistency is key when it comes to achieving your fitness and muscle gaining goals. By prepping your meals in advance, you eliminate the temptation to make impulsive food choices. Having nutritious meals readily available helps you stay on track and maintain consistency.

5. Enhanced dietary awareness: Meal prepping encourages you to become more mindful of your food choices. By planning your meals in advance, you can make intentional decisions that align with your fitness goals, avoiding unnecessary temptations and unplanned indulgences.

Benefits of Meal Prepping for Fat Loss:

1. Calorie control: One of the fundamental principles of fat loss is creating a calorie deficit. Meal prepping allows you to calculate and control your calorie intake accurately, ensuring that you stay within your desired range to promote fat loss.

2. Healthy ingredient selection: Preparing your meals in advance empowers you to choose wholesome ingredients. By including lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats, you can create nutritious meals that support fat loss while providing essential nutrients.

3. Portion awareness: Meal prepping encourages portion awareness, helping you avoid overeating. By dividing your meals into appropriate portions, you can manage your calorie intake and prevent mindless snacking or indulging in larger-than-necessary servings.

4. Reduced stress and decision fatigue: Deciding what to eat on the spot can be overwhelming, leading to poor food choices. With meal prepping, you eliminate the stress of deciding what to eat at every mealtime, thereby reducing decision fatigue and increasing the likelihood of sticking to your fat loss plan.

5. Financial savings: By planning and prepping your meals, you can save money by avoiding expensive takeout or restaurant meals. Prepping in bulk also allows you to take advantage of cost-effective ingredients and discounts.

So now we understand just how effective and beneficial prepping your meals in advance can be to help you to strive towards your fitness goals and also to help improve your overall lifestyle, here are 10 easy and healthy meal prep ideas that you can use.

1. Overnight protein oats

Let’s start with breakfast, the first meal of the day.

Our overnight protein oats is a simple, quick and efficient way to prepare your breakfast for the next day, the night before.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 60 - 120g of oats
• 150-200 ml milk of your choice
• 1-2 scoops of our Shadowhey protein (we love cookies & cream)

Optional:

• Nuts
• Fruit
• Cinnamon
• Greek yoghurt

How much you use of each ingredient is entirely dependent on your goals. Looking to gain muscle? Simply make these ingredients work for your total calories and macros. Vice versa if you’re looking to shed weight.

How to make it.

Simply mix your dry ingredients together in a container and then add your milk and stir. That’s really the core of this meal, but if you want to add cinnamon for example (which has a plethora of benefits), we’d recommend mixing this with the dry ingredients.

From here, it’s just a case of adding your optional toppings such as fruit and nuts.

Then simply store your container in the fridge and enjoy the next morning.

2. Salmon, sweet potato and vegetables

This easy to follow recipe combines protein, fats and carbohydrates for a healthy balanced meal.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 - 2 salmon fillets
• 200 - 300g sweet potato
• Vegetables
• Seasoning
• Olive oil

How to make it

For the majority of these recipes, we’d recommend using an air fryer to cook your foods, purely for simplicity and time efficiency. But of course, you can use whichever method you see fit.

So season the salmon fillets with your choice of seasoning, something as simple as salt, pepper, paprika and lemon works a treat. Add to the air fryer and cook for 16 minutes.

Slice your sweet potatoes into circles, drizzle in olive oil and cook in the air fryer until a fork runs through smoothly, usually after 20 minutes.

For the vegetables you can use either fresh or frozen, we prefer fresh.

Simply chop and steam for 5 minutes until cooked through.

Once all the ingredients are cooked, simply store them in a container and pack with you.

3. Chicken, rice and vegetables

Now it wouldn’t be a true fitness meal prep list if we didn’t include this classic! Probably the most obvious recipe because it has worked for so long, but don’t worry, it won’t be bland!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Chicken breast fillets
• Brown/white rice
• Vegetables
• Olive oil
• Seasoning

How to make it.

• Make thin three slices across your chicken breasts and season well with your favourite seasonings, ensuring you get the seasoning into the crevasses of the breast and drizzle in olive oil. Now cook in the air fryer or your preferred method until cooked thoroughly.
• Simply boil your chosen amount of rice until cooked properly.
• Boil your chosen vegetables until cooked.

Now combined together in containers and voila, the simplest yet delicious recipe that never fails!

4. Tofu and brown rice stir fry

Here’s a great vegetarian option that packs a healthy amount of protein too! This recipe is made using a skillet or wok mostly too.

Here’ what you’ll need:

• Tofu
• Brown rice
• Olive oil
• Vegetables
• Sauce seasonings such as soy sauce, ginger and honey

How to make it.

• Cut the tofu into cubes and add to a heated skillet or wok and cook until golden brown.
• Remove the tofu and in the same skillet, stir fry a mix of chopped vegetables until tender-crisp
• In a separate pan, prepare a sauce using the sauce ingredients until hot
• Now add the tofu back into the skillet and pour the sauce over and cook for a few minutes
• In a separate pan or microwave if using packet rice, cook the rice
• Now portion the final recipe into containers and you’re good to go.

5. Chicken salad

Here’s a super easy recipe, especially if you’re looking to shed fat as the calorie count is particularly low here.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Chicken breast
• Olive oil
• Bag of salad (or make your own with lettuce, spinach, cucumber, carrots)
• Tomatoes
• Onions
• Seasoning

How to make it.

• Season the chicken well, ensuring the entire breast is covered and drizzle in olive oil
• Simple cook the chicken in either an air fryer or your preferred method, until thoroughly cooked through
• Prepare the salad by mixing the greens together and add the chicken breast.
• That’s it!

6. Red lentil curry and brown rice

Here’s another great vegetarian option that packs protein and is quick, convenient and easy to make.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Red lentils
• Brown rice
• Onions
• Garlic
• Curry seasoning
• Tomatoes
• salt

How to make it.

• Firstly, ensure you rinse the lentils under cold running water
• In a pot, saute diced onions and minced garlic until translucent
• Now add the curry powder and continue to mix for a minute
• Boil the lentils in a large pot of boiling water and simmer until they are tender
• Separately, cook the brown rice according to instructions and add to the onions and garlic
• Portion the ingredients and you’re good to go.

7. Tuna and pasta

Here’s another great fish based protein meal with carbs!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 - 2 cans of tuna
• Whole wheat pasta
• Mayonnaise
• Sweetcorn
• Red onion
• Tomatoes 

How to make it.

• Weigh out the amount of pasta you wish to use and add it to a pan filled with boiling water
• Boil and simmer the pasta until cooked
• Drain the tuna and add to a container
• Chop your tomatoes, red onions and add to the container with sweetcorn
• Add your pasta to the container and now add 1-2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• Mix together and you’re ready to go.

8. Chicken salad wraps

A quick, easy, protein packed meal that can be enjoyed cold too.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 chicken breast
• 2 wholemeal tortilla wraps
• Salad of your choice
• Sauce of your choice

How to make it.

• Season your chicken breast and cook in an air fryer for 15 minutes
• In the meantime, prepare your salad
• Now when your chicken is cooked, cut it into pieces and mix with your salad
• Add it to your wraps, add your sauce
• Fold and enjoy!

9. Chilli con carne and rice

Here’s a great, easy meal that can be made it bulk to last you a few meals too!

Here’s what you’ll need

• Olive oil
• 2 large onions
• 2 peppers
• 3 garlic cloves
• Your choice of spices and herbs
• 1kg lean beef mince
• 800g can chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons of tomato puree
• 2 cans of kidney beans

How to make it.

• Chop all your vegetables and heat the oil in a large saucepan
• After frying the onions until they’re soft, add all your spices and herbs and cook for a few minutes to release the flavours
• Add the minced beef and cook until it’s completely browned
• Add your chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and kidney beans and simmer until thoroughly cooked, add some water if needed
• Separately, cook your rice
• Portion both into containers and there you have it!

10. Turkey/ chicken breast sandwich

A super easy, perfect lunchtime meal with a healthy boost of protein and healthy carbohydrates.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Cooked chicken breast or turkey breast sliced
• Your choice of salad
• Your choice of sauce (we recommend mayonnaise)
• Wholemeal bread

How to make it.

• Simply layer your wholemeal bread with both your salad and meat!
• Add your sauce
• Add your other slice and cut in half
• That’s it!

So there you have it, 10 easy and healthy meal prep ideas that you can either cook in bulk to last a few days or simply prepare for the next day.

Stay tuned for more delicious recipes coming soon!