5 Easy healthy meal prep ideas to make your life easier while losing weight

Brenda Braslow, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES - Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES)

These 5 healthy meal prep ideas will help you make quick and easy meals to support your health goals and weight-loss efforts while leaving extra time in your day!

Need ideas for easy, healthy meal prep?

Whether you are super busy, disinterested in cooking, just plain tired, or have too many other things you’d rather be doing, you probably aren’t looking to spend long periods of time in the kitchen. Here are 5 easy healthy meal prep ideas to make room for the many other things you want and need to get done in your day!

5 Easy and healthy meal prep ideas to make your life easier in the kitchen

1. Keep it simple!

You don’t need to cook a complicated recipe when you don't have the time, energy, or desire! Here are a few examples of quick-and-easy, go-to meals:

Sheet pan filled with chicken, red potato halves, and other colorful veggies tossed with olive oil and seasoning of choice, then just roasted.
Microwaved sweet potato or acorn squash with cottage cheese and steamed vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, your favorite seasoning blend, or hot sauce.
Slow-cooker meal. Place a lean pork loin in a slow cooker; top with a frozen vegetable mix and a can of diced green chiles. Put the lid on, and it cooks beautifully.
Tofu stir fry. Cube firm tofu. Stir fry with a frozen stir-fry vegetable mix and a small amount of reduced-sodium soy sauce.
Roasted vegetable flatbread. Brush olive oil and Italian seasonings on flatbread, and top with your favorite leftover roasted vegetables. Sprinkle feta or mozzarella cheese on top. Bake at 400F for about 10 minutes.

2. Plan ahead for meals

Think about an easy meal you can put together well before mealtime, perhaps the night before. This is much better than standing at the refrigerator door, dazed and hungry, without a plan. Jot it down, so you are committed to your quick-and-easy meal.

At the week’s start, plan out a weekly menu. Then, think about how you can cook once and eat twice. For example, baked chicken can easily be made into chicken salad for one meal and used in a healthy soup for another meal.

When you cook, make an extra batch to store in the refrigerator or freezer to easily use for another meal. This prep works especially well for such foods as rice, pasta, meat, and vegetables.

3. Stock the pantry with foods from a variety of food groups

Keep an assortment of healthy food staples, so you're prepared to assemble simple meals. Grab a sheet of paper and write down the food groups (proteins, vegetables, fruit, dairy or alternative, grains, and fats). Next, brainstorm and list easy healthy foods from each food group that you and others enjoy at home. If you have a family, get them involved. In fact, kids love choices and are more likely to accept foods if they are included in the planning process.

Keep favorite herbs, spices, hot sauces, and other condiments on hand to easily jazz up simple dishes. Adding a new seasoning blend to a hard-boiled egg or a new dressing on your salad or sandwich gives your meal a whole new twist without much effort.

4. Use fresh foods to supplement convenience foods

For example:

"Healthify" frozen pizza with added fresh veggies, like fresh diced bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, or tomatoes.
Rotisserie chicken with steamed frozen veggies or fresh broccoli and a grain like quinoa or brown rice.
Leftover grilled meat and fresh spinach or kale with a drizzle of olive oil and Italian spices baked on a frozen cauliflower pizza crust.

5. Meal prep kits can help cut down on meal prep time

Grocery stores are full of meal kits, or you can subscribe to a meal kit delivery service. Ingredients come prepped and ready to be assembled and cooked–a perfect option when pressed for time and not on a strict budget.

Yes, it is possible to eat healthy in a simple, practical way by trying some of these easy healthy meal prep ideas. This can make your weight loss and healthy lifestyle efforts more sustainable.