4 Weeks of Meal Prep Ideas

Meggan Hill

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Ready to prep some meals? Here are 12 of our most popular recipes, primed for meal prep. Make 4 meals every Sunday and try all the combinations (or mix and match your favorites!). These are healthful, filling options that you’ll love.

4 Weeks of Meal Prep Ideas in glass food containers.

Meal prep is always great in theory: perfectly portioned, healthful meals ready and waiting for you to enjoy. The reality is fraught with issues: Hours of cooking and cleaning up after, recipes you don’t like, and ultimately food waste (and maybe even a secret trip to McDonalds?).

I think the best way to approach Meal Prep is to take recipes you already love and already make and just convert those recipes into your meal prep routine. And don’t make too much! Make whatever you can consume within 4 days so it doesn’t spoil and you don’t get sick of it.

And switch it up! Here are 4 of my most favorite combinations and some of the most popular recipes on Culinary Hill (and a few tweaks to consider when you get bored).

Table of Contents

  1. Week 1: Turkey Meatballs
  2. Week 2: Lemon Pepper Chicken
  3. Week 3: Blackened Salmon
  4. Week 4: Chipotle Chicken

Week 1: Turkey Meatballs

These meatballs are made with ground turkey, brushed with olive oil, and baked until tender and brown. They are so so good. Eat them with some quinoa and roasted broccoli.

Need a sauce? Chipotle mayonnaise is my favorite here (just add 1-2 tbsp. mayonnaise in a bowl and stir in adobo sauce from canned chipotles to taste).

4 meal prep containers of turkey meatballs, quinoa, and roasted broccoli.
Turkey Meatballs
Leaner than beef, these Turkey Meatballs are healthy, packed with flavor, and incredibly moist on the inside. A combination of fresh and dried herbs give these meatballs an Italian flare while also providing a balance of flavors.
VIEW RECIPE
Turkey meatballs in a white serving bowl.
How to Cook Quinoa
Once you know how to cook quinoa to fluffy, tender perfection, you'll want to add this protein- and fiber-rich whole grain to your menu or meal prep every week.
VIEW RECIPE
Cooked quinoa in a sliver bowl with someone spooning some out.
Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Parmesan
This recipe for Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan and Lemon turns boring broccoli into something crispy and caramelized in 40 minutes or less. Delicious!
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Roasted broccoli on a baking sheet with lemon garnish.

Week 1 tweaks

Week 2: Lemon Pepper Chicken

You can make 3-ingredient Lemon Pepper Chicken on the grill, on the stove, or in the oven. Over-achievers can DIY the lemon pepper seasoning, too.

Add brown rice and roasted asparagus to the mix for a colorful, hearty meal prep option.

4 containers of lemon pepper chicken, brown rice, and roasted asparagus.
Lemon Pepper Chicken
This easy Lemon Pepper Chicken is great on the grill, on the stove, or in the oven. Dinner is solved in 30 minutes or less, and it's delicious!
VIEW RECIPE
Lemon pepper chicken on a blue platter.
How to Cook Brown Rice
Learn how to cook brown rice (short, medium, or long grain) perfectly every time. It's great for meal prep or freeze it for up to 2 months.
VIEW RECIPE
A metal saucepan with a spoon and brown rice in it.
Roasted Asparagus
An easy recipe for Roasted Asparagus with olive oil, garlic, and lemon. The high oven temperature cooks it to tender-crisp perfection in 10 minutes or less.
VIEW RECIPE
A baking sheet full of roasted asparagus with lemons.

Week 2 tweaks

Week 3: Blackened Salmon

This blackened salmon has a delicious, spicy Cajun seasoning blend atop perfectly portioned pieces of salmon. Pair with roasted green beans and fluffy baked rice.

4 meal prep containers with blackened salmon, baked rice, and roasted green beans.
Blackened Salmon
Ready in about 10 minutes, my easy Blackened Salmon is definitive proof that seafood recipes should not be reserved for restaurant meals alone. Discover how simple it is to make Blackened Salmon for dinner tonight.
VIEW RECIPE
Salmon in a cast iron skillet with lemons for garnish.
Baked Rice
Making Baked Rice in the oven is fast, foolproof, and fluffy. This easy 3-ingredient recipe is great for meal prep and freezer friendly, too.
VIEW RECIPE
Baked rice in a bowl.
Roasted Green Beans
These easy Roasted Green Beans are loaded with garlic and lemon and roasted to perfection. They are simple enough for busy weeknights but delicious enough for holidays too!
VIEW RECIPE
Roasted green beans on a baking sheet with lemon garnish.

Week 3 tweaks

Week 4: Chipotle Chicken

With so many Chipotle copycat recipes on the site, it’s hard to choose just 3! Chipotle chicken, cilantro-lime rice, and fajita veggies are always popular and always delicious.

For a vegan option, try Chipotle Sofritas. Add sides of salsa to complete your Chipotle bowl.

4 meal prep containers with Chipotle chicken, cilantro-lime rice, and fajita veggies.
Chipotle Chicken (Copycat)
Skip the restaurant and make your own copycat Chipotle Chicken recipe at home. The marinade is quick, easy, healthy, and tastes even better than the real thing! Make white meat or dark meat and follow my instructions for either baking or grilling. 
VIEW RECIPE
Chipotle chicken in a white serving bowl.
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice (Copycat)
Learn the secrets to making Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice in the comfort of your own kitchen. This copycat recipe starts with getting the right type of rice and cooking it in a non-traditional way. This rice is soft and fluffy with just the right amount of chew and no stickiness.
VIEW RECIPE
A bowl of Cilantro-Lime Rice.
Fajita Veggies (Chipotle Copycat)
An easy recipe for grilled Fajita Veggies, just like they make at the Chipotle restaurant. Colorful, tender-crisp, and healthy, these grilled veggies are ready in minutes. And you can add in your other favorite vegetables, too!
VIEW RECIPE
Fajita veggies in a black skillet.

Week 4 tweaks

Happy Meal Prepping!

4 Weeks of Meal Prep Ideas in glass food containers.
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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