These healthy dinner meal prep ideas cover a range of options including freezer meals, big batch proteins, ingredient prep and more. Get a head start on your dinner to reduce your stress and eat healthier!
When it comes to meal prep, often we think of pre-cooked meals that we simply need to reheat. That is all well and good for breakfast and lunch, but when it comes to dinner, my family and I like a freshly cooked dinner. These healthy dinner meal prep ideas will help you get a head start on dinner.
Meal prep has revolutionized the way I cook. It reduces our meal time stress, saves us money, and helps us eat healthier.
When it comes to meal prepping dinner, it isn’t as clear cut as meal prepping lunch or breakfast. Cooking a full week of dinners ahead and reheating is a LOT of work, and most of us don’t have the time to do that.
Here’s an alternative: by being strategic in pre-cooking or pre-chopping certain ingredients, we can save a ton of time during the week, and get a big leg up on dinner.
I’m sharing meal prep dinner ideas that will help you get a head start, while still eating ‘fresh’ food.
click to jump to different dinner prep strategies:
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Freezer Meals
Stocking up the freezer with dinner components or fully assembled meals is always a good idea. Sometimes even just having that one component waiting for you makes your dinner decisions so much easier. Here are some popular freezer meals from the website, but check out our full freezer category page here.
Prep meal components
Pre-chopping or cooking vegetables and shaking up sauces is another great way to save time on week nights. Here are some ideas to get a head start on dinners:
Crockpot freezer meals
Crockpot freezer meals are assembled ahead and frozen. When you are ready to cook, thaw, add to the slow cooker, and cook it up! This saves you time chopping and measuring in the morning. Find more ideas on the freezer slow cooker page.
Big batch protein
One of my favorite ways to get a head start on dinner is to cook a big batch of protein and use it up in multiple meals. Here are some of my favorite proteins to prep ahead (some of these include a full meal prep plan and shopping list; find all of my meal prep plans here).
Big salad
I love a good ‘big salad’. Often, salads taste better as they sit and the flavors meld together, and it can take care of the side dish for multiple meals. Here are some of my faves:
Lindsay Gordon
Hi there! All these recipes look amazing, but when I went to click on any of the recipe links, they don’t seem to be working. 🙁
Denise
Hi Lindsay, thank you for letting me know! The issue should be fixed now 🙂
Kathryn
I just found this blog as well and am excited to give these strategies a try. I’ve researched a lot of cookbooks and other blogs to try and find my rhythm with meal prepping. I think I’ve found what I’ve been searching for from your website! So excited!
Denise
Hi Kathryn! I hope you find some recipes you enjoy! If you’re interested you can join our Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/175426862869605/?ref=bookmarks It’s a great place to learn more about meal prep 🙂
Tracey
I just found your site and this post. I’m so excited to start working on prepping some of our meals. Previously, meal prepping seemed very overwhelming. Thank you for your post, ideas and encouragement!
Denise
I’m so happy to hear that this post was helpful to you, Tracey! I hope you find a recipe you enjoy to get you started on meal prepping 😀
Emily Strong
The adds are really annoying. I know you are trying to make money, but they make it hard to read. Irs too busy.
Denise
I understand that ads can be a bit of inconvenience, however they are necessary to cover all the costs associated with a food blog so I can keep bringing you free recipes.
Lauren
Great post! I’m getting ready for back to school and will be meal prepping soon. Thanks for the great info!
Denise
Glad you enjoyed the post, Lauren!
Gena
Now to just get my hubby on board with this and we’ll be able to try these out. Can’t wait!
Cierra Spriggs
Can we prepare whole meals and freeze it all together? How long can it stay in the freezer?
Denise
Hi Cierra! Some meals can be assembled and frozen pre- or post- cooking (like lasagnas, soups etc). If you read through each item on the list, it mentions which are freezer friendly. Most food is good for 3 months after which it can start to go downhill.
Denise
That’s awesome Sienna! You’re ahead of the curve for sure!
Marietta
I honestly can not read your site because the advertisements are actually blocking the print.
Denise
Hi Marietta, I’m so sorry about that. I’m not seeing this issue on either computer or mobile. Would you be able to take a screenshot and e-mail it to me so I can get that fixed?
Lyn
I have the same issue, also, but only when I use your site on my phone. 12/17/16
Denise
Hi Lyn thank you so much for letting me know. Is it by chance a pop-up that covers the screen? Or is it the ads in the post? I’m having a hard time figuring out what’s going on because I can’t see any issues from my end 🙁
Bailey Peterson
I have the same problem. It’s adds in the post.
Denise
Hi Bailey, thank you so much for letting me know, I will pass this information on to my ad management company and let them know there is an issue.