Sweet Peas and Saffron

meal prep recipes for busy people

18 Healthy Make Ahead Lunch Bowls

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18 healthy lunch bowl recipes to keep your lunch exciting! Healthy lunch recipes to fuel you all afternoon long, including rice bowls, vegetarian, chicken and beef bowl options.

Stuck in a lunch rut? Let’s get you out of it! You guys are loving these healthy meal prep lunch ideas, and today I’m rounding up some healthy make ahead lunch bowl ideas for us all that would make perrrfect work lunches!

collage image with meal prep lunch bowl recipes

Lunch bowls are one of my favorite ways to meal prep. They are a full meal in one bowl, they are portable and convenient to eat at work, and they keep you full all afternoon long.

Making your own homemade lunch bowl is a great way to save money and stick to a healthy diet!

Tips to keep your lunch bowls fresh

  • keep your dressing or sauce separate until just before you serve (unless the recipe states otherwise)
  • keep leafy greens away from wet ingredients- mason jars are great for layering
  • store in a glass meal prep container (keeps your food from absorbing flavors)
  • store no longer than 4 days- chicken, rice, and most vegetables start to decline drastically after 4 days
  • avocado- add it fresh

Healthy lunch recipes

This post has a huge variety of healthy lunch recipes in ‘lunch bowl’ form. There is something for everyone’s diet including vegetarian bowl recipes, beef bowl recipes and chicken bowl recipes. There are also some low carb bowl recipes in there!

These healthy lunch recipes are heavy on the veggies. The biggest benefit to preparing your lunches ahead is that you are setting yourself up for eating healthy through the week and I think we can all agree that veggies = healthy!

Looking for more information on meal prep? Check out this post I wrote on How To Meal Prep.

Ready? Alright…let’s go! It’s make ahead lunch bowl time!

Don’t forget to pin this post to save it for later!

Vegetarian bowls

These vegetarian bowl recipes have a few things in common: healthy, delicious, portable, and packed with all the good stuff! Keep the dressing separate until just before serving.

Vegan Sushi Meal Prep
Vegan sushi bowl meal prep has all the flavors of sushi without the rolling! Four vegan lunch recipes ready in just 25 minutes.
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of glass meal prep containers filled with vegan sushi bowls
Southwestern Wild Rice and Sweet Potato Salad
Wild rice and sweet potato salad is loaded with healthy veggies and tossed in a chili lime vinaigrette. Gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and perfect for lunch or a side salad!
Check out this recipe
hand pouring jar of dressing onto the southwestern wild rice and sweet potato salad
Thai Chickpea Mason Jar Salad
Thai chickpea mason jar salad has a tangy peanut dressing, quinoa, zucchini, carrots and cabbage and is topped with honey roasted peanuts! Ready in under 25 minutes.
Check out this recipe
Close up shot of mason jars filled with thai chickpea mason jar salad on wood tray
Cauliflower Cashew Lunch Bowls
Make these cauliflower cashew lunch bowls ahead of time and have work lunches ready for the week! Roasted cauliflower, toasted cashews, barley and chickpeas are all tossed in a delicious honey-ginger vinaigrette!
Check out this recipe
cauliflower cashew meal prep
Buddha Bowl Recipe
This Buddha bowl recipe is full of healthy plant-based ingredients and works great for meal prep! Customize it using your favorite veggies and don't forget to drizzle with the delicious tahini sauce.
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of glass meal prep container filled with buddha bowls
Spicy Tofu Noodles Meal Prep
Spicy tofu noodle meal prep bowls are the perfect healthy alternative when you are craving a big bowl of noodles! With whole wheat spaghetti, zucchini noodles, tofu and a sweet/savory/spicy sauce.
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of two glass meal prep containers filled with spicy tofu noodles
Vegan Portobello Fajita Meal Prep Bowls
Portobello fajita vegan meal prep with delicious fajita roasted portobellos, bell peppers and onions, black beans, and seasoned quinoa! Perfect topped with freshly sliced avocados or a dollop of coconut yogurt. Vegan, gluten-free, clean-eating and paleo-friendly!
Check out this recipe
plastic container filled with vegan portobello fajita bowls
Simple Cauliflower Fried Rice
This simple cauliflower fried rice recipe makes a delicious low carb main course or side dish! With fresh ginger and sesame oil, this lighter fried rice option is full of flavor!
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of cauliflower fried rice in large skillet

Chicken bowls

These chicken bowl recipe ideas are perfect for a balanced lunch, and check out all the delicious flavors! Isn’t chicken so versatile?!

Kale Chicken Pasta Salad
Kale chicken pasta salad with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette, sunflower seeds and dried cranberries. Works great for meal prep or a weeknight dinner.
Check out this recipe
A large white bowl filled with kale chicken pasta salad with wood tongs in the background
Caprese Chicken Salad Meal Prep Bowls
Caprese chicken salad meal prep bowls bring a dose of summer to your lunch. With baked chicken, fresh cherry tomatoes, baby bocconcini, quinoa and basil leaves all drizzled in a balsamic vinaigrette.
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of caprese chicken salad meal prep bowls on gray counter
Thai Chicken Lunch Bowls (Meal Prep)
Thai chicken lunch bowls have roasted vegetables and chicken served over rice with a tangy homemade peanut sauce. Easy to prep and keeps well for four days!
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of four glass meal prep containers filled with thai chicken lunch bowls
Low Carb Indian Chicken Skillet
This low carb Indian chicken skillet has incredible flavor with spiced cauliflower rice, chicken thighs and green beans. Easy to prep ahead for grab and go lunches.
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of Indian chicken in a large skillet
Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad (Meal Prep)
This southwestern chopped chicken salad is going to be your new favorite work lunch!  Prep ahead on the weekend and when you're ready to serve, drizzle with ranch and sprinkle with tortilla strips.
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of four glass meal prep containers filled with southwestern chopped chicken salad
(Make Ahead) Chicken Fajita Lunch Bowls
Make these chicken fajita lunch bowls for healthy lunches through the week! Inspired by a Mexican bean salad, this recipe combines bell peppers, baked chicken breast and rice with a delicious fajita-vinaigrette.
Check out this recipe
Meal prep containers filled with chicken fajita lunch bowls
Healthier Firecracker Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
Healthier firecracker chicken meal prep bowls bring the spice to your lunch! Lightened up, but still super flavorful. Gluten-free and ready in 35 minutes.
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of firecracker chicken meal prep bowl in glass container

Beef bowls

Just like chicken, beef is an incredibly versatile protein. These beef bowl recipe ideas are diverse in flavor and would be incredible for lunch!

Sesame Ginger Beef + Zucchini Noodles
Sesame ginger beef and zucchini noodles is a delicious lower carb lunch option that is perfect for meal prep! Not only is it fast to make, but tastes delicious and only 4 g net carbs.
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of glass meal prep containers filled with sesame ginger beef and zucchini noodles
Healthier Mongolian Beef Meal Prep
Mongolian beef meal prep is a healthier version of everyone's favorite take out recipe! This Mongolian beef recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner or a meal prep lunch! Refined-sugar free and easily made gluten-free.
Check out this recipe
close up shot of mongolian beef and broccoli
Low Carb Satay Beef Meal Prep Bowls
Low carb satay beef meal prep has a creamy Thai peanut sauce that serves as a marinade for the beef and a dipping sauce. Serve with cauliflower rice and green beans for four lunches. 
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of satay beef with green beans in four glass meal prep containers

About Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more. read more

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Comments

  2. Marion

    Hi Denise,

    I’ve been following each one of these recipes (I’m on week 16), that’s actually the first time I try meal prepping and the results are incredible! Theses recipes are healthy, it’s a very good way to save money and to discover new foods, it’s time saving and I can tell I’m in better shape.. your post is a GREAT find, thank you so much!

    Marion

    Reply

    • Denise

      Hi Dragana, I can’t speak for all of the recipes in this round-up, but I believe my recipes largely fall under ‘clean eating’ as I use very few processed ingredients.

      Reply

  4. Kelly Lee

    Is there a simple way of printing each series of recipes or does one need to go into each recipe separately ? very time consuming

    Reply

    • Denise

      Hi Kelly! This is a round up of my favorite recipes from around the web, so you have to go to the recipe developer’s site and click to print. Sorry for the inconvenience.

      Reply

  6. Karman

    I need help bringing prepared lunches to work. I also am on a health kick so check and check. These all look good! Thanks so much!

    Reply

  9. Danielle N. Pope

    Greetings Denise,
    I would like to use your web link on lunch bowls in my e-book. If this is OK, would you send me a permission contract? Please let me know.

    Thanks so much.
    Danielle N. Pope

    Reply

  13. Kelly

    Love this round-up, Denise! All of these lunch bowls are gorgeous and I seriously wish I could have one of each for lunch! Thank you so much for including mine!! <3

    Reply

  16. Izzy @ She Likes Food

    Now if I could just get someone to come over and make me one of these lunch bowls everyday, haha! Bowls like these are my favorites ever and I would happily eat any one of these for lunch everyday! Thanks for including one of mine!

    Reply

  18. Helen @ Scrummy Lane

    A colleague came to work with something like this one day last week, and I was so jealous.
    Now I have some recipes to rival his!
    These bowls are all so colourful, Denise, and we all know that means super healthy. 🙂

    Reply

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