High Protein Meal Prep: 6 Easy Recipes for the Week
6 high protein meal prep recipes with 25–50 g of protein each, calories per container, a 90-minute Sunday prep plan, a shopping list and how long it keeps.
High protein meal prep is the easiest way to eat more protein without thinking about it every day. You cook once or twice a week, fill a few containers, and lunch and dinner are ready when you’re hungry. No guessing, no “I’ll just order something”.
The short answer: pick 2–3 protein foods (chicken, turkey, salmon, eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu or lentils), cook them in big batches with whole grains and vegetables, and pack containers with 25–50 g of protein each. Cooked meals keep about 3–4 days in the fridge, so prep on Sunday for Monday to Wednesday, then again on Wednesday or freeze some. Below are 6 easy recipes with calories and protein per container, a 90-minute prep plan and a shopping list.
How much protein do you need?
Most adults need at least 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight a day. If you’re losing weight or lifting weights, more helps: about 1.2–1.6 g per kg keeps you full and helps you keep muscle while you lose fat (Leidy et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015).
For a 70 kg (155 lb) person, that’s about 85–110 g a day – or 25–35 g at each meal plus a high-protein snack. Our free protein calculator works out your number.
Why meal prep helps
When healthy food is ready, you eat it. In a French study of more than 40,000 adults, people who planned their meals ahead ate a more varied, healthier diet and were less likely to have obesity (Ducrot et al., International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2017).
Meal prep also saves money and time: you buy only what you need and cook once instead of every evening.
6 high protein meal prep recipes
Calories and protein are per container, based on USDA FoodData Central values and rounded. Each recipe makes 4 containers unless noted.
1. Chicken burrito bowls
| Per container | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 4½ oz (130 g) cooked chicken breast with taco spices | 210 | 40 g |
| ½ cup brown rice | 110 | 2 g |
| ½ cup black beans | 110 | 7 g |
| ½ cup peppers and onion, cooked with ½ tsp oil | 45 | 1 g |
| 2 tbsp salsa | 10 | 0 g |
| Total | 485 | 50 g |
How: season 1½ lb (680 g) raw chicken breast with chili powder, cumin, garlic and salt. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20–25 minutes, then slice. Cook the rice and peppers, rinse the beans and pack. Add fresh avocado or lettuce on the day you eat it.
2. Turkey meatballs with marinara
| Per container | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 5 turkey meatballs (from 1¼ lb lean ground turkey, 1 egg, ¼ cup breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp parmesan) | 270 | 30 g |
| ½ cup marinara sauce | 70 | 2 g |
| ¾ cup whole-wheat pasta | 130 | 6 g |
| 1 cup roasted zucchini | 20 | 1 g |
| Total | 490 | 39 g |
How: mix the turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic and Italian herbs. Roll into 20 balls and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 18–20 minutes. Freezes well – make a double batch.
3. Egg muffins (breakfast)
| Per container | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 3 egg muffins (from 10 eggs, 1 cup egg whites, spinach, 1 bell pepper, ½ onion, ½ cup shredded cheddar – 12 muffins in total) | 290 | 26 g |
| 1 orange | 60 | 1 g |
| Total | 350 | 27 g |
How: whisk the eggs and egg whites, stir in chopped vegetables and cheese, pour into a 12-cup muffin tin and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20–22 minutes. Warm in the microwave for 30–45 seconds.
4. Protein overnight oats (breakfast)
| Per jar | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| ½ cup rolled oats | 150 | 5 g |
| ¾ cup skim milk | 60 | 6 g |
| ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt | 70 | 12 g |
| 1 tbsp chia seeds | 60 | 2 g |
| ½ cup berries | 35 | 0 g |
| Total | 375 | 25 g |
How: mix everything in 4 jars and refrigerate overnight. They keep 3–4 days. Read more about healthy breakfast ideas.
5. Sheet-pan salmon, vegetables and quinoa (3 containers)
| Per container | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 4 oz (113 g) baked salmon | 230 | 25 g |
| 1 cup broccoli + ½ cup carrots, roasted with 1 tsp olive oil | 100 | 3 g |
| ½ cup quinoa | 110 | 4 g |
| Total | 440 | 32 g |
How: put the salmon and vegetables on one tray with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 12–15 minutes. Fish tastes best within 3 days, so eat these first. See calories in salmon.
6. Lentil, chickpea and edamame bowls (vegan)
| Per container | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| ¾ cup cooked lentils | 170 | 13 g |
| ½ cup chickpeas | 105 | 6 g |
| ½ cup shelled edamame | 95 | 9 g |
| 1 cup roasted vegetables with 1 tsp olive oil | 90 | 2 g |
| 1 tbsp tahini + lemon dressing | 90 | 3 g |
| Total | 550 | 33 g |
How: cook a pot of lentils, rinse the chickpeas, thaw frozen edamame and roast whatever vegetables you like. Keep the dressing in a small separate pot. See more plant-based protein ideas.
High-protein snack boxes
- 2 hard-boiled eggs + cherry tomatoes: about 170 calories, 13 g protein.
- ½ cup cottage cheese + ½ cup pineapple: about 130 calories, 12 g protein.
- 170 g Greek yogurt + a few walnuts: about 165 calories, 18 g protein.
More ideas in our list of high-protein snacks.
A sample high protein day from your containers
| Meal | Container | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Protein overnight oats | 375 | 25 g |
| Lunch | Chicken burrito bowl | 485 | 50 g |
| Snack | ½ cup cottage cheese + pineapple | 130 | 12 g |
| Dinner | Turkey meatballs with marinara | 490 | 39 g |
| Total | 1,480 | 126 g |
Need more or fewer calories? Change the rice, pasta and quinoa portions first and keep the protein the same. For a full week with set calories, see our high protein meal plan.
The 90-minute Sunday prep plan
- Oven on (0 min): heat to 425°F (220°C). Put the chicken on one tray and the vegetables on another.
- Grains (5 min): start the brown rice, quinoa and lentils on the stove.
- Meatballs (15 min): mix and roll them while the chicken bakes. Lower the oven to 400°F (200°C) and bake them when the chicken comes out.
- Egg muffins (40 min): whisk and pour into the muffin tin; bake at 350°F (175°C) after the meatballs.
- Overnight oats (55 min): mix the 4 jars while the muffins bake.
- Pack (70 min): let food cool for about 30 minutes, then fill the containers and put them in the fridge.
Cook the salmon fresh on Monday or Tuesday evening – it only takes 15 minutes.
How long does meal prep last?
| Food | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked chicken, turkey, meatballs | 3–4 days | 2–6 months |
| Cooked fish | 3–4 days | 4–6 months |
| Soups, stews and chili | 3–4 days | 2–3 months |
| Hard-boiled eggs (in the shell) | 1 week | Not recommended |
Source: FoodSafety.gov. Cool cooked food and put it in the fridge within 2 hours. Reheat until it’s steaming hot all the way through.
Shopping list
- Protein: 1½ lb (680 g) chicken breast, 1¼ lb (570 g) lean ground turkey, 3 salmon fillets (4 oz each), 12 eggs, 1 carton egg whites, 1 large tub plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 tub cottage cheese, 1 bag frozen shelled edamame
- Grains and beans: brown rice, quinoa, whole-wheat pasta, rolled oats, dry lentils, 1 can black beans, 1 can chickpeas, breadcrumbs
- Vegetables: 3 bell peppers, 2 onions, 2 zucchini, broccoli, carrots, spinach, cherry tomatoes
- Fruit: berries (fresh or frozen), oranges, pineapple, lemons
- Other: skim milk, chia seeds, shredded cheddar, parmesan, marinara sauce, salsa, tahini, olive oil, taco spices, Italian herbs
Tips for better meal prep
- Use glass containers with separate sections. Keep sauces and dressings apart so food doesn’t get soggy.
- Season differently. The same chicken tastes new with taco spices one week and lemon and herbs the next.
- Add fresh things on the day: avocado, lettuce, herbs, a squeeze of lime.
- Cook double and freeze. Meatballs, burrito bowls and chili make great “emergency” meals.
- Weigh once. Weigh your portions the first time so the calories on your containers are right. After that, your eye learns.
Get high protein meals planned for you. With NutriSmart, you answer 3 quick questions and get a week of healthy recipes with the shopping list ready, with the protein and calories you need. Not in the mood for a meal? Swap it in one tap. Then snap a photo of what you eat, and the app counts the protein and calories for you.Get the app free
The bottom line
High protein meal prep comes down to a few protein foods – chicken, turkey, salmon, eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, lentils – cooked in big batches with whole grains and vegetables. Aim for 25–50 g of protein per container, prep 3–4 days at a time, freeze the rest, and eat the fish first. With the 6 recipes above and 90 minutes on Sunday, most of your week is ready.
FAQ
What are good high protein meal prep foods?
Chicken breast, lean ground turkey, salmon and other fish, eggs and egg whites, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, edamame, lentils and beans. They keep well in the fridge for a few days and are easy to cook in big batches.
How long does meal prep last in the fridge?
Cooked chicken, meat, fish and meals with them keep about 3–4 days in the fridge. Hard-boiled eggs keep about 1 week. For the rest of the week, freeze a few containers and move them to the fridge the night before.
How much protein should a meal prep container have?
About 25–40 g per meal works for most adults who want to lose weight or build muscle. That usually means 4–5 oz (110–140 g) of cooked chicken or fish, or a mix of eggs, dairy, tofu and beans.
Can you meal prep for the whole week?
For safety and taste, prep 3–4 days at a time. Cook on Sunday for Monday to Wednesday, then do a short second prep on Wednesday, or freeze the containers for Thursday and Friday.
Is high protein meal prep good for weight loss?
Yes. Protein keeps you full longer and helps you keep muscle while you eat less. And having healthy meals ready means fewer takeout orders and fewer snacks. In a study of over 40,000 adults, people who planned their meals were less likely to have obesity.
Can I freeze meal prep?
Yes. Burrito bowls, meatballs, chili, soups and egg muffins freeze well for 2–3 months. Salads, cucumbers and dishes with a lot of fresh vegetables don't freeze well.
