If you’re looking for a quick meal or snack that packs in a ton of flavor and nutrients, smoothies are the way to go! They are by far one of my favorite ways to quickly meal prep!

Smoothies are thick, creamy drinks made by puréeing fruit, fruit juice, veggies, nuts, yogurt, and other ingredients together. 

If you have trouble reaching your daily protein and fiber goals, smoothies can help by making these things easy to consume on-the-go.  Many people enjoy smoothies for breakfast, as a snack between meals, or as a post-workout refuel. 

Health Benefits

Smoothies can be an excellent source of essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that our bodies need to function properly. For example, fruits like strawberries, bananas, and blueberries are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, while leafy greens like spinach and kale are rich in iron, calcium, and other important micronutrients.

By blending these ingredients together into a smoothie, we can easily pack in multiple servings of fruits and vegetables all at once. This is especially helpful for people who struggle to meet their daily recommended intake of essential nutrients.

Improved Digestion

Many smoothie recipes contain ingredients like fiber-rich fruits and vegetables or probiotic-rich yogurt or kefir. These ingredients can help regulate bowel movements, reduce bloating, prevent constipation, and combat belly fat.

Increased Energy Levels

Smoothies can also provide a natural boost of energy thanks to their nutrient-dense ingredients. For example, many fruits contain natural sugars that can give us an energy boost without causing a crash later on.

Weight Management

Smoothies can also be helpful for weight management when used as part of a balanced diet. Because they're typically low in calories but high in fiber - this combination helps keep us feel full longer while reducing overall calorie intake.

Furthermore, by adding protein powder or nut butter to your smoothie you can increase satiety levels–which results in less snacking between meals. It can also help keep your blood sugar levels stable.

Convenience

Of course, one of the biggest benefits of smoothies is their convenience factor! They're easy to make at home with just a blender and simple ingredients. This makes a nutrient-dense meal or snack accessible no matter how busy life may get.

Example Recipes

Try out these example smoothie recipes and let me know what you think:

• Banana Chocolate Protein Smoothie

• Creamy Blueberry Smoothie

• Mango Green Smoothie Bowl

• Raspberry Zinger Smoothie

• Mocha Smoothie

Casseroles are a great way to build a healthy plate at every meal. If you don’t like eating vegetables on their own, combining them with other foods in a casserole is a great way to sneak them into your diet!

This type of meal is baked in a deep and wide baking dish, and they usually combine vegetables, protein, and starches either mixed together or layered.

Casseroles are also usually quick to prepare and have a pretty high yield of 4-8 servings per dish. This makes them a great option for fast & easy meal prep.

Use a casserole dish, Dutch oven, or some other deep, wide baking dish to prepare these example recipes: 

• Green Bean Casserole

• Cauliflower Shephard’s Pie

• Beef & Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole

• Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa Bake

• Pot Pie Chickpea Pasta

It can be hard to get a nutritious breakfast in the morning, especially during the busy work week. Yogurt and cottage cheese make easy grab-and-go breakfasts, especially if you prep the night before. These foods are protein-packed, but you can also mix in protein powder to beef up the protein content more. Add fruit, seeds, and natural sweeteners like honey to add more flavor. Check out the example recipes below:

• Berry Greek Yogurt Parfait (vegetarian)

• Blended Raspberry Protein Chia Pudding (vegetarian)

• Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats (vegetarian)

• Chocolate Cottage Cheese Protein Bowl (vegetarian)

• Raspberry Protein Overnight Oats (vegan/vegetarian)

Want to enjoy your favorite fried foods with fewer calories? Using an air fryer is a great choice for achieving a similar texture and taste to deep frying while reducing the calorie and fat content of your meals.

This is an excellent option for cooking items like French fries, chicken wings, or even vegetables, as it requires only a minimal amount of oil or can be used without any oil at all. Check out the example recipes below to make delicious, nutritious, low-calorie fried foods:

• Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas

• Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Thighs & Potatoes

• Air Fryer Fish & Chips (pescatarian)

• Air Fryer Hot Honey Salmon Bowl (pescatarian)

• Air Fryer Orange Tofu (vegan/vegetarian; served over rice)

Sandwiches and wraps are great options for on-the-go nutrition. They are also super easy to prep in bulk ahead of time. Wraps can be enjoyed cold, so you don’t have to worry about warming them up before enjoying them.

Maximize the nutritional value of your sandwiches and wraps by choosing whole-grain bread or wraps and filling them with nutrient-dense proteins & vegetables. 

Check out the example recipes below!

• Grilled Chicken Caesar Wraps

• Eggplant & Halloumi Pita Wrap (vegetarian)

• Mediterranean Salmon Wrap

• Mexican Black Bean Wrap (vegan/vegetarian)

• Roasted Red Pepper, Chicken & Pesto Wrap

During the coldest days of winter, I don’t want to do anything but snuggle under the blankets and watch TV. The last thing I want to do is spend 45 minutes cooking and cleaning up in the kitchen. That’s why soups and stews are a staple of my winter meal prep rotation.

Soups and stews don’t tend to require much time in the kitchen. Like slow cooker recipes, soups mostly cook themselves once you’ve added all the ingredients to the pot.

They also often have large yields of as many as eight servings—making them a great option for meal prep. After making the initial batch, all you have to do is pop a serving in the microwave, and you’re ready to eat.

A hot bowl of soup or stew can also be a nutritious option for comfort food on a cold, gloomy day.

Check out the recipes below for some ideas for soups and stews to warm up and combat the winter blues! Each recipe is calorie-smart (with about 500 calories or less per serving) and a good source of protein (with at least 25 grams of protein per serving). Each recipe also fits the Healthy Plate model by including a good serving of vegetables, protein, and a complex carbohydrate.

• Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

• Lasagna Soup

• Moroccan Beef & Lentil Soup

• Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup (vegetarian / vegan)

• Spicy Tofu & Cauliflower Soup (vegetarian / vegan)

Check out these healthy alternative recipes for the holidays:

• Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Cinnamon Toast Crunch Pumpkin Seeds

• Cinnamon Toasted Pecans

• Crunchy Yogurt Clusters

• Gingerbread Loaf

• Gingerbread Oat Milk Latte

• Gingerbread Protein Cookies

• Pomegranate Yogurt Bark

• Pumpkin Loaf

• Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

The average woman needs about 2000 calories a day and the average man needs about 2500 calories a day. If you eat 3 meals a day, that means each meal needs to be between about 660 and 830 calories. Check out the examples of healthy high-protein meals below that fit those ranges below:

• Sausage & Sun Dried Tomato Penne  

• One Pan Steak, Potatoes & Broccoli  

• Green Curry Salmon & Rice (Pescatarian)

• Macadamia Coconut Crusted Cod Rice Bowl (Pescatarian)

• Peanut Tofu & Edamame Quinoa Bowl (Vegan / Vegetarian)

• Peanut Maple Tempeh Bowl (Vegan / Vegetarian)

• Veggie Pad Thai (Vegan / Vegetarian)

One of my favorite ways to save time in the kitchen is to use my slow cooker or crockpot. With minimal prep time, slow cooking allows me to make big batchesof entire meals that keep me fed with leftovers for days.

Check out the examples of healthy high-protein meals using the slow cooker:

• Slow Cooker Beef Stew

• Slow Cooker Chicken & Black Bean Taco Soup

• Slow Cooker Enchilada Beans & Quinoa (Vegetarian)

• Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken

• Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

• Vegan Sloppy Joes (Vegan, Vegetarian)