Chicken Fajita Bowl

As you know, I've been doing a semi-regular Meal Prep Monday segment on my blog throughout last year, and I've been loving it! I'm not a dieter or bodybuilder, so I'm not counting my macros or portioning out dry chicken breast, but I have really loved making healthy and nourishing meals throughout the year. And it's such a satisfying feeling having my lunches all prepped and ready at the start of the week! I don't always meal prep, and on the weeks that I don't, I find that I spend a lot more money and eat more unhealthily, and don't always enjoy it more. It’s definitely worth the effort!

To get the new year off to a good start, here's some inspiration to get you going. For funsies I thought I'd put some dietary requirement codes in: GF = Gluten Free; V = Vegetarian; VG = Vegan. Enjoy!

Mexican - Chipotle chicken, cumin-roast sweet potatoes, frijoles negros, zucchini noodles and guacamole. Gluten free, high protein and lots of flavour! (GF)

Mexican Meal prep

Korean - Grilled Korean-flavoured beef with broccoli namul, brown rice and lots of vegetables. (GF)

Korean Beef Meal Prep

Vegan - tempeh, brown rice, vegetables and cashew cream. (GF, V, VG)

Vegan Tempeh Brown Rice Bowl

Japanese - The closest I've come to designer bentos. Salt-grilled chicken, rice, sweet potato with soy butter and Japanese spinach salad. (GF)

Japanese Meal Prep

Vegetarian - We're going salad-bar style with lots of little dishes to choose from - zucchini fritters, roast parmesan broccoli, fried marrows in a tomato sauce. (V)

Vegetarian Meal Prep

Chipotle Chicken Rainbow Salad - More Mexican flavours including delicious, delicious chipotle. This time on a salad base. Plus avocado. Always avocado. (GF)

Chipotle Chicken Rainbow Salad

Chinese Chilli Sesame Noodles - A little different from the usual meal prep - buckwheat noodles in a spicy sesame sauce, with poached chicken and lots of crunchy green vegetables.

Chinese Chilli Sesame Noodles

Vegan Green Rice Burrito Bowl - Giving brown rice lots of flavour, plus frijoles negros, roast sweet potato and pumpkin, zucchini and carrot noodles, tahini sauce, boiled broccoli and sliced avocado. (GF, V, VG)

Vegan Green Rice Burrito Bowl

Greek Salad Bowl - A very nice, very light salad to even out a period of general overindulgence. (GF)

Greek Salad Bowl

Rainbow Romesco Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Cheesy Pesto Chicken - Seriously guys, you have to make this Romesco sauce. And put it on everything. (GF)

Rainbow Romesco Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Cheesy Pesto Chicken

Golden Butternut and Chickpea Stew - Warm up with this super comforting but very nutritious stew. (Totally vegan-isable). (GF, V, VG)

Golden Butternut and Chickpea Salad

Instant Noodles - Did not realise this was a completely unoriginal idea when I made this. Still, prepping noodles, meat and veggies in advance and covering them with boiling water to serve is a great idea and would happily do again.

Instant Noodles

Beef Stew with Cauliflower Couscous - I wanted rich, hearty warming food for lunch during winter. Did not want a carb coma every lunch time. This did the trick. (GF)

Beef Stew with Cauliflower Couscous

Chicken Fajita Bowl - My most often made meal prep! Sandra requests it all the time, and it's my default when I want to prep food for the week but don't have the time or energy to come up with a new recipe. Chicken strips cooked with capsicum and spices, served with corn and black beans (from tins), plus grated cheese, guacamole, and any salad vegetables that I can be bothered preparing. You don't need the funky compartmentalised containers, but then again, you don't not need them. (GF)

Chicken Fajita Bowl

Sweet Potato and Kale Bowls with Crisp Harissa Chickpeas and Sesame Dressing - Tahini dressing for life. (GF, V, VG)

Sweet Potato and Kale Bowls with Crisp Harissa Chickpeas and Sesame Dressing

Silken Tofu Rice Bowl - Barely any cooking required and so good! (GF, V, VG)

Silken Tofu Rice Bowl

Green Vegetable Bowl with Falafel and Green Pea Tahini Sauce - A bit of effort involved in this one but totes worth it. Crisp freshly fried falafel are so good! And you know all the green in this meal is doing you good. (GF, V, VG)

Green Vegetable Bowl with Falafel and Green Pea Tahini Sauce

Pasta Salad with Avocado Pesto Dressing - I was craving deli flavours and put together this punchily flavoured pasta salad. Surprisingly gluten free! (GF, V)

Pasta Salad with Avocado Pesto Dressing

Easy Salad - Sometimes you gotta meal prep even when you don't feel like meal prepping. This easy salad was the answer. (GF, V)

Easy Salad

Do you have any favourite meal prep ideas? Leave a comment below!