Eating healthy is one of the most popular new year’s resolutions. People want to treat their bodies to nutritious foods so they can look and feel great. However, those elaborate nutritious meals can quickly add up.
That’s why this is the time to find some cheap meal prep ideas! Not only does it make it simple for you to track what you’re eating but you can save a lot of money. You’ll avoid going to expensive recipes and you’ll be able to just do one or two different meals a week, instead of spending all your money on a new daily dish.
If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve got you covered. These are six cheap meal prep ideas that are also healthy! It may seem too good to be true but it isn’t – you’ll just have to trust us on that.
Let’s get started.
1. Quinoa Taco Salad
Some of the best recipes are those that mainly use healthy pantry staples. For this quinoa taco salad, you don’t need a lot and you probably already have most of what you need. Add this to your weekly meal prep menu for a dish that is full of nutrients and is sure to satisfy!
The best part of all? It only takes 20 minutes to make and you can make enough portions for the week. The main ingredients are quinoa, vegetable broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a whole bunch of veggies.
Then it’s all about that homemade taco seasoning. This meal is full of protein, fiber and you won’t get tired of it during the week. The key to healthy meal prep ideas for the week is to make sure that they fill you up, so you don’t snack on unhealthy items later in the day.
2. Overnight Peanut Butter Oatmeal
It wouldn’t be a full meal prep if we didn’t include the most important meal of the day: breakfast! One of the most simple and affordable meal prep options for breakfast is overnight oats. Not only are they filling but they’re easy to make and delicious.
There’s all different type of overnight oatmeal but one of the most popular types is overnight peanut butter oatmeal. Most people tend to have oatmeal and peanut butter already and if you don’t, they’re very affordable ingredients that have a long shelf life. This recipe is only five ingredients: milk of choice, chia seeds, peanut butter, maple syrup, and rolled oats.
Of course, feel free to add any fruit and granola if you have it. Put the ingredients in a jar and leave it in your fridge until the next day. You’ll wake up to a delicious and healthy breakfast that you can have at home or take to-go!
3.Cold Sesame Noodles
Here’s the harsh reality: most people don’t eat enough fruits and veggies. We’re assuming that’s what people want to change when they make a resolution to eat healthier. That’s why we have another healthy and affordable meal option for you.
This cold sesame noodles recipe contains vegetables, healthy carbs, good fats- the works! Gather spaghetti, zucchini, carrots, chickpeas, green onions, and sesame seeds. If you have a spiralizer, bust it out and spiralize the zucchini and carrots.
Then, to add some zest, make an almond butter sauce. Now you can divide this into different containers for the week and have a meal that is sure to hit the spot every time. Feel free to add sesame seeds, cilantro, anything that will take this dish to the next level.
4. Soup Dumplings
This might seem like a strange one, but soup dumplings are an affordable and healthy option. If you’re too busy to cook and rather the professionals take care of it, check out places like https://thexcj.com/collections/national for some delicious soup dumplings and sauces.
You can also make an easy dumpling soup that only takes 10 minutes! This is such a simple and healthy recipe that you’ll feel a little guilty for not having to spend much time on it. Here’s what you need to do:
- Sauté ginger and garlic in some sesame oil.
- Create the soup base using vegetable stock, soy sauce, carrots, and green onions.
- Add the dumplings you ordered and let the soup boil for a few minutes.
- Kill the heat, stir in the spinach, and once the spinach is wilted, your soup is good to go!
This meal is perfect for those gloomy winter days or if you’re looking to switch things up. Let’s be real, ordinary soup can get a little boring but with the addition of these dumplings, it’s anything but.
5. Roasted Vegetable Salad
We continue on our quest for healthy and affordable meal prep options with a roasted vegetable salad. This is highly customizable, but the goal is simple, lots and lots of greens.
Start with roasting a bunch of veggies. Things like sweet potatoes, cabbage, carrots, broccolini, all that good stuff. The salad part comes from using greens, avocado, hemp seeds, and fresh herbs.
Combine all of it and drizzle it with a simple green sauce. Top it off with your favorite protein if you wish. Simple, healthy, delicious.
6. Pineapple BBQ Tofu
Add this to your cheap meal prep grocery list: tofu, pineapples, and BBQ sauce. You’re about to make a sweet, tangy, and healthy meal that will fill you up for very little money. You just need four main components and the containers to put them in.
You grill tofu and cover it with barbecue sauce. You can use fresh or canned pineapple on the grill as well. Add some veggies like red onion, zucchini, and bell peppers.
Finally, make a bunch of quinoa to bulk out the meal. Be sure to season everything thoroughly and enjoy this unique meal.
Cheap Meal Prep Ideas
Eating healthy doesn’t have to come with a big price tag. If you’re looking to save money this year, these cheap meal prep ideas are sure to keep your wallet and your stomach happy. All of these recipes can be customized to your liking.
Whether you make the meals yourself or look for cheap meal prep companies, you’re sure to save time and money.
Looking for more articles like this? Check out the food section of our blog!
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