"Paleo" is a term widely used in the foodie community, usually associated with strict guidelines of what is not permitted (including: cereal grains, processed foods, and refined sugar). However, eating paleo isn't as hard or as intimidating as you might thing. There are a ton of paleo meal prep recipes that are quick and easy to make, and I've compiled the 18 best that you have to try out for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacking.
Breakfast
1. 2-Ingredient Pancakes
Breakfast is objectively the best meal of the day, and there's nothing more comforting than a big stack of pancakes. However, your classic flapjacks contain grains, which are prohibited from the paleo diet, so sadly IHOP/IHOB is not an option. If you have bananas and eggs (which you probably do), whip up a batch of your own and freeze any leftovers so you can toast them in the morning for a protein-packed, on-the-go breakfast.
2. Sausage Kale Spaghetti Squash Frittata
There is a special place in my heart for quiche, but the crust usually contains grains, so a great alternative are frittatas, a fluffy egg-based dish filled with veggies and meat. Not only does this keep well in the fridge for up to 4-5 days, but it's a one-pan recipe, so it's no-fuss.
3. Grab and Go Blueberry Muffins
Starbucks muffins were my go-to fast food breakfast in high school, until I realized that they were packed with tons of sugar. However, you don't have to give up these baked goods with this blueberry muffin recipe, which yields 14 muffins, the perfect amount for a week's worth of meal prepping.
#SpoonTip: Feel free to customize your muffins with toppings of your choice: banana walnut, lemon poppy seed, non-dairy chocolate chip. Get creative with it.
4. Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Burritos
You know those freezer breakfast burritos you can buy at the store? Sure, they're cheap and all you have to do is microwave them, but you can make your own that's tastier and doesn't have any nasty preservatives. With gluten-free, grain-free tortillas, breakfast sausages, scrambled eggs, and peppers, this breakfast will fuel you for the rest of your day. Microwave a couple and freeze the rest so you don't even have to think twice when you're running out the door in the early hours to get to class.
5. Matcha Chia Seed Pudding
Overnight oats are a classic meal prep recipe, but to spice things up, try this chia seed pudding, which has the consistency of overnight oats but the additional benefits of the healthy dose of protein and omega-3s. Plus, it's flavored with matcha, another superfood that also gives your pudding an earthy, vanilla-y flavor.
Lunch
6. Chicken Burrito Bowls
As a college student living in an off-campus apartment and learning to budget for the first time, Chipotle burrito bowls are my weakness and go-to. They're filling and relatively cheap. However, they're high in sodium, so control what you put in your body by making your own paleo meal prep chicken burrito bowls made with shredded chicken, cauliflower rice, and tons of roasted veggies. This recipe is so good that it'll have you saying, "Chipotle, WHO?"
7. Rainbow Thai Chopped Salad
If you struggle to get your greens in for the day (because, same), you're going to appreciate this flavorful, fresh Thai-inspired salad. Crunchy veggies and juicy mango are covered in a creamy peanut butter sauce so addicting that you'll probably want to make a bigger batch than you anticipated for meal prep purposes.
8. Bento Box
Bento boxes were practically made to be utilized for meal prepping. These containers have portions set aside for your sides, desserts, sauces, and main dishes, which makes meal prepping all the more convenient and simple. Though there are a plethora of paleo meal prep bento boxes, these Japanese-inspired asparagus pork rolls have all the classic flavors of egg rolls without the wonton rapper.
9. Chicken Lettuce Wraps
I discovered my love for lettuce wraps when I ordered them for the first time at Cheesecake Factory, and since then I've been trying to find a healthier, cheaper version to make at home. It's deceivingly simple to make this recipe: all you gotta do is cook ground chicken breast and veggies in some coconut aminos, chili paste, and garlic, then put your concoction in a container with heads of chopped lettuce. It'll take you a total of 25 minutes to make a week's worth of lunches, as opposed to 45 minutes waiting for your order to come in.
10. Italian Sweet Potato Spaghetti
Zucchini noodles (colloquially known as "zoodles") have taken the Internet by storm, but the paleo noodle that's the best in my opinion is made out of sweet potatoes. Not only is the color more fun, but sweet potatoes are packed with tons of nutrients like vitamin A and fiber. So, the next time you're craving pasta, spiralize a couple of sweet potatoes and you've got a ton of spaghetti, perfect for packing lunch.
Dinner
11. Legume-Free Chili
Slow cooker recipes are perfect for meal prepping. You just throw in a ton of ingredients, let them stew together, and you have 4-5 servings of a hearty meal. There are tons of chili recipes out there, but most contain legumes, which sadly are not paleo-friendly. This chili recipe, however, replaces beans with butternut squash and tomatoes, so anyone looking to eat paleo can enjoy.
12. Chinese Sesame Chicken
A spin on a classic dish that doesn't contain added sugars, try out this sesame chicken recipe if you're craving some Chinese takeout that's paleo, whole-30, and gluten-free. This recipe makes four servings, so you can store for up to two weeks (though I highly doubt that it'll take you that long to finish this aromatic dish).
13. Spaghetti Squash
When I think of "paleo meal prep," the first thought that pops into my head is spaghetti squash. It's a lot of meal prepper's go-tos for a reason: you get the taste and experience of pasta, without all the gluten. Here's a full-proof recipe you can easily double to make a week's worth of dinner.
14. Coconut Sugar Sriracha Shrimp
Getting tired of chicken breast and salads? Spice things up (literally and figuratively) with coconut sugar sriracha shrimp, which has the perfect balance of spicy and sweet from the four-ingredient glaze. Shrimp is arguably even easier to cook than chicken, hence a total meal prep time of 10 minutes for this recipe.
15. Hawaiian Cauliflower Fried Rice
Coming from an Asian household, rice in and of itself is its own food group. Though I personally still enjoy my mother's egg and tocino fried rice, an alternative that I love to make that's healthier and quicker to cook is cauliflower fried rice. The freshness from the pineapples complements the salty pieces of ham, making for a dinner you won't get tired of eating.
Snacks
16. Chocolate-Covered Almond Butter Stuffed Dates
We couldn't have paleo meal prep recipes without including snacks! The first are these chocolate almond butter dates that only have four ingredients. It's a perfect midday snack to hold you over till dinner, especially if you have a perpetual sweet-tooth like me.
17. Spicy Guacamole
For guacamole that you don't have to pay extra for, make your own guac with a little kick from the radishes. Eaten with homemade veggie chips or served with a meal prepped lunch or dinner, you'll want to make tubs of this dip because it's so versatile.
18. Peanut Butter Protein Balls
Our final paleo meal prep recipe are these peanut butter protein balls that taste what a cookie dough and Reese's peanut butter cup would if they had offspring. It's a great way to refuel your body after a workout, and, if you're in a pinch, you can even grab a couple for the road for a makeshift breakfast.
Hungry yet? I bet you are. Try one of these paleo meal prep recipes for a caveman-approved bite that's as easy as it is delicious.