Looking for make ahead meals that go beyond the same lunch every day? Think cheesy pasta, colorful rice bowls and breakfast burritos wrapped up individually.
These ideas include complete meals plus a few components you can prep separately and bring together when you’re ready to eat.
You can keep things simple or try a little variety. Start with a breakfast and a couple of lunch or dinner ideas you actually look forward to. Use a trusted recipe for cooking, storage and reheating instructions.
Meal prep ideas worth saving
pasta bake and colorful sides
We’re starting off strong with this colorful spread. I love the browned cheese on the spiral pasta bake, plus those chickpea bowls with cucumber, olives and quinoa.
You don’t have to make everything here. Pick a main dish and a couple of sides if you want to try this mix-and-match approach to make ahead meals.
wrapped breakfast burritos
Want breakfast sorted before the morning rush? These individually wrapped breakfast burritos are a lovely idea to save. Each parcel has a handwritten label, which is the detail I’d borrow.
The fillings aren’t shown here, so choose a breakfast burrito recipe you like. Add the filling name and prep date to your own labels.
glazed bites and rice
How good does this bowl look? The glossy brown glaze, sesame seeds and chopped green onions are my favorite parts.
Rice, broccoli and shredded carrots fill out the bowl.
For your own version, you could use chicken or tofu with a sauce you love. Keep the bright vegetable mix if you want a similar look.
layered chickpea salad jars
I love how much variety is packed into these jars. You can see chickpeas, red onion, leafy greens and seeds in separate layers, with dressing sitting at the bottom.
Try the same dressing-first arrangement for your own salad jars. Leave room to tip everything into a bowl when it’s time for lunch.
loaded lettuce boats
If you love piling on the toppings, this one is for you. The lettuce leaves hold a crumbly filling with tomatoes, red onion, avocado slices and jalapeño rings.
For a make-ahead version, I’d keep the filling and lettuce separate until serving. Add your sliced avocado at the end rather than packing the finished boats.
hash brown egg cups
How cute are these little breakfast cups? The image identifies them as hash brown, ham and cheese egg cups, with golden tops and little pink ham pieces showing.
The muffin-pan portions are the idea to borrow here. You could pair yours with fruit for a breakfast that isn’t another bowl of cereal.
labeled meal bags
Don’t want to keep searching for the cooking instructions? This setup puts a recipe sheet right on each filled bag.
It’s such a useful detail, especially when several meals look similar once packed.
Try labeling your own bags with the dish name, prep date and recipe instructions. Follow the recipe’s thawing directions before slow cooking.
lemon chicken and vegetables
This may just be one of my favorite lunch combinations here. The chicken pieces sit beside yellow peppers, zucchini and red tomatoes, with lemon slices across the middle.
There’s also a pale, green-flecked sauce in each container. I’d pack a sauce like that separately if the rest of the meal needs reheating.
cheesy pasta tray
The cheese lovers are going to want a closer look at this one! A thick melted layer covers the red-sauced pasta, with little green herb flecks scattered over the top.
If you’d rather prep one larger dish than several different bowls, a pasta bake is a good place to start. A simple side salad would be lovely alongside it.
beef and broccoli bowl
Don’t want lots of separate toppings? No problem! This bowl keeps things focused on glazed beef strips, broccoli and rice.
I love how the sauce coats both the beef and the broccoli. Choose a beef-and-broccoli recipe with make-ahead directions if you want to add this combination to your menu.
lentil and carrot soup
This soup looks so inviting with its orange broth, lentils and carrot rounds. The little herb sprig on top is a pretty finishing touch.
Individual portions are worth borrowing for your own soup prep. These jars are serving inspiration, not an indication that the soup is shelf-stable, so refrigerate or freeze it following your recipe.
cheesy stuffed sweet potatoes
I am obsessed with those golden spots on the cheese. The split sweet potatoes are piled with a filling that includes visible mushrooms and greens, with the orange centers peeking out underneath.
For your own version, you could prep the potatoes and filling separately, then bring them together for the final bake.
sausage and vegetable tray
If you are looking for lots of color, then this one is for you. There’s broccoli, red onion, carrots and bright peppers tucked around browned sausage slices.
I especially love the generous vegetable mix. You could portion a similar tray with rice or potatoes if you’d like something extra alongside it.
loaded chicken rice bowl
This is the bowl to save if you love a little bit of everything. Sliced chicken, orange rice, black beans and corn sit beside peppers and onions.
The middle is piled with chopped tomato, guacamole and a white topping.
For meal prep, I’d pack the cool toppings separately from anything that needs reheating. Don’t forget a lime wedge if you like that finishing touch.
golden folded pockets
These little folded pockets are so cute lined up on the cooling rack. I love the browned tops and the sealed edges.
The filling isn’t visible, but you could use this as inspiration for savory stuffed bread. Pick a tested recipe with your choice of filling rather than guessing what’s inside these.
fruit-topped oat jars
Don’t want the exact same breakfast every morning? These jars give you plenty of topping inspiration.
The labeled combinations include blueberry, strawberry, apple cinnamon and banana nut.
I’d start with two flavors rather than making the whole lineup. Keep any toppings you want crunchy separate until you’re ready to eat.
salmon broccoli and quinoa
This is another simple lunch combination, but it’s a little different from the rice bowls above. The salmon has chopped herbs and lemon slices on top, with broccoli and quinoa arranged below.
I love that you can see each part of the meal without a pile of extra toppings. Save this one if that’s more your style.
a tray of meatballs
Sometimes one useful component is all you need to get started. This tray is filled with browned meatballs, without a sauce or side dish added yet.
You could plan pasta for one meal and meatball sandwiches for another. Follow your chosen recipe for cooking and storage rather than using the browned outside to judge doneness.
single-serving lasagna
Who says lasagna has to fill a huge tray? This little dish has visible layers of pasta, red sauce and a pale filling, with shredded cheese being added on top.
The individual portion is my favorite part. Choose a lasagna recipe designed for your dish size so you have reliable cooking instructions.
layered noodle jar
Last but definitely not least, we have this colorful noodle jar. I love the purple cabbage and green edamame beneath the noodles.
There’s orange sauce at the bottom, with golden coated pieces and leafy greens above.
You could borrow the noodle-and-vegetable layers for your own lunch. I’d keep any crisp coated topping separate until serving.