High protein meal prep: 8 make-ahead meals, a weekly plan and a shopping list

The short answer: high protein meal prep means cooking a protein-rich breakfast, lunch and dinner in batches so each portion carries 25 to 35 grams of protein. Prep twice a week, on Sunday and Thursday, because the FDA gives most cooked meat, chicken and fish 3 to 4 days in the fridge. The 8 meals below give 24 to 38 grams per serving, calculated from USDA data.

New to batch cooking? Start with our meal prep for beginners guide first.

What are good high protein meal prep ideas?

Good high protein meal prep ideas pair a lean main protein with a smaller second source, such as tuna with white beans. All of these reheat well or taste good cold.

Per serving, from our USDA FoodData Central calculations, using raw weights for meat, fish and grains.

What is a good high protein meal prep breakfast?

A good high protein meal prep breakfast is built on eggs, which set firm and reheat in a minute. Both of these hit about 25 grams.

1. Spinach and feta egg bites. Makes 12 (3 per serving). You need: 10 large eggs; 1 cup (226g) 2% cottage cheese; ½ cup (75g) crumbled feta; 2 cups chopped baby spinach; 1 red bell pepper, diced. Blend the eggs and cottage cheese until smooth, stir in the rest and pour into a greased 12-cup muffin tin. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, to 160°F, the FDA’s minimum for egg dishes.

2. Egg and black bean breakfast burritos. Makes 6. You need: 8 large eggs plus 1 cup (243g) liquid egg whites; 1 cup (172g) canned black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 cup (113g) shredded cheddar; ½ cup (130g) salsa; six 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas; 1 tsp oil. Scramble the eggs and whites until firm, stir in the beans and cool. Fill the tortillas with the eggs, cheese and salsa, roll and wrap each one. These freeze well.

What are good high protein meal prep lunch ideas?

Good high protein meal prep lunches are grain bowls and pasta salads that taste fine cold or reheated.

3. Greek chicken and quinoa bowls. Serves 4. You need: 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast; ¾ cup (128g) dry quinoa; 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 large cucumber; ½ red onion; ⅓ cup (50g) feta; 6 oz plain nonfat Greek yogurt; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp lemon juice; garlic and dried oregano. Roast the chicken with half the oil, lemon and oregano at 425°F to 165°F inside. Cook the quinoa. Grate a quarter of the cucumber into the Greek yogurt with garlic for tzatziki, packed in a separate pot.

4. Beef taco rice bowls. Serves 4. You need: 1 lb 93% lean ground beef; ¾ cup (140g) dry brown rice; 1½ cups frozen corn; 1 red bell pepper and 1 onion, diced; 1 cup (259g) salsa; ½ cup (56g) shredded cheddar; 1 tbsp oil; cumin and chili powder. Brown the beef with the onion, pepper and spices to 160°F, the FDA’s minimum for ground meat, then add the corn. Pack over the cooked rice with salsa and cheese.

5. Tuna, white bean and pasta salad. Serves 4. You need: three 5-oz cans light tuna in water, drained (about 340g); 6 oz dry whole-wheat pasta; 1 cup (179g) canned white beans, drained and rinsed; 2 cups cherry tomatoes; ½ red onion; 2 cups baby spinach; ¼ cup (25g) grated Parmesan; 3 tbsp olive oil; 3 tbsp lemon juice. Cook and cool the pasta, then toss everything together.

What are good high protein meal prep dinners?

Good high protein meal prep dinners are one-tray or one-pan meals.

6. Turkey meatballs with whole-wheat spaghetti. Serves 4. You need: 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey; 1 large egg; ⅓ cup (33g) grated Parmesan; ½ cup (40g) rolled oats; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 cups (528g) marinara sauce; 6 oz dry whole-wheat spaghetti. Mix everything but the sauce and pasta, roll 16 meatballs and bake at 425°F to 165°F inside. Simmer in the sauce and pack over the cooked pasta.

7. Sheet-pan salmon, sweet potatoes and green beans. Serves 4. You need: 1¼ lb salmon fillets; 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed; 1 lb green beans; 2 tbsp olive oil; paprika and lemon. Roast the sweet potatoes at 425°F for 15 minutes, then add the beans and salmon for 12 to 15 minutes more, until the fish reaches 145°F or flakes easily.

8. Shrimp and edamame fried rice. Serves 4. You need: 12 oz raw peeled shrimp; 1½ cups (177g) frozen shelled edamame; 1 cup (185g) dry brown rice, cooked and chilled; 3 large eggs; 1 cup frozen peas and carrots; 1 onion; 3 garlic cloves; 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce; 1 tbsp oil. Stir-fry the onion, garlic and shrimp until the shrimp is pearly and opaque. Scramble in the eggs, then add everything else.

How do you meal prep for a high protein diet?

To meal prep for a high protein diet, cook three recipes twice a week, because Rutgers Cooperative Extension says never to keep leftovers more than four days. This plan feeds one person:

Freeze the 3 spare burritos and the spare meatball dinner. The FDA says not to freeze tuna salad, so share the fourth portion. Swap in the taco bowls or fried rice for variety.

What should be on a high protein grocery list?

A high protein grocery list for this week covers the six recipes in the plan:

• Protein: 2 dozen large eggs; 1 cup liquid egg whites; 1 lb chicken breast; 1¼ lb salmon; 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey; three 5-oz cans light tuna; 16 oz tub 2% cottage cheese; one 6-oz cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt; 6 oz feta; 4 oz cheddar; grated Parmesan; a 15-oz can each of black and white beans.
• Grains: quinoa; a 1-lb box of whole-wheat pasta; rolled oats; six whole-wheat tortillas.
• Produce: a 5-oz bag of baby spinach; 1 red bell pepper; 1 large cucumber; 2 pints cherry tomatoes; 1 red onion; 2 medium sweet potatoes; 1 lb green beans; 2 lemons; garlic.
• Pantry: a 24-oz jar of marinara; salsa; olive oil; oregano, paprika, salt and pepper.

Eggs, tuna and beans are among the cheapest protein foods.

How long does meal prep last in the fridge?

Most cooked meal prep lasts 3 to 4 days in a fridge at 40°F or below, according to the FDA’s storage chart. Freezing at 0°F keeps food safe indefinitely, so freezer times are for quality.

Refrigerate food within 2 hours of cooking, or 1 hour above 90°F outside, in shallow containers so it cools fast, the FDA says. Label each with the date. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.

How much protein should a meal have?

A meal should have about 0.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or about 25 to 35 grams for someone weighing 140 to 190 pounds. That target comes from a 2018 review by Schoenfeld and Aragon, and Cleveland Clinic also cites 25 to 35 grams. Our guide to how much protein per meal has a chart by weight. To hit it, start with 4 ounces of a lean protein, then add a second source:

Source: our calculations from USDA FoodData Central. Our meal protein calculator checks any swap. If you don’t eat meat or fish, try our high protein vegetarian meals, and our high protein soups freeze well.

Your next step

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Quick questions

How long does meal prepped chicken last?

Meal prepped chicken lasts 3 to 4 days in a fridge at 40°F or below, according to the FDA’s storage chart. That covers plain cooked pieces and cooked poultry dishes. Frozen at 0°F it stays safe indefinitely, and the FDA suggests eating plain pieces within 4 months and poultry dishes within 4 to 6 months for the best quality.

How long does meal prep salmon last?

Cooked salmon lasts 3 to 4 days in the fridge, the FDA’s limit for cooked fish. In the freezer, the FDA gives cooked fish 4 to 6 months for best quality. Refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking and reheat to 165°F, or eat it cold flaked over a salad, which avoids drying it out.

How long does meal prep last in the freezer?

Meal prep stays safe in the freezer indefinitely at 0°F, the FDA says, but quality fades over time. For best quality, the FDA suggests 2 to 3 months for cooked meat dishes and soups, and 4 to 6 months for cooked poultry dishes and cooked fish. Label each container with the date you cooked it.

Can you meal prep shrimp?

Yes. Cooked shrimp keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge under the FDA’s limit for cooked fish. Cook raw shrimp until the flesh is pearly and opaque, which is the FDA’s doneness sign, then cool it quickly in a shallow container. Reheat it gently to 165°F so it doesn’t turn rubbery.

How long does meal prepped rice last?

Treat meal prepped rice like other leftovers and eat it within four days, the longest Rutgers Cooperative Extension says to keep any leftover. Cool it fast in a shallow container and get it into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking, as the FDA advises. Reheat it until it’s steaming hot, to 165°F.

How do you meal prep high protein lunches?

Build each lunch on about 4 ounces of a lean protein, such as chicken, tuna or ground beef, plus a second source like beans, feta or Greek yogurt. That lands most lunches at 25 to 35 grams. Grain bowls and pasta salads work best, because they taste good cold or reheated.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA data and change with brands and portion sizes. If you have kidney disease, a food allergy, are pregnant or follow a diet set by your doctor, ask your care team how much protein suits you.

Sources

• USDA. FoodData Central (SR Legacy)
• FDA. Refrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart
• FDA. Safe Food Handling
• FDA. Are You Storing Food Safely?
• Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Leftovers and Food Safety
• Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2018
• Cleveland Clinic. Can You Eat Too Much Protein?