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50 Summer Meal Prep Ideas Ready In No Time
Updated: October 12, 2022 This article may contain links from our partners. We may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through a link. Please read our disclosure and how we make money. These easy and light summer meal prep ideas are the perfect healthy meals you can make during hot summer days. From pasta salads and quick sandwiches to no-cook recipes ready in as little as 15 minutes, here you'll find everything you need to spend more time outdoors and less time in the kitchen! I don't know about you, but when summer hits, and it gets hot outside, the last thing I want to do is to spend hours in a hot kitchen. But we still have to eat! If you are looking for healthy meal prep recipes for summer that you can cook in no time (or require no cooking at all), you are in the right place. FREE MEAL PLANNER
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Check your inbox to confirm your subscription to get your FREE pdf! Most of these recipes include fresh summer produce: RadishesArugulaCucumbersBell peppersZucchiniCornBeetsTomatoesEggplants And more! Whether you want to batch cook everything on Sunday evening or simply plan your weekly meals before going to the grocery store, you'll find delicious recipes to help you cook without sweating! Let's get planning! 50 Summer Meal Prep Ideas
From fresh summer salads, sheet pan dinners to pasta recipes, there are plenty of meal ideas you can make ahead and include in your summer meal prep plan. 1 Vegetarian Paella Ready in 30 minutes
This vegetarian paella is super simple to prepare and ready in just 30 minutes. It's packed with tons of fresh rainbow vegetables, saffron-infused rice, and loads of flavors. It's delicious warm or cold, especially on hot summer days, so a terrific idea to double up the recipe and store or freeze the extra for meal prep. Get Recipe 2 Mediterranean Lunch Box
With wholesome, fresh ingredients, this Mediterranean meal prep lunch box couldn't be easier to put together. It's loaded with vegetables, chickpeas, and hummus. You can make it for a quick lunch in advance, and it's ready in about 20 minutes. It's one of my favorite summer meals! Get Recipe 3 Japanese Inspired Bento Box
This Bento Box is inspired by traditional Japanese flavors with a modern twist. It's filled with a simple omelet inspired by Tomagoyami, a cabbage salad coated in a salty miso dressing, brown rice, smoked salmon, and spicy edamame for a perfect summer lunch or dinner. Get Recipe 4 Chickpea Buddha Bowl
This Buddha bowl is filling and nourishing. Brown rice, fresh vegetables, crispy chickpeas, creamy avocado, and a turmeric tahini dressing are just a few of the plant-based goodies in this one-bowl meal. Delicious! Get Recipe 5 Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box
What I love about Bento boxes is that they are made to be eaten cold or at room temperature. Which makes them perfect for summer meal prep. And this chicken teriyaki bento box is one of my favorites. You can prepare it the night before and store it in the fridge before lunch. So good! Get Recipe 6 Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
You can keep this flavorful Mediterranean quinoa salad in the fridge for a few days, and it's ideal for lunch or a cool summer dinner. So good! Get Recipe 7 Avocado Sandwich Creamy And Full Of Veggies
This vegetarian sandwich is flavorful, creamy, and loaded with scrumptious vegetables. Just prepare the ingredients in advance. Then put it together in the morning to take with you for lunch on the go! But remember to add the avocado last! Get Recipe 8 One-Pan Mexican Quinoa Gluten-Free
Ready in 30 minutes, this Mexican Quinoa is the ideal weeknight meal. You can make it in advance and store it in the fridge for a few days. Just add the avocado at the last minute, and you are good to go. Get Recipe 9 Italian Lunch Box
This Italian Lunch Box requires no cooking and is ready in 10 minutes. It's quick, easy, and healthy. It's the perfect lunch box to make for hot summer days: all you'll need are sun-ripen tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, pesto, fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, and some fresh fruit. And for more lunch box ideas, check out this post. Get Recipe 10 Spicy Ranch Chopped Chicken Cabbage Salad
Photo Credit: www.ambitiouskitchen.com This chicken cabbage salad is made with a rainbow of vegetables, including bell pepper, carrots, crunchy cabbage, sweet corn, and more. Top it with roasted chicken and a homemade spicy greek yogurt ranch dressing. Get Recipe 11 Easy Hummus Bowl
This refreshing hummus bowl comes together pretty quickly. It's filled with plant protein and crunchy veggies, making it the perfect light summer lunch or dinner. I love that you can store all the ingredients and assemble it at the last minute. Get Recipe 12 Vegan Poke Bowl Crispy Tofu
You're going to fall in love with this vegan poke bowl recipe! It's light and healthful while still being filling and gratifying. You'll need crunchy rainbow vegetables, crispy tofu marinated in a light ginger soy sauce, plus sweet mango. You can prepare all the elements in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days! Get Recipe 13 No-Cook Creamy Tomato Pasta
This quick and easy no-cook tomato pasta can be made in just 15 minutes, and it's the ideal summer weekday meal. All you'll need is a few sweet, sun-ripened tomatoes, almonds, a few basil leaves, some capers, garlic, and extra-virgin olive oil. It's delicious hot and cold, making it the perfect meal to make ahead. Get Recipe 14 Chickpea Salad Sandwich
This chickpea salad sandwich is a lighter alternative to an egg or tuna salad sandwich. You can prepare the filling ahead of time and store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also wash and chop the vegetables ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator to make your life easier. When you are ready to eat, assemble your sandwich, and you are good to go! Get Recipe 15 MARINATED Vegetarian Pasta Salad
Photo Credit: www.recipetineats.com This vegetarian pasta salad has a trick in store. By marinating the veggies, you get a flavorful pasta salad that you can meal prep in advance and lasts for days! So juicy! Get Recipe 16 15-Minute Vegetable Stir Fry Noodles
These veggie stir-fry noodles are ready in just 15 minutes, and you can customize them with whatever veggies you have available! Use summer favorites like red peppers and zucchini to make it seasonal! Get Recipe 17 Mexican Bento Box
You can make this Mexican-inspired salad with black beans, bell peppers, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, onions, romaine lettuce, and some fresh cilantro. Combine it with a side of corn, tortilla chips, and guacamole for a fresh summer meal. Get Recipe 18 Chili-Rubbed Salmon with Summer Corn Salad
Photo Credit: www.eatyourselfskinny.com This perfect summer salad combines salmon with grilled corn, fresh tomatoes, and avocado, all mixed in a cilantro-lime dressing. Indulgent and refreshing at the same time! Get Recipe 19 Vegetarian Bento Box
This vegetarian bento box is a nutritious cold meal to keep you going throughout the day. It's filled with a hard-boiled egg, healthy veggies, quinoa, and fresh fruit. Plus, it's naturally dairy-free and gluten-free. Get Recipe 20 Lentil Tabbouleh
Photo Credit: theclevermeal.com This flavorful lentil tabbouleh is filled with plant-based protein and loaded with flavor in every bite. Serve it with some pita bread or brown rice to make it a full meal. You can make it ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Adding the dressing at the last minute will make it less watery. Get Recipe 21 Pasta with Tomatoes and Zucchini
Photo Credit: theclevermeal.com This simple pasta dish with tomatoes and zucchini is ready in just 30 minutes. Filled with fresh summer vegetables, you can make it ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. And trust me, it's delicious cold as well as hot. Get Recipe 22 Vegan Bento Box
This easy and delicious vegan bento box is simple and quick to make. Pack an avocado sandwich, fresh berries, and popcorn, and you are good to go. Get Recipe 23 Spinach Strawberry Salad With Poppy Seed Dressing
Photo Credit: www.wellplated.com This strawberry spinach salad is filled with fresh, juicy strawberries, lots of leafy greens (here, Erin used baby spinach), red onions, pecans, and a delicious feta dressing. Summer salad perfection! Get Recipe 24 Mushroom Tacos
Photo Credit: www.loveandlemons.com These mushroom tacos burst with flavor from the grilled portobello mushrooms and avocado salsa. They're a quick and tasty plant-based meal! To meal prep, make the mushroom filling in advance and store it in the fridge. I would prepare the avocado salsa at the last minute to avoid having it turn brown. Get Recipe 25 Nicoise Salad
Photo Credit: www.wellplated.com A Nicoise salad loaded with lots of summer veggies. A light and fresh vinaigrette brings to life all the ingredients. A cold salad perfect for enjoying when it's out outside. Get Recipe 26 Coconut Rice Stuffed Peppers
Photo Credit: www.loveandlemons.com Stuffed peppers are so much fun! They are colorful, lively, and delicious. Filled with coconut rice, mango, and lots of fresh herbs, it's the perfect dinner for warmer weather. Get Recipe 27 Fajita Chicken Burrito Bowl
Photo Credit: cafedelites.com This chicken burrito bowl is perfect for summer meal prep. All you'll need is golden chicken, cilantro lime rice, avocado, and a delicious lime dressing! Get Recipe 28 Greek Pasta Salad
Photo Credit: www.aheadofthyme.com Pasta salads are some of the best summer dinner ideas. This vibrant pasta salad features fresh veggies and a creamy Greek salad dressing with fresh herbs from the garden. You can prep it ahead and have something cool and ready for a hot summer day. Get Recipe 29 Summer Quinoa Salad Jars with Lemon Dill Dressing
Photo Credit: pinchofyum.com Nothing screams summer meal prep more than a salad in mason jars! And this quinoa salad with a lemon-dill dressing is perfect for your weekly meal prep during the summer months. It features shrimp, quinoa, tomato, cucumber, and feta cheese. Get Recipe 30 Orzo Salad
Photo Credit: www.loveandlemons.com Try this orzo salad for summer barbecues and picnics! It is bursting with flavor thanks to the feta cheese, cucumber, olives, red onion, zesty Greek dressing, and a dash of black pepper. Get Recipe 31 Sheet Pan Chicken with Rainbow Vegetables Lemon and Parmesan
Photo Credit: www.wellplated.com This sheet pan chicken is the perfect easy recipe for summer. All you'll need is chicken breast and lots of colorful veggies. Add some fresh lemon juice, and you'll have an easy recipe ready in no time. Get Recipe 32 Grilled Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken Salad
Photo Credit: cafedelites.com This succulent salad tastes like summer! Full of Mediterranean ingredients - olives, tomatoes, cucumber, avocados, and chicken - is a complete meal in a bowl! Get Recipe 33 Roasted Vegetable Pasta
Photo Credit: www.loveandlemons.com Use any fresh vegetables you have on hand to make this versatile roasted vegetable pasta! Garnish it with fresh herbs, and you'll have a straightforward and perfect meal prep recipe in no time. Get Recipe 34 Shawarma Wraps
Photo Credit: www.loveandlemons.com This mouthwatering vegetarian wrap recipe is made with warm pita bread, shawarma-flavored chickpeas, creamy hummus, spicy zhoug, and fresh vegetables. Make the filling ahead of time, and fill the wraps when you are ready to eat for an easy summer lunch. Get Recipe 35 Easy Gazpacho
Photo Credit: www.loveandlemons.com Nothing beats the hot weather like a simple gazpacho recipe. This cold soup is filled with summer vegetables, vinegar, and a drizzle of olive oil. You can keep it in the fridge for 4-5 days and enjoy it with some sourdough bread. Yummy! Get Recipe 36 Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup
Carrot soup is something I usually enjoy on cold days. But I tried this slightly warm with fresh carrots from the garden, and I am converted. This creamy and spicy soup is perfect for enjoying on a hot summer night. Just prepare it in advance and eat it slightly warm or cold. Get Recipe 37 Baked gnocchi with summer vegetables
Photo Credit: www.lazycatkitchen.com These baked gnocchi scream summer! Made with fresh zucchini, tomatoes, red onion, capers, and vegan ricotta, they are simply delicious. They are easy to batch cook and eat cold or warm a few days later. You can opt for standard ricotta cheese if you are not vegan. Get Recipe 38 Panzanella Tuscan-Style Salad
Another healthy salad you can meal prep this summer, this Panzanella salad, is inspired by Tuscan summer nights. Made with sun-ripen tomatoes, fresh basil, chickpeas, and stale bread, it's one of my favorite salads to eat in the summer months. Get Recipe 39 Summer Chipotle Chicken Cobb Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette
Photo Credit: pinchofyum.com This chicken salad is perfect for summer! It's filled with chipotle chicken, crunchy bacon, juicy sweet corn, fresh avocado, strawberries, and a refreshing cilantro vinaigrette. Pro tip: Prepare all the ingredients ahead, but add the avocado, strawberries, and dressing at the last minute to avoid having a soggy salad. Get Recipe 40 Chicken Avocado & Mango Summer Rolls
Photo Credit: www.asaucykitchen.com These chicken avocado & mango summer rolls are wrapped in a rice paper sheet and filled with chicken, avocado, crispy vegetables, and an incredibly easy coconut peanut dipping sauce. Get Recipe 41 Sheet Pan Italian Chicken with Tomatoes and Vegetables
Photo Credit: www.wellplated.com This easy one-pan Italian chicken dinner can be made with any summer vegetable you have. Here you'll see zucchini, tomatoes, and green beans. The best thing? It's ready in 20 minutes! Get Recipe 42 Fresh Summer Rolls
Photo Credit: simple-veganista.com These fresh summer rolls are colorful, nutritious, and fun to make. The perfect light lunch or dinner you can make ahead and store in the fridge, ready to serve with creamy peanut or sweet chili dipping sauce! Get Recipe 43 Asian Chicken Wraps With Thai Peanut Sauce
Photo Credit: www.wellplated.com Crunchy and spicy, these creamy Asian Chicken wraps are an explosion of color, flavor, and texture. Plus, they are ready in only 30 minutes! You can prepare the filling up to 1 day in advance and store it in an airtight container. Assemble the wraps up to 4 hours in advance and store them in the refrigerator (or your lunch box) until ready to serve. Get Recipe 44 Cowboy Rice Salad
Photo Credit: www.recipetineats.com This filling rice salad features black beans, plenty of veggies, brown rice, and a zingy lime dressing. Once ready, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Get Recipe 45 Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Photo Credit: www.loveandlemons.com I love to make stuffed vegetables for an easy summer dinner. And these zucchini boats are so good. Filled with cherry tomatoes, lemon, thyme, and Parmesan, they are simple to make, fresh & delicious. Get Recipe 46 Lettuce Wraps
Photo Credit: www.wellplated.com Filled with tofu and mushrooms, these lettuce wraps are easy, healthy, and delicious. I love that you can make the tofu filling ahead of time and refrigerate it for 3 to 5 days. But keep the lettuce leaves in a separate container. Leftovers are great mixed with rice or scrambled with egg. Get Recipe 47 Grilled Summer Vegetable Tacos
Photo Credit: www.makingthymeforhealth.com There's no summer without tacos! And these are filled with summer grilled vegetables and served with black beans. But the creamy cilantro sauce is what sets them apart from the crowd. Plus, they are ready in just 30 minutes. Get Recipe 48 Spicy Mexican Shrimp Salad Recipe
Photo Credit: littlespicejar.com This spicy shrimp salad inspired by Mexican flavors is topped with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and perfectly seasoned shrimps. Delicious! Get Recipe 49 Spinach Salad with Grilled Veggies & Herb Chicken
Photo Credit: www.feastingathome.com Grilled mushrooms, red onions, sweet peppers, and herb-grilled chicken give this spinach salad its rich flavor. Finish it with a healthy French dressing for a complete meal on warm days! Get Recipe 50 Heirloom Caprese Salad
Photo Credit: cookieandkate.com One of the most classic summer meals from my Italian childhood. Nothing beats a delicious Caprese salad made with the best heirloom tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, and a drizzle of the best extra virgin olive oil. There isn't much to prep ahead here. All you need are top-quality ingredients and 5 minutes of your time. Get Recipe 51 Zucchini Lasagna
Photo Credit: www.feastingathome.com If you have too many zucchini in your garden, this is the perfect summer meal prep recipe for you. This noodle-free zucchini lasagna is just as tasty as the original. You can assemble it, put it in the refrigerator, and bake it on the day of serving. Or you can bake it ahead and reheat it in the oven. Get Recipe There you have it! My favorite summer meal prep recipes to cook on hot summer days! If you try any of these summer meal prep recipes, please leave a comment and a rating and let me know how much you liked them! Print Recipe Summer Meal Prep Mediterranean Lunch Box
These easy and light summer meal prep ideas are the perfect healthy meals you can make during hot summer days. From pasta salads and quick sandwiches to no-cook recipes ready in as little as 15 minutes, here you'll find everything you need to spend more time outdoors and less time in the kitchen! Prep Time10 minsCook Time10 mins Course: LunchCuisine: American Servings: 4 servings Calories: 452kcal Author: Sara @ Gathering Dreams Ingredients
USMetric Summer Meal Prep Mediterranean Lunch Box
2 cups uncooked wholewheat couscous1 medium cucumber - roughly chopped2 bell peppers - 1 red, 1 yellow1/2 red onion1 cup cherry tomatoes - halved1/2 cup fresh flat leave parsley1 can chickpeas - 15 ounces1 cup hummus1/2 cup Kalamata olives Dressing
2 tablespoons olive oil1 lemon - juiced1/4 cup white or red wine vinegar1 teaspoon dried oregano1 teaspoon sea salt1/2 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika Instructions
Prepare the couscous according to the package instructions, making sure to add a bit of salt to the water.While the couscous is cooking and resting, prepare the veggies: chop the cucumber, the peppers, the red onion, and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Finely chop the parsley.Prepare the dressing by mixing the olive oil, the juice of one lemon, dried oregano, salt, and pepper in a jar. Make sure to taste the seasoning and adjust to your liking.Drain and rinse the chickpeas, add them to a bowl and mix with 1 tablespoon of dressing and the smoked paprika. If you prefer, you can also roast the chickpeas in the oven for 20 minutes at 350F.In another bowl, mix the bell peppers with the chopped red onion, 2 tablespoons of dressing, and the chopped parsley.Divide the couscous equally among the meal prep containers. Then add all the chopped veggies, olives, chickpea salad, and top everything with a good serving of hummus (if you are making the hummus on the go, you'll need an extra 5 minutes – you can follow my recipe here).Divide the remaining dressing between the bowls, and mix well before eating. Notes
Storage: You can store this Mediterranean lunch box in the fridge for 3-5 days. Nutritional values are calculated on 6 servings and are only an indication. Nutrition
Calories: 452kcal Carbohydrates: 79g Protein: 16g Fat: 12g Saturated Fat: 2g Sodium: 727mg Potassium: 374mg Fiber: 12g Sugar: 5g Vitamin A: 1836IU Vitamin C: 71mg Calcium: 74mg Iron: 4mg Did you make this recipe? Tag @gatheringdreams on Instagram. I want to see it! More easy dinner ideas
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