This Easy Pesto Chicken and Vegetables meal prep is super fast and easy, and holds up well in the fridge for tasty lunches all week!
Budget Friendly Meal Prep
Planning, preparing, and portioning your meals ahead of time is one of the most effective tools for keeping your food budget in check. We have 20+ Budget friendly meal prep ideas to keep your taste buds happy, your belly full, and your budget on track! New to meal prepping? Check out our Meal Prep 101 before you begin. (pictured: Pork and Peanut Dragon Noodle Meal Prep)
Looking for pre-made meal plans? Check out our range of 4-week dinner meal plans!
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These kale and white bean power bowls are full of flavor, texture, protein, fiber, and other nutrients. Perfect for meal prep!
I don't know about you, but I need a good salad right about now. I've been kind of over doing the comfort foods lately and my body is like, "pleeeease, can I have some...
Have you ever had a recipe call for just a partial can of pumpkin purée? And then you’re like, “well, what am I going to do with the rest of this??” Instead of searching...
Here’s another quick lunch box idea (or meal prep breakfast idea) for you! While this one isn’t completely no-cook because it contains a hard boiled egg, it is still a super easy no-reheat lunch...
Continuing on with the series of no-cook lunch boxes, I bring you The Peanut Butter Lunch Box! This one is so simple, yet I may have enjoyed this one the most out of all...
Here’s another no-cook cold lunch idea for you! Tuna salad is a classic cold lunch item, but you can’t prep a few days worth of sandwiches ahead and expect them to hold up and...
Continuing on with my no-cook lunch box series, today I bring you The Cheese Board Lunch Box! This one goes out to everyone who is perfectly happy nibbling on a charcuterie board for dinner,...
Are y’all ready for the next installment in the no-cook lunch box series? The Hummus Lunch Box is a classic, one that I’m sure many of you have made before, but it definitely deserves...
The heat is getting to me, y’all! So last week I sat down and brainstormed some no-cook lunch boxes, or meal preps that I can keep in the fridge for quick meals over the...
Every now and then I like to share things with you that aren’t exactly “recipes” but are just the random bowl meals that I make out of things found in my fridge. I’ve discovered...
I’m a huge proponent of batch cooking and stocking your freezer with portioned meals that you can just grab-reheat-and-go! Not only are these make-ahead freezer breakfast burritos a great answer to the “I’m too...
Taco bowls, burrito bowls, whatever you want to call them! I went with taco bowls this time because of the homemade taco seasoning used on the roasted cauliflower, plus the fresh toppings like tomatoes...
Sheet pan meals are my savior. There’s really nothing easier than roasting vegetables in the oven, and it happens to make them taste really good, too. Add a little meat to the vegetables and...
Food trends are one factor that can have a big impact on ingredient costs. It’s all about the laws of supply and demand. If the demand is low but supply is relatively stable, the...
Some nights you just need something warm, comforting, and easy to help melt off the stresses of the day, like a big bowl of chili. And maybe some cornbread, too, for good measure. This...
Can’t stop, won’t stop with the yummy soups over here! Soup is easy, soup is filling, soup is an easy way to pack some more vegetables into your day, and soup (usually) freezes well....
If you’ve been following the blog for a while, then you know how I love to meal prep my breakfast. It’s just so much easier to spend a little time on the weekend to...
A couple weeks ago I shared my current “mix and match meal prep” system on my Instagram stories and so many people messaged me about it that I decided to make it into a...
Making sure I get vegetables into my diet takes daily effort. But one thing I know for sure is that if I have them prepped, I am 1000x more likely to eat them. So...
I’m living off refrigerator salads all summer, what about you? Oh, you don’t know what a refrigerator salad is? It’s a salad that holds up well to refrigeration (doesn’t go limp and soggy like...
This Cold Peanut Noodle Salad is the perfect meal prep for summer! No need to reheat, it’s light but filling, and the flavors are oh so fresh. It’s topped off with a homemade tangy,...
I’ve had a lot of questions about how to use lemon curd since posting the recipe for Luscious Homemade Lemon Curd the other day. There are a million and one ways to use it,...
You know how some people carry around a gallon jug of water with them all day to remind themselves to drink water and so they can always see how close they are to hitting...
Traveling is always fun, but I’m always so ready to get back to a good eating routine as soon as I get back. So, as soon as I got back from my trip to...
I seriously never get tired of super easy stir fry dinners! I mean, what’s not to love? Only a few ingredients, you can work in a TON of vegetables, and they’re super fast! Using...
I went down the rabbit hole of looking at diet or macro-friendly meal delivery services online the other day. It’s a booming business these days and I was really curious about what kind of...
One of the best parts about recipe testing is that when you stumble onto something good you have a great excuse to make it over and over again while you tweak the details. I’ve...
It’s only been two days since the Vegetarian Challenge ended, but my stomach is already like, “Whoa girl, take it easy. I thought I told you before not to change things up so suddenly!”...
While planning my menu for week 3 of my Vegetarian Challenge, I took inventory of my pantry and noted that I still had about two pounds of potatoes left over from week one that...
These Loaded Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Lime Crema are the perfect meal prep item, since they’re already pre-portioned and ready to go. There are a lot of options for toppings and seasonings with this...
Happy New Year! My 31 Day Vegetarian Challenge officially starts today and I have to say, the first recipe I made for the challenge, Sweet and Spicy Tempeh Bowls, is pretty killer. I chose...
Y’all know I’m all about the bowl meals, right? It’s pretty routine for me to just go into my fridge, grab whatever odds and ends I have, and throw them into a bowl for...
I almost forgot to mention, I meal prepped my Cheddar Cheeseburger Meatloaf last week! I paired the meatloaf with some Fluffy Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes and some simple green beans for a seriously satisfying...
If I could only say one thing to people who read my blog, it’s that dinner doesn’t have to be complicated. These Sweet Chili Chicken Stir Fry Bowls are the perfect example. It’s really...
This week I’m bringing my own salad bar to lunch! I love a good salad bar and being able to mix and match vegetables, proteins, and other goodies, so that’s what has inspired my...
Okay guys, I’m putting it all together today with this Glazed Chicken Meal Prep! I went out of town for a couple of days for Labor Day weekend, and even after just a few...
ICYMI, the Curried Tofu Salad that I made earlier this week is my new absolute favorite. It’s SO fast and easy, incredibly filling yet light, super flavorful, and best of all, very inexpensive. I...
It’s hot outside. Like molten hot, and that calls for some cold, no-heat meal prep ideas! I’m all about huge salads full of yummies that are filling and totally meal-worthy. Cobb salad is a...
Are you ready for another super easy meal prep (or weeknight dinner)? This Jerk Chicken with Pineapple Black Bean Salsa is incredible simple, but still big on summery flavor. The spicy jerk seasoning perfectly...
Meal prepping is the hottest food trend lately, and frankly, I couldn’t be happier! I’ve been meal prepping for years simply because it’s a great way to save time, money, and reduce waste in the...
You guys, I am SO IN LOVE with this meal! Browned beef full of warm spices, a medley of roasted vegetables with caramelized edges, and a bed of warm rice makes a fabulously well rounded...
I’ve actually made this Smoky Chicken and Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potato Meal Prep three times in the last month and a half (and I’m still not sick of it), so it’s about time I posted...
Okay, so this is definitely the least pretty meal prep I’ve ever made and I almost didn’t post it, but I’m genuinely excited to be eating this Black Bean and Avocado Enchilada Meal Prep...
I’ve got a really quick meal prep for you guys this week! I haven’t done a lot of cooking the last few days because I got braces on Tuesday and for a minute, even...
One of my favorite things to do is replicate “convenience foods” at home, and for the past couple of weeks I’ve been seeing ads for these new breakfast cups where you just crack an...
I have really been craving burrito bowls, so I decided to highlight them in the meal prep series this week. If you’re a meal prep pro, you’re probably very familiar with burrito bowls. They’re...
My meal prep this week was soooo good you guys! It’s just two recipes, but totally delicious and with tons of flavor (and fiber, lol). I made a video for my Pork and Peanut...
I don’t have a new meal prep this week because I took this past week off from the kitchen to recharge my creative juices, but I thought it would be a great time to...
High five to me for not accidentally erasing all the meal prep photos from my camera like I did last week! Ha! The Chorizo Stuffed Bell Peppers I made earlier this week are absolutely perfect...
Oooh, I’ve got a great meal prep this week! Well, any time pasta is in my meal prep I’m a little happier. This week I revisited one of my oldest recipes, Tuscan White Bean...
It’s meal prep time! I’m sorry I didn’t get this post up on Sunday, but a day late is better than never! :) This week I remade and old recipe that I love, Sweet...
Hey guys! I know it’s been a couple weeks since I’ve posted a meal prep, but something I’ve been focusing on lately is getting up and jumping right back on the horse when you...
I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend! I made a huge pot of Slow Simmered Black Eyed Peas and Greens earlier this week, and of course I meal prepped it! I kept...
Hey guys! I’ve got a quick and simple meal prep for you this week, but I do have to mention that this one probably won’t be applicable to everyone because this week I used...
I had a crew here shooting video all last week and they left me with a refrigerator full of vegetables (poor me, right?). Luckily, they were all vegetables that are pretty shelf stable, so...
Woohoo! I’m excited about this one! This Garlic Parmesan Kale Pasta Meal Prep might be one of my most favorite meal preps so far. It is a little pricer than most, thanks to the...
What’s up everyone! I hope your weekend has been treating you well. I’ve been focusing on eating a little better lately, so I decided to do a salad based meal prep this week. I...
Do you remember when the internet had a collective “Aha!” moment over smoothie packs? Maybe not if you’re not looking at food online 24/7 like me, but believe me when I say the world...
Hey guys! Long time no see! Okay, maybe it’s only been a week, but it feels like forever. I took last week off to celebrate the holiday and enjoy some time with an out...
Hey guys! I hope your weekend is going great! I’ve got a quick, no-cook meal prep idea for you this week because sometimes you just don’t want to cook, ammiright? Yeah, that’s me today....
We’re almost at peak autumn here in Nashville so I made a very autumn-inspired meal prep this week. I went deep into the Budget Bytes archives and pulled an awesome recipe that I haven’t...
I’ve reached the end of another week and I once again feel like I’ve over indulged and need some vegetables in my life, so I reached into my archives and decided to revive my...
Hey guys! I hope you’re having a fantastic weekend! I got back from a short trip to Seattle a couple of days ago, but wanted to hop right back on the meal prep wagon...
Hey guys! I hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend so far and have saved a little time to do some meal prep for the week! I didn’t have a lot of time in the...
As usual I let the leftover ingredients in my fridge and pantry dictate what my next recipes would be. I had some leftover corn tortillas from my Green Chile Migas, an extra can of...
Okay, I’m back to comfort food this week with these Pesto Stuffed Shells Meal Prep. It’s a classic pasta dish that I paired with Homemade Garlic Bread. I had planned on making it an...
Hey guys! Time for Sunday meal prep again! This week I wanted to prepare a lunch that didn’t need reheating, so I thought it was a great time to revisit one of my favorite...
Okay guys, I thought I’d do something a little more all-American, comfort food style for this week’s meal prep. This Garden Vegetable Turkey Loaf Meal prep contains my veggie-packed Mini Garden Vegetable Turkey Loaves,...
Hey guys! It’s Sunday and you know what that means—I’m sharing my meal prep combo for the week! That’s 2-3 Budget Bytes recipes that I’ve combined to create four pre-pack meals to eat over...
Hi! Guys, I’m seriously so excited to be back in the kitchen. It feels sooooo good. I’m still trying to find the “good light” in my new house for food photos, but we’ll figure...
Welcome back! Okay, I thought last week’s meal prep was the last I was going to cook in my kitchen before moving, but I was wrong. Mid-week I decided to use up the last...
OMG you guys, I think I may have just cooked for the last time in my kitchen. 😢 If you haven’t heard, we’re about to move from New Orleans to Nashville and later this week...
This week has been super crazy, but I’m proud of myself for still getting my weekly meal prep in order. Even though I’m only prepping four days worth of one dish, it’s still been...
In case you missed it last week, I’m starting a new “Sunday Meal Prep” series where I pair old recipes together and show how to prep them ahead for a few days worth of...
Life is pretty chaotic right now and my eating habits have totally gone down the tubes, so it’s time to start meal prepping. In addition to my new Sunday Meal Prep series, this week...
“Meal prepping,” as it has now come to be known in fitness circles, has always been a huge part of my budget eating strategy. Cooking your meals ahead of time and having them pre-packed...
Okay, I know this Mango Coconut Chia Pudding is a little out of the ordinary for me, since I don’t usually hop on to health food trends, but let me explain. I have this...
As I mentioned yesterday, I’m just coming back from vacation and am totally craving “healthy” homemade food. So, I prepared these Chili Garlic Tofu Bowls to eat for lunch the rest of the week. They’re...
Egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches are one of my favorite meals in the whole world. Luckily, they also freeze quite well, so I can meal prep my favorite breakfast for busy days. With these...
So what’s the deal with Overnight Oats? They seem to be everywhere these days, right? Well, it’s for good reason—they’re AWESOME. Why are they awesome? They’re fast and easy to make, they’re healthy, and...
Y’all know I love my bowl meals! Everything you need in one easy to eat (and transport) bowl, no need to worry about what side dishes go with what. Plus, they’re easy for you...
One of my favorite dinners from my childhood was a big bowl of rice, black beans, salsa, and cheese, or what I call “Poor Man’s Burrito Bowls.” Looking back I don’t know if that...
Today I had this insane craving for cold and crunchy vegetables all wrapped up inside a fluffy pita (it’s weird how specific my cravings are sometimes). So I threw together this super simple Roasted...
If you’re not on the “overnight oats” train, it might be time to hop on. Overnight oats are an amazing way to eat oats cold, which is perfect for the summer. And the tropical...
I’ve got another quickie for you tonight. It’s more of an idea than a recipe. I’m sure a lot of you Budget Byters already stock your freezers with these handy smoothie packs, but I...
