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 80+ 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.

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Popular Meal Prep Recipes

Smoky Chicken and Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potato Meal Prep

$9.43 recipe / $2.36 serving

Four glass meal prep containers lined up with roasted vegetable couscous. Two with chicken and two with chickpeas

Roasted Vegetable Couscous Meal Prep

$12.01 recipe / $4.00 serving

Three glass containers filled with hummus lunch box ingredients

The Hummus Lunch Box

$8.04 recipe / $2.01 serving

Cold Peanut Noodle Salad

$5.30 recipe / $1.33 serving

Ground Turkey Stir Fry

$8.05 recipe / $1.61 serving

Newest Budget Friendly Meal Prep

Grilled Chicken

$9.02 recipe / $2.25 serving

I brine large chicken breasts, then coat them in a sweet and savory spice rub to create the juiciest grilled chicken you've ever tasted!

Ditalini Pasta Salad

$8.67 recipe / $1.08 serving

This easy Ditalini Pasta Salad is packed with roasted summer veggies, tossed in pesto, and finished with a sprinkle of feta. Delicious & meal prep friendly!

Grilled Vegetables

$7.75 recipe / $0.97 serving

With just a few ingredients and my easy grilling method, these grilled vegetables are the perfect side dish for any summer BBQ!

Breakfast Cookies

$5.32 recipe / $0.35 serving

These easy Breakfast Cookies are soft & chewy, budget-friendly, and the perfect grab-and-go breakfast for those busy mornings.

Baked Chicken Breast

$12.08 recipe / $3.02 serving

These easy Baked Chicken Breasts are marinated in a simple brine before being seasoned to perfection and baked in the oven until golden, tender, and JUICY!

Overhead view of thanksgiving salad in two bowls.

Thanksgiving Bowls

$13.67 recipe / $2.73 serving

These Thanksgiving Bowls are the perfect salads for using up all your holiday leftovers. Fresh, healthy, and great for reducing food waste!

Overhead view of sweet potatoes and black bean skillet with napkin and wooden spoon on the side.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Skillet

$7.44 recipe / $1.86 serving

This Sweet Potato Black Bean skillet is a fun, budget-friendly, and veggie packed meal with lots of flavor and is perfect for meal prep!

Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

$3.10 recipe / $0.77 each

Air Fryer Baked Potatoes are a classic comfort food that’s budget-friendly, easy to customize, and made conveniently in the air fryer.

Overnight Oats

$0.42 serving

These easy Overnight Oats are the ultimate introduction to budget-friendly meal prep. They're no-cook, ideal for on-the-go, and customizable!

Granola Bars

$7.42 recipe / $0.74 serving

Homemade Granola Bars are wholesome and healthy! Loaded with oats, dates, peanut butter, walnuts, and chocolate chips.

Niçoise Salad

$10.64 recipe / $1.77 serving

Niçoise salad is protein-packed, crunchy, and oh-so-satisfying-- perfect for meal prep to keep you full all week long.

Sheet Pan Pancakes

$3.52 recipe / $0.88 serving

These sheet pan pancakes make breakfast on weekends a breeze! They’re easy to whip up and they’re freezer-friendly. Perfect for breakfast meal prep!