21 Day Fix Lazy Meal Prep | Low Maintenance Recipes to Prep in Little Time (2024)

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Completely lost on where to start with food prep? These 21 Day Fix Lazy Meal Prep ideas will help you prepare either breakfast, lunch, dinner, or sides for the week without feeling like you’re spending hours in the kitchen. This post contains affiliate links for products I’m obsessed with.

21 Day Fix Lazy Meal Prep | Low Maintenance Recipes to Prep in Little Time (1)

Confession- I’ve gotten away from doing a ton of meal prepping. I mean, since I became a work from home mom, having a fridge full of prepped food all week just hasn’t been a huge priority. I have some flexibility in my schedule, so I can cook things throughout the week. Plus, I am always testing recipes and love being able to try new dishes on whim.

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But, as life get busier, it does make the week go more smoothly if there is at least some food prepped ahead of time. Read: we’re less likely to order take out for dinner or pull up to the drive thru for a breakfast sandwich on the way home from preschool drop off.

Ican’t be the only one.

Here’s my secret: lazy food prep. Yes, you heard me, lazy.

While I don’t think of myself as lazy, you know I’m all about lazy recipes, like in my21 Day Fix Lazy Zucchini Enchilada Skillet,21 Day Fix Lazy Butternut Squash Lasagna {Gluten-free, One Skillet}, and21 Day Fix One Skillet Lazy Zucchini Lasagnarecipes. Because I need SOMETHING in my life to be lazy.

My favorite food prep is something I can do while I have 5 minutes here, or 20 minutes there. I love to food prep things that don’t require lots of babysitting, chopping, or standing near the stove. I like my recipes to be lazy so I can do all the things.

Food prepping while I make dinner is extra helpful, especially when I use my Instant Pot 21 Day Fix Lazy Meal Prep | Low Maintenance Recipes to Prep in Little Time (3)to pull double duty.

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The bottom line? You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen to get ahead with some meal prep. I’ve compiled a list of my favorite easy to prep/ low maintenance recipes so you can sneak in a little prep here and there to help you stay on plan without a ton of time in the kitchen!

Breakfast

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Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats using the Delay Start Button– Game changer! Literally throw water, oats, and salt in the IP, push some buttons, and you have a hot healthy breakfast waiting for you when you wake up. Double the batch and you have breakfast for multiple days!

Healthy Sheet Pan Breakfast with Sweet Potato, Brussels Sprouts, and Bacon (21 Day Fix)– Prep this ahead of time but top with a runny egg when you’re ready to eat. It’s perfect and requires minimal chopping.

21 Day Fix Overnight Oats– Your future (busy morning) self will thank you for taking the 5 minutes to set these up the night before.

21 Day Fix Baked Oatmeal Jars– Get the kids to help with these oatmeal Mason Jars21 Day Fix Lazy Meal Prep | Low Maintenance Recipes to Prep in Little Time (6)! So simple and portable for the whole family. Or make this Instant Pot Baked Oatmeal version!

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs – Hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot couldn’t be easier! They are a dream to peel and so quick and hands off to make!

Lunch/Dinner

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21 Day Fix Salsa Lime Chicken (Instant Pot/Slow Cooker)– I’m not sure if this could get any easier. “Dump and go” in either your Instant Pot 21 Day Fix Lazy Meal Prep | Low Maintenance Recipes to Prep in Little Time (8) or Crock Pot, and of course I use it as the filling in my Healthy Instant Pot Airfryer Chicken Taquitos (Slow Cooker | Oven Friendly | Gluten-free)

Shredded Mexican Chicken| Carrie Elle – Cook your Mexican chicken from frozen in the Instant Pot!

Freezer Prep Taco Meat |prep a TON of taco meat in just one minute of cook time! And when you want to defrost it, you can do so in just ONE minute!

Crock Pot Spaghetti Squash and Meat Sauce | Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash and Meat Sauce – cook your squash and sauce TOGETHER with a homemade sauce that requires almost no prep!
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Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup {21 Day Fix}– This requires minimal chopping and is an amazing make ahead for lunches for the week. It also freezes great!

21 Day Fix Salsa Verde Pork {Slow Cooker/Instant Pot}– Just as ridiculously easy as the chicken, this pork is so yummy!

21 Day Fix Instant Pot Asian Chickenor21 Day Fix Asian Style Crock Pot Chicken– using pantry items, you can whip up the marinade for these chicken thighs. Then “dump and go” and come back to a delicious tasting meal- use the IP to make it one pot! Also great withFreezer Friendly Instant Pot Brown Rice

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How To Make Taco Meat From Frozen| The Foodie and the Fix – Cooking from frozen = ultimate lazy 😉

21 Day Fix Homemade Tomato Sauce– I put a pot of this on the stove while I am making another dinner. Whatever doesn’t get used within a few days, I freeze for later! Then, use it in things like21 Day Fix Spinach and Sausage Lasagna Roll Ups,21 Day Fix Lazy Butternut Squash Lasagna {Gluten-free, One Skillet}orover top of21 Day Fix Make Ahead Meatballs (Gluten-free)and zoodles!

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TIP – freeze sauce in muffin tins or silicone molds!

Sides

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How to Prep Spaghetti Squash [+ Recipes!]– spaghetti squash prep 4 ways- and all while you are doing something else in the kitchen!

Freezer Friendly Instant Pot Quinoa– use the Instant Pot to prep a big batch of quinoa and freeze it for when you need it.

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How to Meal Prep Sweet Potato Toast– a healthy alternative to a bun, sweet potato toast is prepped in minutes! Or just use your Instant Pot to bake up a bunch of Sweet Potatoes for your week (thanks, Carrie Elle!)

Freezer Friendly Instant Pot Brown Rice– use the Instant Pot to prep a big batch of brown rice to freeze and use whenever.

I LOVE my Instant Pot for meal prep…check out this Healthy Instant Pot Meal Prep post from The Foodie and The Fix for more easy ideas!

Dressings and Spice Mixes

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Maple Cider Vinaigrette

Simple Strawberry Balsamic

21 Day Fix Salt Free Taco Seasoning

21 Day Fix Lazy Meal Prep | Low Maintenance Recipes to Prep in Little Time (2024)

FAQs

What are 3 keys to successful meal prepping? ›

Follow these three steps and you'll be planning and prepping nutritious and delicious meals that fit your preferences and lifestyle!
  • Step 1: Make a Menu. First, think about your approach to meal planning — do you: ...
  • Step 2: Stock Your Pantry and Freezer with the Five Food Groups. ...
  • Step 3: Keep a Running Grocery List.
Jul 18, 2019

How do you meal prep with limited time? ›

Meal Prep Tips
  1. Keep it simple. If you just don't think you can plan out three meals a day, that's okay. ...
  2. Use the same ingredients more than once. ...
  3. Prepare ingredients ahead of time. ...
  4. Keep a well-stocked pantry and spice drawer. ...
  5. Keep a well-stocked freezer. ...
  6. Go easy on yourself.

How can I shorten my meal prep time? ›

Use Fewer Ingredients

To minimize your meal prep time, try cooking meals using five whole-food ingredients or fewer. Simplify your meal by reusing the same vegetables for your main, side, and appetizer.

What is the rule of 3 meal plan? ›

The Rule of 3's is made up specifically of these guidelines: Eat at least three meals and up to three snacks a day (you might think of this as a breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal plan) Eat at least three food groups per meal (and two per snack) Allow no more than three hours between eating.

What food lasts the longest for meal prep? ›

Soup, chili and stews

Soups, stews, and chili are the ideal meal prep because they last a little longer than most meals (up to five or six days) AND they're extremely freezer-friendly.

Should you freeze meal prep meals? ›

Fridge vs Freezer Storage

This includes prepped soups, stews, chicken and rice, and salads. The main drawback of storing meal prep food in the fridge is that it can dry out easily. A freezer is an ace option for meal preps that will be eaten more than four days later. This includes pizza, pasta, meat, and veggies.

How do you meal prep on a tight schedule? ›

Your Step by Step Guide on Meal Planning With A Busy Schedule
  1. Step #1 Pick Your Healthy & Delicious Recipes. ...
  2. Step #2 Decide How Many Portions You Need to Prep. ...
  3. Step #3 Prep Some Staples. ...
  4. Step #4 Pick Your Meal Plan Day. ...
  5. Step #5 Double or Triple Your Recipes. ...
  6. Step #6 Choose The Right Containers. ...
  7. Step #7 Repurpose Recipes.

How do you make meal prep not go bad? ›

9 tips for storing meal prep food in the fridge
  1. Make sure containers are airtight. ...
  2. Store diced vegetables or fruit with a paper towel. ...
  3. Keep your fridge below 40°F (4°C) ...
  4. Put leftovers on a shelf, not the door. ...
  5. Eat leftover meat before it spoils. ...
  6. Store more produce in whole pieces. ...
  7. Let meals cool before you store them.
Nov 6, 2023

What is the best food to eat when you are poor? ›

You will want to purchase cheap foods that are filling! Oatmeal, rice, beans, bread, and other starches are filling and will keep you full until your next meal. Beans and rice are also super versatile foods, and you can take them and transform them into easy meals you will actually enjoy!

How to meal prep with no time? ›

Meal Preparation for People With No Time
  1. Start small and keep it simple. If you're new to meal prep, it may seem like a lot to prepare a week of meals all at one time. ...
  2. Have the right tools. ...
  3. Choose recipes with similar ingredients. ...
  4. Keep a routine. ...
  5. Go easy on yourself.

What are the 3 essential factors of food preparation? ›

The four major steps for healthful food preparation are 1) cleaning food contact surfaces, 2) separating raw from cooked foods, 3) cooking foods thoroughly, and 4) storing foods in proper keeping temperatures.

What are 3 factors to consider when planning a meal? ›

These include meal occasion, who will be eating, whether the food will be eaten out or at home, dietary needs, religious, cultural or ethical beliefs, the cost and availability of ingredients; current healthy eating advice and/or personal preferences.

What are the three 3 keys to a healthy eating plan? ›

If not, try our performance-nutrition tips to ensure you're getting the fuel you need to feel and perform your best. The 3 keys to optimal nutrition are balance, quality, and timing. To maintain balance, eat from all or most of the food groups. Eat the right amount for your activity and performance goals.

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