Healthy make ahead meals make busy weeknight dinner a breeze! Here are 25 healthy make ahead meals that your family will love - many of them are freezer meals you can make ahead of time!
Jump to:
- Air Fryer Homemade Taquitos
- Honey Garlic Paleo Crock Pot Chicken Thighs
- Crock Pot Enchilada Soup
- Healthy Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
- Instant Pot Tomato Soup
- Crock Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
- Chicken Santa Fe
- Meatloaf Without Breadcrumbs
- Healthy Turkey Burger
- Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
- Low Calorie Italian Casserole
- Southwestern Shepherd's Pie
- Summer Squash Casserole
- Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas
- Gluten-Free Vegetable Lasagna
- Cowboy Casserole
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Recipe
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Bake
- White Chicken Chili
- Vegan Roasted Carrot Soup with Lentils
- Three Bean Chili
- Easy taco soup
- Crockpot Salisbury Steak Recipe - With Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Shrimp Stir Fry (Freezer Meal)
- FAQs
There is nothing better than having an easy dinner right? Weeknights are crazy so when I'm looking to make dinner, I love when I have something I can prep on the weekends and heat up later in the week!
I also know that our budget can go into derail when we are eating out too much or stopping at the store everyday! So - healthy make ahead meals are the perfect solution to help your family eat together and stay on top of our grocery budget!
Whether it's casseroles or soups, bowls or meats and veggies, all of these healthy make ahead meals are great because they feed a crowd. Some are also vegetarian!
Many of these can be made ahead of time and frozen for busy weeknight dinners. They are easy to heat up in the microwave and you can adjust quantities to make them for two or for a large family. If you like fall flavors be sure to check out these 25 healthy fall dinners!
Air fryer homemade taquitos made healthy with shredded chicken and tasty ranch Greek yogurt dip!
These air fryer taquitos are a kid-friendly, healthy recipe that is great for picky eaters (and includes hidden veggies!) Make straight from the freezer to the table in less than 25 minutes!
Paleo crock pot chicken thighs slow cooked with honey and garlic are deliciously tender! One of the best healthy make ahead meals.
This easy paleo slow cooker recipe is family friendly and better than take out!
Thrown together in less than 5 minutes, this healthy crock pot enchilada soup is a hearty soup recipe that tastes so good on a busy weeknight.
Full of flavor and topped with shredded cheese, avocado and tortilla chips, this slow cooked classic Mexican soup will be in regular family dinner rotation.
Healthy instant pot hamburger helper is an easy weeknight meal your family will love!
Made with ground turkey, cheese, noodles and spices, this homemade cheeseburger macaroni tastes even better than the box classic and will be a weeknight dinner winner! This is one of the easiest healthy make ahead meals!
Say goodbye to Campbell's because this healthy homemade instant pot tomato soup is a quick & simple weeknight meal your family will love!
Full of flavor, this recipe is dairy free, Whole30, paleo and gluten free. The best creamy and flavorful bisque and done in the pressure cooker in less than 30 minutes!
CROCK POT ROAST WITH POTATOES AND CARROTS
Crock pot roast with potatoes and carrots is a delicious & flavorful meal your entire family will love!
This fall apart, tender beef roast has simple, wholesome ingredients that are easy to make. An old fashioned favorite that is perfect for any night of the week!
Crockpot Chicken Santa Fe is an easy slow cooker recipe that is super versatile! Use in tacos, soups and more for one of the most versatile healthy make ahead meals!
This healthy dump and go meal is super easy to prep in just a few minutes!
Meatloaf without breadcrumbs is the perfect healthy recipe your family will love!
Topped with a healthy, sugar free ketchup and mustard sauce, this breadcrumb free recipe is Whole30, Paleo & Keto. Perfect for any dietary restriction and delicious for the entire family.
The BEST juicy healthy turkey burger recipe you've ever had! Quick to prep and ready to grill in less than 10 minutes!
The most delicious moist spinach and feta turkey burger recipe you'll find!
Slow Cooker Swedish meatballs made at home in the crock pot are better than Ikea!
Whole30 and keto-friendly, these Swedish meatballs will be a family favorite!
Low Calorie Italian Casserole made with zucchini, brown rice and artichokes is one of the most simple healthy make ahead meals.
A nourishing, healthy dinner that’s filling and bursting with Italian flavorings. Gluten Free + Low Calorie!
This recipe can be customized for your families taste or dietary restrictions. If you are a vegetarian, just replace the protein with lentils and the chicken stock with vegetable stock.
Stock your fridge or freezer and prepare dinner ahead of time to have this hearty Southwestern Shepherd's Pie any night of the week.
Late summer usually means loads of summer squash and zucchini. Make this healthy zucchini recipe to use up zucchini from your garden.
Cheesy, summer squash! Loads of zucchini in the best lighter fare comfort food dish.
Authentic Tex-Mex beef enchiladas featuring ground beef, a homemade beef gravy, and a freshly grated cheese blend.
The key to a perfect Tex-Mex Beef Enchilada is a combination of multiple factors: A good authentic enchilada gravy, a flavorful ground beef filling, and melty cheese.
This Small Batch Gluten-Free Vegetable Lasagna is vegan, top 8 allergy-free, packed with veggies, homemade tomato sauce, and on the table in 30 minutes!
A quick and easy, healthy and lightened up version of a classic Italian dinner! A recipe the whole family will love for those busy weeknight meal dilemmas!
This easy and cheesy cowboy casserole recipe is the perfect delicious dinner for busy nights. A fun twist on one of the most kid-friendly healthy make ahead meals!
A simple, hearty casserole made with layers of ground beef, veggies, spices, a creamy mushroom sauce, crispy tater tots, and lots of cheese.
The whole family will love cheesy chicken bacon ranch casserole recipe!
This quick and easy low carb chicken casserole has just 7 common ingredients, 5 minutes prep, and 2 ways to make it.
The dish makes the perfect meal solution for your family on busy evenings!
Here’s a delicious keto chicken cordon bleu casserole recipe that’s quick and easy to make. It's filled with layers of chicken, melted cheese, and diced ham.
CHICKEN BROCCOLI AND RICE BAKE
Hearty and delicious, this chicken broccoli and rice casserole will satisfy all appetites! This is a perfect casserole for making ahead of time and then baking for dinner.
Make an extra dish and place in the freezer for later!
Whip up a big batch of White Chicken Chili! It’s hearty, warming and comforting.
You will love this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili recipe. It is so easy to make from pantry staples and includes a regular, Instant Pot and slow cooker version.
This velvety, rich and healthy carrot soup has a unique and perfectly balanced flavor!
Easy and delicious Vegan Roasted Carrot Soup with lentils and Moroccan spices.
It’s an easy one pot meal that’s ready in less than half an hour. Vegan & gluten-free.
Three bean chili recipe with pinto, black, and Great Northern beans – the perfect warm-you-up dinner.
This easy taco soup recipe comes together in minutes, is inexpensive, and makes a great freezer meal.
Cooked on the stove, in the slow cooker, or in your Instant Pot…it’s the perfect weeknight meal.
This Slow Cooker recipe is easy to make and is ready in 5 hours! It’s made with dry onion soup mix and cream of mushroom soup to make a comforting gravy your entire family is going to love!
Serve this simple weeknight meal over egg noodles or with mashed potatoes!
Ready to eat in 20 minutes and perfect to stash in the freezer.
A fast and easy shrimp stir fry starring shrimp and fresh veggies!
FAQs
The list above is just a sampling of the best healthy make ahead meals! Generally soups are one of my favorite recipes to make ahead for an entire week of healthy dinners.
Check out the full library of healthy soup recipes and definitely give some of my favorites like southwestern chili and corn chowder a try!
Sometimes it takes a little bit of planning, but the end result is worth it. If you're in the mood to get your weeknight meals ready, get shopping and cooking and you can have dinner for a month!
Truth be told, meal prepping can be a pain. I do not want to spend hours on a weekend in the kitchen! But I rarely want to spend hours in the kitchen each night.
Personally I've also found that I tend to eat better and spend less money when I meal prep healthy meals for the week!
Some of my favorite foods to prep for a week include salads, air fryer chicken tenders I can put on salads or in quinoa bowl or burrito bowl.
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Kelly Anthony
This is a great roundup every momma should have in their back pocket! Thank you for taking the time to put it together, and especially for including a couple of my recipes! 🙂 Love this!!!
mommafitpgh@gmail.com
of course! Thank you for contributing!