It’s official: You’ve committed to the Whole30. You’ve trashed your candy stash, deep-sixed anything deep-fried, and dumped (read: drank) the last of your booze. Now, you’re ready to face week one of a month of clean eating. You’ve got the heart, but have you got… a plan?
No doubt, the first week or two of Whole30 can be tough if you’re not prepared. But you can make things so much easier with just a little bit of planning. Putting in some meal-prep work means you won’t be staring into an empty fridge by Thursday, wondering WTF you can eat, before cramming three cookies in your mouth out of sheer panic.
So set aside an hour or two on Sunday and get preppin’! Trust us, you’ll thank us later for these Whole30 meal-prep recipes.
1. Whole30 Bacon Strawberry Breakfast Salad
Don’t let the “salad” part fool you. Sure, there might be some arugula in here, but it’s packed with delicious breakfast foods like hard-boiled eggs, bacon, fresh strawberries, and avocado slathered in creamy lemon tahini sauce. Toss together and pack up for four days of a light, summery, sweet and savory breakfast.
2. Prosciutto Plantain Egg Cups With Spicy Chimichurri
In a perfect world, breakfast would always satisfy all of our sweet, savory, and spicy cravings at once. This dish does just that, with natural sweetness from baked plantain, savory eggs and prosciutto, and spicy chimichurri in each bite. Not to mention, each cup is loaded with protein and healthy fats, so you’ll feel full until lunchtime. Bake a batch of these puppies and you can store them in the fridge for the entire workweek.
3. Pumpkin Apple Breakfast Bake
You’ve eliminated sugar from your diet, but that doesn’t mean you have to ignore your sweet tooth. This pumpkin apple breakfast bake feels like eating pie for breakfast but keeps out carbs, processed sugar, and dairy. Heat up a slice or two on brisk fall mornings or chill and eat as a cold refreshing treat in the summertime.
4. Mexican Breakfast Casserole
Mourning mornings filled with quiche and cheesy frittatas? Shed no more tears—this Mexican breakfast casserole takes care of all the cravings, without the dairy or carbs. With a crunchy sweet potato crust and packed with sausage, peppers, and onion, this morning casserole is an easy dish that keeps well overtime in the fridge.
5. Wild Blueberry Coconut Chia Overnight N’Oatmeal
If you like your breakfasts on the sweeter side, chia pudding is probably the move. This recipe, in particular, is packed with sweet wild blueberries and savory raw almond butter. (Add generous dollops of both!) This is a great option for those who are on the move in the morning and need something portable. Make a big ol’ batch of this, keep it in individual jars in the fridge, and grab and go when you’re ready to ch-ch-ch-chia.
6. Greek Healthy Meal-Prep
This recipe has all of us ready to go Greek. Tender chicken, garlicky tzatziki, and homemade cauliflower rice tabbouleh will make a lunch that beats whatever Whole30-compliant Greek salad you could buy. To keep this cool with your meal plan, make sure to use coconut yogurt when whipping up your tzatziki.
7. Whole30 Chicken Salad Boats
Usually, we’re looking for anything to use as a vehicle to shuttle avocado to mouth. But this creative lunchtime recipe truly turns the tables, making our beloved ‘cado the vessel for the rest of your lunch. These delicious dreamboats are stuffed with creamy, curried chicken salad; herbs; and a little bit of green apple to give it a little crunch. They’re perfect portable lunches, and any extra chicken salad can be tossed in salads you want to spruce up later on in the week.
8. Tuna Cakes With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
These tasty little cakes are portable and versatile—eat them on their own, chopped up in a salad, or in a lettuce wrap. Drizzle (or drench) with some roasted red pepper sauce (depending on how spicy you like it)—just be sure to make the mayo yourself, as most store-bought brands aren’t Whole30-compliant.
9. Korean Beef Bowls
Whatever this dish might lack in grains and dairy, it makes up for in flavor… and simplicity. These Korean beef bowls are incredibly easy to prep (it’ll take you less than half an hour from start to finish) and even easier to eat. Plus, they’re packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins from all those killer veggies.
10. Sesame Ginger Chicken Meal-Prep Bowls
Put those bland leftover chicken lunches in your past! Soaked in a sesame ginger marinade and crisped in the cast iron, this chicken is anything but dry. Toss it over cauliflower rice and serve with crunchy veggies for a lunch or dinner that’s as healthy as it is flavorful.
11. Chive Pesto Shrimp With Zoodles
Get ready for the spiralizer to become your new best friend (if it’s not already). This zoodle dish will curb all those carb cravings within 24 hours. Drenched in a delicious, homemade pesto (be sure to sub out Parmesan for nutritional yeast), these zoodles are perfect for feeding a family… or yourself, four or five times over.
12. Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Just because you can’t eat certain foods doesn’t mean your dinners have to be lacking in substance. Marinated in a simple sesame ginger sauce, this beef and broccoli stir-fry is both filling and incredibly flavorful. Make a big wok-full on Sunday night and keep the leftovers for weeknight dinners when you come home way too hangry to cook/think/move.
13. Spicy Cauliflower Rice Plantain Slaw Bowls
Here’s the perfect meal for adding some spice to your Whole30 experience. Crispy fried plantains on top of spicy buffalo cauliflower rice… drizzled in zesty cilantro lime sauce? You won’t know what hit you.
14. Whole30 Chili
Contrary to popular belief, you can still eat some of your favorite comfort foods while on the Whole30. Enter: The ultimate Whole30 chili, which is packed with ground beef, loaded with ALL the spices, and topped with fresh avocado. There’s even a splash of coffee and cinnamon in here to keep things interesting. The best part? You can make it in one pot or just toss everything in a Crock-Pot (or Instant Pot) and forget about it while it works its chili magic.
15. Southwest Paleo Chicken and Fries
With this on the menu, there’s no excuse to feel hungry ever again on the Whole30. This dinner brings in all the heavy-hitters, from sweet potato fries to baked southwest chicken drenched in a creamy garlic avocado sauce. The only downside to this dish? It might be hard not to eat it all immediately.
