Life is busy, especially during the week. And when you’re pressed for time, it’s tempting to hit the drive-thru for dinner. The problem? It’s the least healthy option. If you want to keep yourself and your family on the right track, these healthy make ahead dinners will have dinner on the table in no time.
25+ Healthy Make Ahead Dinners for Busy Weeknights
1. Orzo Salad
One of my favorite make ahead meals is pasta salad because it’s easy to put together, the kids love it and it’s packed with fresh vegetables.
This recipe is super simple: orzo pasta, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, spinach and a homemade dressing with Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar. You can make a big batch ahead of time and eat this for dinner when things get busy.
2. Thai Coconut Honey Lime Chicken
This recipe is rich and delicious, but because it uses coconut milk, it’s a much healthier option than dairy-based dishes. You’ll need chili sauce, honey and spices for the sauce, but the rest is simple. And you can cook a bigger batch ahead of time to heat up and eat on a busy weeknight. I prefer to serve this with rice.
3. Sheet Pan Tomato and Artichoke Chicken
Healthy make ahead dinners don’t get much easier than this dish, and I love that it’s super simple to prepare. You’ll need chicken thighs, spices, marinated artichoke halves, diced tomatoes and fresh herbs. Bake it once, and you have dinner for a few days.
Related: 25 Delicious Dinner Meal Prep Ideas That Make It Easy to Prepare Ahead of Time
4. BBQ Ranch Chickpea Quinoa Bowls
Here’s a meatless, healthy dinner that’s rich in flavor and perfect as a make ahead meal. While this recipe includes a recipe for homemade pickled red onions, you can buy the jarred version to save on time.
Along with chickpeas and quinoa, you’ll need some cheese, BBQ sauce, avocado, corn and spices. Definitely make the yogurt dressing, though – that recipe is worth the time.
5. Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls
I love this recipe because it’s a big hit with the whole family, it’s balanced, and it’s easy to make a big batch ahead of time for busy weeknight dinners.
Ground turkey is a healthier option than ground beef, and this recipe sneaks in lots of veggies: carrots, broccoli and onions. If you don’t want to make your own teriyaki sauce, use a quality jarred option instead.
6. Corn Salad with Chili-Lime Dressing
Salads are perfect for make ahead dinners, but they need to be substantial to make everyone full and happy. This dish fits the bill.
It has fresh corn, black beans, avocado, tomatoes, onion, cojita cheese (or whatever cheese you have on hand), spices and herbs. Make a big batch ahead of time, and grab a bowl for dinner when you’re short on time.
7. White Bean Lemon Soup
Looking for something more nourishing? Soups are the perfect make ahead meal. Prepare a big pot, and you have meals for days.
This recipe is vegetarian, but you can easily add shredded chicken to add more lean protein. You’ll need cannellini beans, veggie broth, fresh vegetables and Parmesan cheese for garnishing.
8. Spinach Stuffed Shells
I love healthy make ahead dinners that put a “skinny” spin on comfort foods. Stuffed shells are delicious, but they can also be really unhealthy. This recipe adds spinach to ricotta cheese. Use part-skim ricotta and mozzarella to make this even healthier. Use a quality marinara sauce or make your own for this recipe. You can easily prepare this ahead of time, and it will taste even better the next day or the day after.
9. Mediterranean Chicken Casserole
A simple, healthy and delicious casserole. This recipe uses chicken thighs, but you can use chicken breasts if you want. It’s loaded with fresh vegetables, including zucchini, bell peppers and onions. Feta cheese and fresh parsley add so much flavor. This type of dish tastes even better when you make it ahead of time and allow the flavors to marry overnight.
10. Ground Turkey Zucchini Chickpea Skillet
This dish is so easy to make and cooks in just 15 minutes. It’s great for make ahead meals, and you can modify it however you want. Start with ground turkey and chickpeas, then add whatever veggies you want. This recipe uses zucchini, diced tomatoes, and frozen peas.
11. Grilled Chicken Rice Bowls
These bowls taste great, either warm or cold, so you can make them ahead of time and enjoy them on the go if necessary. Start with a rice base and add chicken thighs (or breast), chickpeas, salad greens and the toppings of your choice. The yogurt dressing is divine, but you can use low-fat ranch or your favorite dressing.
12. Mediterranean Beef and Rice
This Mediterranean-inspired beef dish is full of flavor and so easy to use as a make ahead meal. Just double or even triple the recipe to have enough on hand for busy weeknights. The ingredients are super simple: ground beef (use lean), rice, onions, garlic, olive oil, tomato and spices.
13. Healthy Sweet Potato Lentil Salad with Garlic Tahini Sauce
We love this vegetarian dish at our house, and we usually double the recipe so that we have some ready for nights when I don’t have time to cook. It’s balanced, it’s delicious, and you can add other ingredients if you want. For example, you can add shredded chicken or ground turkey. The lentils add lots of plant protein.
Related: 25+ Best Make Ahead Freezer Meals That Are High in Protein
14. Mango Chickpea Rice Bowl
Healthy make ahead dinners should be easy, and that’s exactly what this recipe is: quick and easy. It consists of protein rice, chickpeas and a sweet mango avocado salad. If you’re not a fan of tofu, you can omit it. And you can also swap it for chicken if you’re not a vegetarian.
15. Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini
These vegan stuffed zucchini are healthy and so easy to make ahead of time. For the filling, you’ll need mock meat, rice, tomatoes, onion, spices and pine nuts. The hardest part of this recipe is hollowing out the zucchini.
16. Ground Beef and Vegetable Skillet
Skillets are always easy to make, and when served hot, they taste delicious. You’ll need ground beef, chopped carrots, zucchini, cauliflower florets, tomato paste, lemon juice and quite a few spices to get started.
17. Mexican Tortilla Casserole
You’ll need a 9×13 casserole dish for this Mexican-inspired casserole. Total prep time is just 10 minutes, and you’ll need quite a few ingredients:
- Green and red bell peppers
- Olive oil
- Red onion
- Black beans
- Sweet corn
- Tomato sauce
- Corn tortillas
- Vegan mayonnaise
- Adobo sauce
- Guacamole
- Non-dairy cheese
- Spices
18. Baked Mediterranean Pasta
What a picture-perfect-looking meal. Right? You’ll need just forty minutes to make this dish, which includes rotini pasta, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, garlic, onion, parsley, kalamata olives, spices, bocconcini and Parmesan cheese for this bake that takes no time to put together.
19. Spaghetti Squash Casserole
How do you make spaghetti squash healthier to eat? Add in ground turkey for a low-fat, high-protein ingredient that’s a delight to eat. You’ll be putting together a low-carb meal that has delightful cheese and can be stored for up to five days before spoiling.
If you cook ahead and freeze, this dish can last three months.
You’ll need spaghetti squash, 93% lean ground turkey, mozzarella or provolone cheese, parsley, basil and a few other ingredients.
20. Italian Lentil Bake Casserole
Healthy make ahead dinners with lentils and melted cheese always tastes amazing, especially after a long week. You’ll prep your casserole before freezing, which will include lentils, sauce, vegetables, multiple types of cheese and fresh, flavorful herbs.
When you’re ready to eat it, you can either bake it or wait for it to heat up.
Serve with a side salad or some garlic bread.
21. Mediterranean Ground Beef and Rice
Ground beef make ahead dinners are always a go-to option because they’re filled with protein and, if you opt for low-fat cuts, they’re also low on fats. You’ll find this recipe has long-grain rice, chickpeas, tomatoes, chickpeas and numerous greens.
Related: 25+ Best High Protein Dinner Ideas to Meal Prep For Your Whole Family
22. Shrimp Stir Fry
A shrimp stir fry is another, easy freezer meal that you can add to a pot and heat up quickly. Perfect for busy weeks, the total cooking time is 20 minutes and all you’ll need are raw shrimp, soy sauce, brown sugar, shredded carrots, snow peas, broccoli and a few spices that you likely have in your cupboard already.
23. Grilled Chicken Rice Bowls
Sometimes, simple bowls like these are best for a healthy, flavor-filled meal. You can make your own dressing, but for the most part, you’re simply assembling:
- Baked chicken
- Chickpeas
- Rice
- Tomatoes
- Olives
- Cucumbers
- A few other ingredients
24. Spinach and Mushroom Vegetarian Lasagna
Eight delicious servings that you can make ahead of time and are packed with veggies? Sign me up. You only need a handful of ingredients, medium-sized bowls and a small casserole dish.
Ingredients for this lasagna include:
- Lasagna noodles
- Frozen spinach
- Sliced mushrooms
- Cottage or ricotta cheese – up to you
- Eggs
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan cheese
- Sauce
- Grated carrots
- Salt and pepper
25. Green Chicken Enchiladas
Rich, enticing and a treat for your tastebuds, these chicken enchiladas are always a fan favorite in my home, but they do take an hour and a half to make. You’ll need a large baking dish and even a cup of light beer for this recipe.
You’ll also need olive oil, skinless chicken breasts, diced green chilies, chicken stock, a variety of spices and to make your own green enchilada sauce.
26. Beef + Zucchini Casserole
Beef, zucchini and cheese make the perfect, protein-filled dish that is both delicious and simple. You can make this dish in just ten minutes of prep time and thirty minutes of cooking time.
You’ll want to opt for very lean ground beef, ideally 90%, to keep the fat content to a minimum.
Ricotta or cottage cheese can be added, and if you want to increase the protein content, I recommend cottage cheese.
