15 Recipes that Make It Easy to Meal Prep for Two (2024)

Cooking for one is hard enough, but cooking for two adds on a whole new element of fear. When you're feeling the pressure to impress your someone special with your cooking skills, these meal prep for two recipes will literally save you. Not only will they be blown away by your mad cooking skills, but you'll be able to keep your sanity and save some time as well.

1. Overnight Oats for Two

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Overnight oats are the breakfast trend of our generation. They're easy to whip up the night before and will be ready to eat when you get back home from picking up your plus one from an early flight. All you need to do is whip up two batches and let the fridge do the rest.

2. Slow Cooker Oatmeal

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Oatmeal is so easy to prep and feeds a crowd. The best part about this oatmeal recipe is that the slow cooker will make enough leftovers that can be used in many different ways.

3. Mason Jar Parfaits

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Mason jars are a life saver when it comes to portioning out meal prep for two dishes. This mason jar parfait is quick, easy, and fun to prep the night before for breakfast or for snacks to have. Layer it up with your favorite fruits, yogurt, and granola.

4. Breakfast Burritos

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I personally live onbreakfast burritos because egg scrambles are easy to make and they make a ton of food. You can easily meal prep 10 breakfast burritos in an hour or so, throw them in the freezer, and feed you and bae for five days.

5. Egg Cups

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Egg cups are all the rage right now. They allow you to put any veggie or topping in your muffin pan and then just pour scrambled eggs right on in. After baking them, you'll have 6-12 egg cups (depending on the size of your pan) and they keep for a week.

#SpoonTip: You can also freeze egg cups and heat them up in a toaster oven weeks later.

6. Mason Jar Salads

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Continuing with the mason jar trend, if you are taking your guest on a picnic or a busy day of sight seeing, try some mason jar salads. These quick lunches are portable and easy to make in advance. Stack your ingredients from dressing and heaviest items on the bottom to your lettuce on the top to prevent wilting.

7. Tacos

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If you're wanting a more flavorful lunch meal prep for two, try tacos. Tacos may take an extra five minutes to build, but they are exciting and still very easy to make. You can chop all the toppings and cook the filling in advance, and then reheat and build when you're ready to eat.

8.Soups

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Soup is the best thing to meal prep for lunches on cold days. This lentil soup is a healthy, tasty way to warm you and bae up when you are snowed in. Soups are the leftovers that just keep on giving and never disappoint. Check out these 14 healthy one-pot soupsfor more inspiration. Soups also make awesome dinners, too.

9. Pasta Salad

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If you love pasta but also love carbs, pasta salads are the best compromise for you. Pasta salads can still provide a whopping amount of healthy veggies, while making you feel happy and wholesome by giving you the carbs you crave. This pasta salad recipe gives you the basics so you don't break the bank.

10. Turkey Burgers

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Turkey burgers are an easy, healthier alternative for meat lovers. They're also super easy to meal prep because you can bag the toppings and buns in easy to grab baggies. Just pop them in the microwave for about two minutes and you have an easy, on-the-go lunch or dinner!

11. Stuffed Peppers

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Stuffed peppers are exciting, easy, and hearty. If you double this stuffed pepper recipe, you have a quick reheatable dinner waiting for you and your guest that can get on the table in no time. You can change up the filling or pepper to fit your taste buds too.

12. Chili

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My personal favorite comfort food, chili, is so easy to make. Like oatmeal, it makes a ton and can feed an army for days. Not only is it a great leftover on its own, but you can also morph chili into other meals. Incorporate it into a sauce for pasta or try a chili pizza (seriously, it's delicious).

13. Pulled Pork

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There's nothing like some good BBQ to end a fun day of adventuring. This pulled pork recipe is insanely easy to meal prep for two. Basically anything you can cook in a crockpot is great for meal prepping.

14. Banana Bread

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This may not exactly qualify as a full meal, but this double chocolate chunk banana bread will not only wow bae at brunch, but it doubles as the most important meal of the day, dessert. Cut some slices, throw them in the microwave to heat up, and top with ice cream for a sweet treat. To meal prep wayin advance, freeze individual slices of banana bread to enjoy later.

15. Soda Pop Cake

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The most mind blowing, culinary revelation of the century: soda pop cake. All this dessert needs is one 12-oz can of soda and one box of cake mix. The combinations are endless. Cherry soda with devil's food cake, Sprite and lemon cake, orange soda and carrot cake. With how few ingredients it calls for and how quick it bakes, this dessert is a meal prep must.

These meal prep for two recipes will keep you sane when you have a last-minute guest or just need some help wowing your someone special. Meal prepping will give you extra time to spend with your guest and will take the stress out of cooking. Though entertaining guests can be stressful, at least you'll have an extra set of hands for dishes.

15 Recipes that Make It Easy to Meal Prep for Two (2024)

FAQs

What foods are good for meal prep? ›

On your meal prep day, focus first on foods that take the longest to cook: proteins like chicken and fish; whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and farro; dried beans and legumes; and, roasted vegetables.

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

Which meal is easiest to skip? ›

Skipping Breakfast

People tend to find it easiest because generally, it's the meal commonly taken at a time of hurry, as you rush out the door in the morning.

Will I lose weight if I meal prep? ›

Meal Prepping Is Linked to Weight Loss and Obesity Prevention. Takeout meals are almost always higher in calories, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium than those prepared at home, says Syn. That explains why meal prepping has been linked to weight loss and obesity prevention.

Are prep meals healthy? ›

Meal prepping reduces the number of takeaways, ready meals and snacks that you eat, which often means you are consuming less sodium, sugar and saturated fat. Having greater control over ingredients and your nutrition can result in a healthier diet.

What is the healthiest meal prep food? ›

The best foods for meal prepping depend largely on personal preference and dietary needs, but some staples include proteins like chicken, fish, and tempeh; grains such as quinoa or brown rice; vegetables that can be roasted or cooked in a skillet; soups, salads, and wraps; and condiments and sauces.

What are the 4 steps to food prep? ›

Four Steps to Food Safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill. Following four simple steps at home—Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill—can help protect you and your loved ones from food poisoning.

What is a simple 3 course meal? ›

A three-course meal will generally contain an appetizer or salad, a main dish, and a dessert. While there's some debate on the components of a five-course meal, it often contains hors d'oeuvres, an appetizer, a salad, an entrée, and a dessert.

What is a daily 5 meal plan? ›

Five meals a day equals breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks. To do this right, you need to plan what you'll eat every day for each “meal.” And you need to schedule eating every 2 to 3 hours. Stock up. Face it: You're going to grab whatever food is closest.

What is the 5 5 5 meal plan? ›

Unlike the 5:2 diet which involves eating normally for five days and fasting for two, the 5:5:5 diet is about eating five small meals every single day. According to UK nutritionist Angela Dowden, creator of the diet, it can help users lose up to five pounds in a fortnight.

Is it cheaper to meal prep or eat out? ›

Comparing costs: Eating out vs.

In contrast, if you spend around $100 per week on groceries and cook all your meals at home, your monthly food expenditure would be around $400. That's a potential saving of $50 per month or $600 per year! So which is cheaper? It depends on the individual's lifestyle and food choices.

Is it OK to meal prep for 3 days? ›

You can store meal prep food in the fridge for up to four days. Or, you can store prepped food in the freezer for a longer period of time.

What is the easiest way to meal plan? ›

Here are some simple tips to get you started:
  1. See what you already have. ...
  2. Write down your meals. ...
  3. Write down recipes to try. ...
  4. Think about your time. ...
  5. Plan to use leftovers. ...
  6. Make a grocery list. ...
  7. Build your shopping list as you go. ...
  8. Buy a mix of fresh, frozen, and self-stable items.

Is it cheaper to meal prep or buy? ›

While grocery shopping turned out to be a hair cheaper than even the cheapest meal kits, it's nearly even. If you consider the time and energy you save by forgoing long trips to the supermarket, meal kits might present the better value.

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