Everything I Meal Prepped This Week: Healthy (But Not Boring!) Meal Ideas

I have been OFF my meal prep game recently, but we are officially back at it this week!

For me, meal prep isn’t about eating the exact same chicken, rice, and veggies five days in a row. I like having a mix of meals, breakfasts, and snacks already in the fridge that make life easier without making me dread opening my meal prep container by Wednesday.

This week’s lineup was SO good, and very fall-inspired thanks to the butternut squash I saw at the grocery store and immediately needed to buy. We made a fall pasta salad, birthday cake protein balls, peach cobbler overnight oats, and Mediterranean meatball bowls.

Here’s everything I prepped + the recipes so you can make them too!

Fall Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is forever one of my favorite things to meal prep because it’s easy, stores really well, and there are approximately one million ways to switch it up.

The second I saw butternut squash at the store, I knew we were going fall with this one.

This version has roasted Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, red onion, apple chicken sausage, goat cheese, and pine nuts tossed with pasta and a simple maple dressing. SO colorful, so flavorful, and one of those meals that somehow tastes just as good (if not better) after sitting in the fridge.

Ingredients

• 4 servings Zucchette pasta, or any pasta shape
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups chopped Brussels sprouts
• 1 cup cubed butternut squash
• 1 package apple chicken sausage
• 1/4 cup goat cheese
• Pine nuts, for topping
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp chopped rosemary
• Salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste

For the Maple Dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1–2 tsp lemon juice
• Salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
2. Chop the Brussels sprouts, red onion, and butternut squash. Add them to a sheet pan and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and rosemary.
3. Chop the chicken sausage and add it to the sheet pan with the veggies.
4. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the veggies are slightly crispy.
5. While everything is roasting, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder for the dressing.
6. Once the veggies, sausage, and pasta are done, let them cool slightly before combining everything in a large bowl.
7. Toss with the maple dressing, gently mix in the goat cheese, and finish with pine nuts.

I store this one in the fridge and grab it for easy lunches throughout the week!

Birthday Cake Protein Balls

I pretty much always want some version of a protein or energy ball in my fridge.

They’re easy to grab when I need a quick snack, but they also satisfy the I need something sweet feeling without having to make something every night.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you might remember my Oat Haus Birthday Cake Granola Butter obsession. I used to eat that stuff every. single. day. So naturally, it inspired these birthday cake protein balls.

And they could not be easier.

Ingredients

• 2 cups quick oats
• 3 scoops vanilla protein powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 cup Oat Haus Birthday Cake Granola Butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• Sprinkles

Instructions

1. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl.
2. Mix until everything is well combined.
3. Roll the mixture into balls.
4. Store in the fridge and grab one whenever you need an easy snack or something sweet.

This usually makes about 24 protein balls, so one batch gives you plenty to keep in the fridge for the week.

Peach Cobbler Overnight Oats

These peach cobbler overnight oats have been on REPEAT lately.

The actual oat base is super simple, but sautéing the peaches with a little butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon gives them that warm peach cobbler flavor that makes these SO much better.

You can also skip the sautéing and use fresh sliced peaches if you want to make them even easier.

Ingredients

For One Jar:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 2 tbsp vanilla Greek yogurt
• Pinch of sea salt
• Cinnamon, to taste
• Nutmeg, to taste
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• Splash of vanilla
• About 1/4 cup sliced peaches
• Crushed graham crackers, pecans, or other toppings of choice

For the Sautéed Peaches:

• 2 cups cubed peaches
• 1–2 tsp butter
• Splash of maple syrup
• Dash of cinnamon

Instructions

1. To make the peach topping, add the cubed peaches, butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon to a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–10 minutes, until the peaches soften and the mixture thickens.
3. Remove from the heat and allow the peaches to cool slightly.
4. Meanwhile, add the rolled oats, chia seeds, protein powder, Greek yogurt, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla to a jar. Mix well.
5. Top with about 1/4 cup of the peaches and finish with chopped pecans, crushed graham crackers, or whatever toppings you like.
6. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

I usually prep a few jars at once so breakfast is already DONE for the next few mornings.

And yes, I’m already mentally moving on to fall because an apple pie version will absolutely be happening once September rolls around.

Mediterranean Meatball Bowls

Last up was Cole’s meal request for the week: Mediterranean meatball bowls.

I LOVE prepping meals like this because one batch makes so much. We were able to eat these for dinner and still have several meals left over for the week.

You’ve got homemade Mediterranean-inspired meatballs, lemon dill rice, fresh veggies, and whatever toppings you want to add. I usually do feta, tzatziki, or hummus.

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Lemon Dill Rice:

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 1/2 cups water or bone broth
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Chopped dill

For the Veggies:

I usually just eyeball the measurements here!

• Tomatoes
• Red onion
• Kalamata olives
• Mini cucumbers
• Olive oil
• Oregano
• Pinch of salt

For Topping:

• Feta
• Tzatziki
• Hummus

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Add all of the meatball ingredients to a large bowl and mix until well combined.
3. Roll the mixture into meatballs. I usually aim for about golf-ball size.
4. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
5. While the meatballs bake, prepare the rice. Bring the water or bone broth to a boil, then add the rice, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
6. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the chopped dill.
7. For the veggie mixture, combine the tomatoes, red onion, Kalamata olives, mini cucumbers, olive oil, oregano, and a pinch of salt.
8. Divide the rice, meatballs, and veggie mixture between meal prep containers.
9. Add feta, tzatziki, hummus, or your favorite toppings just before eating.

If you’re planning to reheat these, you can also store the veggie mixture separately and add it afterward so everything stays fresh.

Meal Prep Doesn’t Have to Be Boring

This is exactly how I like to approach meal prep.

I’m not trying to prep every single bite of food I’ll eat for the next seven days. I just want enough good options in the fridge that when life gets busy, eating something I actually enjoy is the easy choice.

This week we had peach cobbler overnight oats ready for breakfast, birthday cake protein balls for snacks, fall pasta salad for easy lunches, and a big batch of Mediterranean meatball bowls that worked for dinner AND leftovers.

Healthy food can still be colorful, seasonal, sweet, filling, and actually something you look forward to eating.

And now… bring on the apple pie everything.

Cutting board | Overnight oats jars | Caraway storage containers | Caraway baking | Target brand Ello (meal prep containers)