5 High-Protein Meal Prep Recipes for Busy Families | Meal Prep Sunday Ideas

I used to think meal prep was something only bodybuilders and lifestyle influencers did.

You know the type – perfectly portioned containers lined up in gleaming fridges, everything color-coded and labeled with the day of the week. It felt performative. A bit joyless, if I'm honest.

But then I realised something: the main reason it's so bloody hard to develop and maintain good eating habits isn't willpower. It's decision fatigue. It's standing in front of the fridge at 6 PM, exhausted, trying to figure out what to eat while brands scream at you from every direction to just buy, buy, buy. Order takeaway. Grab convenience food. Don't think too hard about it.

The system is designed to make you grab whatever's easiest. And easiest is rarely what makes you feel good.

So we started meal prepping. That's not because we wanted to be virtuous or instagram-worthy (she says, as she writes a blog about it...), but because we needed to hack the chaos. We needed to eliminate the friction of having to figure out, multiple times a day, what to eat and how on earth to get 120g-150g of protein into our diets without living on chicken breast and protein shakes.

Now, don't get me wrong – you still get friction from your social environment. People question your life choices when you're chopping vegetables on a Sunday afternoon instead of relaxing. They don't understand why you'd put so much effort into something that seems, to them, like a bit of a buzz kill.

But here's what I've learned: eating well can be fun and rewarding. It just takes a bit of planning.

My husband and I take it in turns to meal prep on Sundays. We alternate weeks, which keeps it fair and stops either of us from getting burnt out. Though I must admit, I love the kitchen so much that I sometimes can't keep away – I'll wander in to help chop something or taste-test. And honestly, it's quite nice tackling the meal prep together sometimes too. There's something companionable about it.

And I love Sundays after meal prep. There's something deeply satisfying about opening the fridge on Monday morning and knowing exactly what we're eating. No stress. No last-minute scrambling. Just food that tastes good and makes us feel good. Happy bellies all week long.

These five high-protein meal prep recipes have become our weekly staples. From protein overnight oats to cottage pie, they're all designed to feed a family of four with minimal weekday effort. Each recipe includes prep time, protein content per serving, and reheating instructions – everything you need for successful weekly meal prep.

1. High-Protein Overnight Oats with Vanilla Whey

This is my weekday morning savior. I tend to make them the night before.

Prep time: 10 minutes | Serves: 1 | Protein per serving: 30-35g

Ingredients (per jar):

• 30g rolled oats
• 1 scoop MyProtein vanilla whey (about 30g)
• 120g Greek yogurt
• 100ml milk (I use coconut milk but you can use any milk)
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• Handful of berries (frozen works great)

Method:

1. Layer everything in a jar or container—oats, milk, protein powder, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, berries.
2. Give it all a good stir.
3. Pop the lid on and refrigerate overnight.
4. Eat cold in the morning.

Meal prep tip: Make 5 jars at once for the whole work week. They keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. They can get a bit mushy by day 4 though, so sprinkle some nuts on top before eating to bring back some crunch.

Why it works: About 30-35g protein per jar thanks to the Greek yogurt, fills you up, and you can grab it straight from the fridge. Zero thinking required.

2. High-Protein Egg Wraps for Meal Prep

This is basically a loaded omelette stuffed into a high-protein tortilla. I make a batch of these, wrap them in foil, and reheat them throughout the week for lunch or a quick dinner.

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 5 minutes | Serves: 4 | Protein per serving: 20-25g

Ingredients (makes 4 wraps):

• 8 eggs (you can also boost protein content by using some egg whites as well)
• 4 high-protein tortilla wraps (I use the ones with 9g protein each)
• 1 red pepper, diced
• Handful of spinach
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 100g mushrooms, sliced
• Salt, pepper, paprika
• Splash of milk
• Olive oil for cooking

Method:

1. Whisk the eggs with a splash of milk, salt, pepper, and paprika.
2. Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick pan and sauté the onion, pepper, and mushrooms until soft. Add the spinach and let it wilt.
3. Pour in a quarter of the egg mixture and cook like an omelette—let it set on the bottom, then fold it over.
4. Slide the omelette into a tortilla wrap, fold it up, and wrap in foil.
5. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
6. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheating: Unwrap the foil and microwave for 60-90 seconds, or reheat in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes each side.

Why it works: Each wrap has about 20-2g protein. They're filling, portable, and actually taste good reheated.

3. Meal Prep Beef Mince Stir Fry with Rice

This is one of those healthy meal prep recipes that feels a bit fancy but is dead simple. Turkey mince works just as well if you prefer it.

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Serves: 4 | Protein per serving: 30g

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 500g lean beef mince (or turkey mince)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 courgette, sliced
• Handful of green beans, trimmed
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 300g basmati rice (cooked according to package instructions)
• Olive oil for cooking

Method:

1. Cook the basmati rice and set aside.
2. Heat a large pan or wok with a drizzle of olive oil. Brown the mince, breaking it up as it cooks. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pan, add the onion and garlic. Cook until soft.
4. Add the pepper, courgette, and green beans. Stir fry for 5-7 minutes.
5. Return the mince to the pan. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger paste, and sesame oil. Stir everything together and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Serve over the rice and divide into four containers.

Storage: Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Reheating: Microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Why it works: Balanced meal with protein, carbs, and veg. Reheats brilliantly. About 30g protein per portion.

Photo: I've made this a million times but somehow don't have a photo of it! Sorry!

4. Easy Cottage Pie Recipe for Meal Prep

Comfort food that meal preps like a dream. I make a big tray and we'll have that as our Sunday dinner, and then portion out the rest for the week.

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 50 minutes | Serves: 8 | Protein per serving: 25-30g

Ingredients (serves 6):

• 1 kg 18% beef mince (this is the one exception to lean beef, if you want a tasty cottage pie)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 200ml beef stock
• 1 cup of red wine (I like to use Pinot Noir)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1kg potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 50g butter
• Splash of milk
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes until tender, then drain and mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2. In a large pan, brown the mincec (you want that crispy brown look, don't just let it go grey). Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pan, make your mirepoix, i.e. cook the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until softened.
4. Add the mince back in, along with the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Add wine and deglaze pan. Simmer for 20 minutes until thickened.
5. Transfer the mince mixture to a large baking dish (or divide into individual containers). Top with the mashed potato and smooth it out with a fork.
6. Bake at 200°C for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden.
7. Let it cool, then portion and refrigerate or freeze.

Storage: Keeps in the fridge for 4 days. Freezes brilliantly for up to 3 months.

Reheating: From fridge: microwave for 3-4 minutes. From frozen: defrost overnight, then reheat.

Why it works: Classic, hearty, and freezes beautifully. About 25-30g protein per portion.

5. Tandoori Chicken with Couscous Salad

This one's lighter but still packed with protein. It's great cold, which makes it perfect for packed lunches or meal prep bowls.

Prep time: 15 minutes (plus marinating) | Cook time: 20 minutes | Serves: 4 | Protein per serving: 35g

Ingredients (serves 4):

For the chicken:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 3 tbsp tandoori paste or dry rub
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
• Juice of half a lemon

For the couscous salad:

• 250g couscous
• 300ml boiling water or stock
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced
• a sweet potato, diced
• Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
• Spinach leaves
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Mix the tandoori paste, yogurt, and lemon juice in a bowl. Add the chicken breasts and coat well. Marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight if you're organized).
2. Grill or pan-fry the chicken for 6-8 minutes each side until cooked through. Let it rest, then slice.
3. Bake the peppers and sweet potato until slightly soft (at 180C in a fan assisted oven)
4. Meanwhile, put the couscous in a large bowl and pour over the boiling water or stock. Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
5. Stir in the baked peppers, baked sweet potato, cucumber, tomatoes, spinach leaves, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
6. Divide the couscous salad into four containers and top each with sliced tandoori chicken.

Storage: Keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days. Best eaten cold or at room temperature.

Why it works: Fresh, vibrant, and about 35g protein per portion. Tastes just as good cold as it does warm.

Meal Prep Tips for Beginners

If you're new to weekly meal prep, here's what I've learned:

• Start small: Don't try to prep every meal. Start with just lunches or just breakfasts.
• Invest in good containers: Glass containers with snap lids are worth it. They reheat better and last longer. Those are the ones I use.
• Batch your tasks: Cook all your rice at once, prep all your vegetables together, cook multiple proteins simultaneously.
• Label everything: Date your containers so you know what to eat first.
• Don't overthink it: Some weeks I pull off all five recipes. Some weeks I can barely manage two.

Meal prep isn't about perfection. It's about making your life easier. It's about taking back control from the chaos and the endless marketing noise telling you to just grab whatever's convenient.

Some weeks I nail it. Some weeks I only manage two recipes instead of five. Some weeks we don't meal prep at all. And that's fine.

But when we do, when I open the fridge on a busy Tuesday and see those containers ready to go, I feel a quiet sense of victory. One less decision. One less moment of friction. One more meal that makes us feel good.

And honestly, that's truly worth a few hours on a Sunday.

About me...I'm Lorna Rose and, by day, I work in the tech industry, but in my heart of hearts, I've always been fascinated by the story that food tells. The magic of a well-cooked meal, the way a simple dish can bring people together, spark conversation, and create lasting memories. On Happy Bellies, I set out to explore and find hidden gems, so that I can indulge in telling stories around food that will make you want to go out and create your own foodie adventures.

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