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SaveRecipes & Dining 3 Low-Budget Healthy Summer Meal Prep Ideas

3 Low-Budget Healthy Summer Meal Prep Ideas

Get a head start on this week’s meals with these easy meal prep recipes that use seasonal ingredients. Check out these meal prep ideas to save money and time.

3 Low-Budget Healthy Summer Meal Prep Ideas

Make summer a bit more easy-breezy, by preparing meals ahead of time for quick consumption. You can use fresh meal prep recipes this summer to get your ingredients all set to go. When you’re ready to dig in, simply reheat for a delicious meal.

Preparing meals in advance can save you time and money. Simply buy ingredients in bulk, then set aside an afternoon or night to get to cooking.

These ideas for meal prep use summer-fresh components. When you shop what’s in-season, you can save even more. Get set with these delicious meal prep ideas.

1. Watermelon gazpacho

Gazpacho is a chilled soup that will cool you off this summer. For this recipe, swap the traditional tomato for in-season watermelon for an even more refreshing twist.

Simply puree 5 cups chopped watermelon, ½ cup chopped yellow onion, ½ cup chopped green peppers, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. cumin, ½ cup chopped cilantro, 2 tsp. chopped jalapeno, 1 Tbsp. lime juice, and ¼ tsp. chili powder. Chill the mixture in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

When you’re ready to serve, stir in 1 cup finely chopped watermelon and 1 diced avocado. This recipe makes two servings. There's no reheating necessary, so just slurp it up whenever!

2. Veggie and grain bowls

Veggie and grain bowls are one of the most popular ideas for meal prep because they’re so customizable and versatile. During meal prep, simply chop and/or roast your favorite veggies, cook your favorite grains, and get your protein ready. Then, assemble your meals and stock them in the fridge for the week.

For veggies, you can cut up raw in-season veggies like bell peppers, carrots, celery, cucumbers, summer squash, tomatoes, and zucchini. If you want to roast any, toss them in some olive oil and spices, like cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, or onion powder. Use what you like!

Spread the veggies on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roast at 425°F for around 20 minutes. While they’re roasting, you can drain a couple of cans of black beans, chickpeas, or kidney beans. Or, cook your favorite protein, like lean chicken breast.

Cook up your grains, too. Choose from brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, or whatever you’re into.

Once everything is cooked, you can assemble your meals in high-quality glass containers for meal prep. Drizzle your favorite dressing or squeeze some lemon juice on top of the bowl before you dig in.

3. Get grilling

The grill is your friend for summer meal prep. You can grill produce and proteins ahead of time, then use them in meal prep ideas for the week. Try this:

  • Grill lean meat, like salmon, tilapia, chicken breast, chicken thigh, flank steak, or fillets.
  • Throw colorful in-season red, green, orange, and yellow bell peppers on the grill.
  • Corn is always a grill master’s favorite. Bonus that it’s in-season in summer!
  • Did you know? You can also grill fruit! Use in-season produce like peaches, plums, watermelon, bananas, apples, and mangos on the grill.

With your grilled protein, veggies, and fruit, you can add these ingredients to glass meal prep containers, along with your favorite grain.  

Save on groceries for meal prep

Shop what’s in season and save even more with coupons for groceries. Check your Save mailer to get savings on delicious ingredients for summer meal prep recipes.