High Protein Meal Prep: Full Week of Recipes in Under 2 Hours
Batch cooking is the most reliable strategy for consistently hitting your protein targets. This guide walks you through a complete Sunday prep system — 5 recipes, one session, 150–200g protein per day for the whole week.
~90 min
Total prep time
150–200g
Protein per day
5 days
Meals covered
5 easy
Recipes
The Sunday Prep System
Effective meal prep does not mean cooking 25 individual meals. It means cooking in bulk — proteins, grains, and vegetables in large batches that can be combined and flavoured differently throughout the week. The system below takes approximately 90 minutes including active prep and waiting time.
Preheat oven to 220°C. Put chicken thighs in. Start rice cooker with 400g dry rice.
Prep sweet potatoes and salmon for tray bake. Boil eggs on stovetop.
Eggs finish — move to ice bath. Brown ground turkey in a pan.
Chicken thighs done. Add sweet potatoes to second tray. Mix turkey sauce.
Assemble overnight oats in 5 jars. Rice should be done — portion into containers.
Add salmon to sweet potato tray. Turkey bowls — portion and store.
Salmon tray bake done. Portion all remaining meals. Label containers.
Everything cooled and stored. Fridge stocked for the week.
The 5 Recipes
Oven-Baked Chicken Thighs
~35g per serving
6 servings
280
Calories
35g
Protein
14g
Fat
2g
Carbs
5 min
Prep
35 min
Cook
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder, paprika, salt, black pepper
Method
- 1.Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan).
- 2.Pat chicken dry, rub with olive oil and spices.
- 3.Bake on a rack for 32–38 minutes until internal temp reaches 74°C.
- 4.Cool, strip from bone, store in 6 equal containers.
Meal prep tip: Thighs stay moist when reheated — ideal for meal prep. Add sauce variety across the week.
Ground Turkey Rice Bowls
~38g per serving
5 servings
420
Calories
38g
Protein
10g
Fat
45g
Carbs
5 min
Prep
20 min
Cook
Ingredients
- 700g lean ground turkey (93%)
- 400g cooked jasmine rice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, garlic
- Spring onions, sesame seeds to top
Method
- 1.Brown turkey over medium-high heat, breaking into small pieces.
- 2.Add garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Cook 2 more minutes.
- 3.Portion cooked rice into 5 containers (80g each).
- 4.Top each with turkey mix. Add spring onions when serving.
Meal prep tip: Freeze 2 portions for later in the week. Reheat rice with a splash of water.
Hard-Boiled Egg Batch
~12g per 2 eggs
12 eggs (6 servings of 2)
140
Calories
12g
Protein
10g
Fat
1g
Carbs
1 min
Prep
12 min
Cook
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
- Ice bath (cold water + ice cubes)
Method
- 1.Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan, cover with cold water.
- 2.Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10–12 minutes.
- 3.Transfer immediately to ice bath for 10 minutes.
- 4.Peel all 12 eggs, store unpeeled in the fridge (lasts 5 days).
Meal prep tip: Leave shells on until eating to extend freshness. Add to any meal as a protein top-up.
Salmon + Sweet Potato Tray Bake
~40g per serving
4 servings
480
Calories
40g
Protein
16g
Fat
38g
Carbs
10 min
Prep
25 min
Cook
Ingredients
- 4 × 180g salmon fillets
- 600g sweet potato, cubed
- 2 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, dried herbs
- 200g tenderstem broccoli
Method
- 1.Preheat oven to 200°C. Toss sweet potato with olive oil, spread on a tray.
- 2.Roast sweet potato 10 minutes, then add salmon fillets and broccoli.
- 3.Drizzle salmon with lemon juice and herbs.
- 4.Bake 15 more minutes until salmon flakes easily.
- 5.Divide into 4 containers.
Meal prep tip: Salmon reheats best at low power in the microwave (50%) for 90 seconds. Eat within 3 days.
High-Protein Overnight Oats
~30g per jar
5 jars
380
Calories
30g
Protein
8g
Fat
48g
Carbs
10 min
Prep
0 min (overnight)
Cook
Ingredients
- 50g rolled oats (per jar)
- 150g Greek yoghurt (per jar)
- 20g vanilla whey protein (per jar)
- 150ml milk or oat milk
- Berries, chia seeds, honey to top
Method
- 1.Mix oats, Greek yoghurt, protein powder, and milk in each jar.
- 2.Stir well, seal, and refrigerate overnight.
- 3.In the morning, top with berries, chia seeds, and a drizzle of honey.
- 4.Eat cold or warm briefly in the microwave.
Meal prep tip: Make all 5 on Sunday evening. They last 4–5 days in the fridge. Swap toppings for daily variety.
Sample Week: How It All Fits Together
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Overnight oats | Turkey rice bowl | Chicken thigh + veg | ~163g |
| Tue | Overnight oats | Chicken thigh + rice | Salmon + sweet potato | ~170g |
| Wed | Overnight oats | Turkey rice bowl | Chicken thigh + rice | ~163g |
| Thu | Overnight oats | Salmon + sweet potato | Turkey rice bowl | ~168g |
| Fri | Overnight oats | Chicken thigh + rice | Turkey rice bowl | ~163g |
Add 2 hard-boiled eggs as a snack each day (+12g protein) and a protein shake if needed to hit specific targets. Macros are approximate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does meal prepped food last in the fridge?
Cooked proteins (chicken, beef, fish, eggs) last 3–5 days refrigerated in an airtight container. Cooked grains (rice, quinoa, oats) last 4–6 days. Roasted or steamed vegetables last 4–5 days. For a full week of prep, batch cook your proteins on Sunday for Monday through Wednesday, then do a second smaller prep on Wednesday for Thursday through Saturday. Alternatively, freeze half your portions — cooked chicken and rice freeze well for up to 3 months.
How do I hit 150g+ protein per day with meal prep?
Hitting 150g protein per day from meal-prepped food requires building each meal around a dense protein source. A practical framework: 40g protein at breakfast (eggs + Greek yoghurt), 40–50g at lunch (chicken or tuna), 40–50g at dinner (lean beef or salmon), and 20–30g from snacks (cottage cheese, protein shake). This adds up to 140–170g daily without supplements.
What are the best proteins to meal prep?
The best meal-prep proteins are those that hold texture and flavour after reheating: chicken thighs (more forgiving than breasts), ground beef or turkey, hard-boiled eggs, canned or cooked tuna, salmon fillets, and legumes (for plant-based prep). Chicken breast is popular but can dry out — add a sauce or marinate before cooking to retain moisture.
Can I meal prep for muscle gain and fat loss at the same time?
Yes — body recomposition meal prep is simply high protein at maintenance calories with adequate carbohydrates around training. Focus on lean proteins (chicken, fish, eggs), complex carbohydrates (rice, sweet potato, oats), and fibrous vegetables. Portioning everything in advance removes decision fatigue and makes it much easier to consistently hit your targets.
How do I add variety to high-protein meal prep?
Batch cook one or two base proteins (e.g., plain chicken and hard-boiled eggs), then vary the flavour with different sauces: teriyaki on Monday, lemon-herb on Tuesday, sriracha on Wednesday. Prep a neutral grain base (rice or quinoa) that works with multiple flavour profiles. Rotate the protein source weekly — week 1 chicken, week 2 salmon, week 3 beef mince — to prevent monotony while keeping prep efficient.
Know Your Protein Target Before You Prep
Use our protein calculator to get your personalised daily target — so you know exactly how much to portion each meal.
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