The EASIEST Clean Eating Meal Prep Ideas - The Girl on Bloor

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These clean eating meal prep ideas will help you learn to eat whole food ingredients while enjoying delicious, healthy food for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Collage of four clean eating meals with pink banner across the middle reading Clean eating meal prep ideas

From colorful salads and protein-packed bowls to hearty breakfasts and satisfying snacks, these ideas are as tasty as they are nourishing. Meal prepping has never been so stress-free…or delicious!

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What’s in this post:

What is clean eating?

Let’s clear something up right away: there’s no such thing as “clean” or “dirty” foods. While I’m not a huge fan of the term “clean eating,” it’s really just another way of saying “healthy eating.” The idea behind it is to focus on foods that are good for your body while limiting those that are less nutritious.

For some people, clean eating can mean sticking to a super strict diet with nothing but whole foods. But for me, it’s about balance, AKA: doing your best to eat healthy most of the time without being overly restrictive. At its core, clean eating is about choosing foods in their most natural state or as close to it as possible, minimizing anything overly processed or refined.

How to incorporate clean eating into your meal prep

If you’re meal prepping for the work week, it’s important to use wholesome ingredients to reap the health benefits while still keeping things flavourful. While store-bought condiments with added sugars or fats can save time in a pinch, if your goal is to eat healthier, limiting processed foods is key.

Stocking your pantry with whole food ingredients is a great way to make meal prep easier and more nutritious. My is packed with a week’s worth of simple, healthy recipes and includes prep-ahead instructions to help you stay on track without feeling overwhelmed!

The 80/20 rule

Clean eating is a lifestyle. It focuses on how you view food, nutrition, and meal prep in a way that supports better health, boosts energy, and can even save you money! I like to follow the 80/20 rule: eat nutritious, whole foods 80% of the time, and leave room to enjoy indulgent treats the other 20%. Life gets busy, and it’s okay if you can’t eat perfectly all the time. Balance is key, and we all deserve a little treat now and then!

In this post, I’ll share tips for clean eating meal prep, including some general guidelines and my favorite healthy recipes. Take what works for you and leave what doesn’t. The most important thing is focusing on the nutritional value of your meals and how they fuel your body. That’s the secret to lasting success with clean eating!

Clean eating guidelines

Eating clean is easier than you think! Here’s a list of general guidelines when it comes to clean eating as a lifestyle.

Avoid processed foods: This includes TV dinners, boxed and canned foods (there are exceptions such as canned beans, canned chickpeas, diced tomatoes, etc.)
Avoid refined sugars: Aim to switch to natural ingredients such as honey, maple syrup and stevia whenever possible.
Steer clear of trans fats and excessive sodium: These definitely don’t contribute to a clean eating lifestyle.
Know how to read food labels: Make sure you know how to check the ingredients and nutritional labels, so you can tell what you’re consuming.
Opt for whole grains over white flour products: Instead of white rice, go for brown rice, quinoa, barley, oats, etc.
Practice mindful eating: Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full!
Consume healthy fats: This includes extra-virgin olive oil, avocado, fish, etc.

Clean ingredients

The best thing about clean eating is its emphasis on whole foods. Almost nothing is off-limits in this diet save for processed foods.

Here’s what you should be eating when making this lifestyle change:

Whole grains – quinoa, wheatberries, farro, barley, whole wheat bread/pasta, brown rice
Lean proteins – fish, shellfish, legumes, eggs, nuts, seeds, chicken breasts, skinless chicken thighs, turkey, extra-lean ground beef, lean cuts of pork
LOTS of fruits and veggies – apples, berries, bananas, leafy greens like kale and spinach, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, etc.
Healthy fats – healthy oils, avocado, fish

Here are some foods you should be limiting or avoiding:

Most desserts
Chips
Sugary drinks
Cold cuts and other processed meats
Boxed foods and frozen dinners
Many different kinds of store-bought sauces

Clean ingredient swaps

While there are some foods you should try not to eat too often, there are alternatives for some of your fave guilty pleasures.

Here are some of my fave alternatives to make your kitchen clean eating friendly:

Swap sour cream for Greek yogurt
Swap mayo for mashed avocado or hummus
Swap soy sauce for coconut aminos
Try honey or maple syrup instead of sugar
Instead of pasta, try gluten-free chickpea pasta
Instead of white rice, use cauliflower rice
Use coconut milk or another dairy-free milk in place of heavy cream
Use ground almonds instead of breadcrumbs

Clean eating strategies

There are so many ways to eat healthier but these are my top tips to eating clean, and sticking to it! Making meal prep easier on yourself helps you stay focused and on track – knowing what you’re eating and when is really helpful in maintaining a healthy diet.

Make your own dressings and sauces: Skip the store-bought salad dressings and marinades and make your own at home using pantry staples. Most will last in the fridge for a couple months.
Eat more fruits and veggies: Aim for half your plate at every meal, including breakfast!
Skip premade breakfasts: Avoid cereals, fruit-flavored yogurt, store-bought granola and instant oatmeal packs, as they all have a ton of sugar even though they’re often marketed as healthy. Make your own or instead.
Make your own frozen dinners: Ditch the TV dinners and make your own freezer meals for nights where you really don’t feel like cooking. You can make a or low carb casserole and divide it into individual servings or whip up – they’ll still give you the comfort food you crave without the unhealthy ingredients.
Store meat in the freezer: Store cooked or raw leftover meat in the freezer for a quick high-protein meal. I do this with and

Meal prep breakfasts

Breakfast is the first day of the meal – don’t skip it! Instead make a set of delicious, healthy breakfasts that you can grab on the go or whip up in a flash. Make ahead options like a breakfast casserole done in the slow cooker are also a great idea. Here are some of my favourite easy meal prep ideas that fit a clean eating lifestyle!

Pina Colada Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats {+ Stovetop Instructions} These Pina Colada Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats are a healthy meal prep breakfast! No pressure cooker? Make them on the stove instead.

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole This Crockpot Breakfast Casserole is a delicious make-ahead breakfast with hashbrowns, bacon, veggies and eggs. It’s great for the holidays!

A stack of banana egg pancakes with extra banana slices and maple syrup on top.

2-Ingredient Banana Egg Pancakes These 2-Ingredient Banana Egg Pancakes are a delicious grab & go breakfast idea you can meal prep and store in the freezer for busy mornings!

Sausage Egg McMuffin Copycat Recipe Recreate the iconic McDonald's breakfast sandwich at home with this delicious copycat recipe. Meal prep it for busy mornings!

The BEST Starbucks Egg Bites Copycat This is the Best Starbucks Egg Bites Recipe! They taste just the sous vide Bacon & Gruyere egg bites and are a great grab-and-go breakfast idea.

Meal Prep Carrot Cake Oatmeal Muffin Cups

Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cups {Meal Prep + High Fibre} These Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cups are great for meal prep breakfasts – they’re high in fibre and low in refined sugars with hidden veggies.

Meal prep lunches

Lunch is the midday meal that keeps you going throughout the day, and you want to make sure you’re making healthy ingredient choices. I love making meal prep bowls to ensure I have a healthy lunch to enjoy all week long. Here are some of my fave clean recipes below, and I have several more in this .

Zucchini Chicken Noodle Soup Jars These Spiralized Zucchini Chicken Noodle Soup Jars are a perfect low-carb meal prep idea. Just add boiling water, microwave and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Tuscan Sausage and Kale Soup This Slow Cooker Tuscan Sausage & Kale Soup is a hearty veggie-filled dish for cold days. Dump it in the crockpot then set it and forget it!

Indian-Inspired Chicken Meal Prep Bowls These Indian-Inspired Chicken Meal Prep Bowls are super easy to make and come together on one sheet pan – they’ve even got pakoras!

Sheet Pan Greek Chicken {Meal Prep} This Sheet Pan Greek Chicken is an easy dinner that doubles as meal prep! You'll love this tasty combo of chicken, potatoes and veggies.

Easy Big Mac Salad Recipe This easy Big Mac Salad can be meal prepped in mason jars for lunches – it's a healthy low-carb take on the classic cheeseburger!

Dynamite Shrimp Sushi Jars {Meal Prep} These Dynamite Shrimp Sushi Jars are great for meal prep. They're topped with a delicious sauce and include your favourite sushi fixings!

Clean eating dinner recipes

When it comes to dinner, making it in a skillet or a sheet pan is easiest and it ensures you get a full serving of lean proteins and vegetables in. You can go low carb here or choose a healthier whole grain side such as brown rice or quinoa to get the full nutritional benefits of a comprehensive end of the day meal. Here are some healthy, easy clean eating dinner ideas below – and check out these for more inspiration.

30-Minute Italian Chicken Skillet This 30-Minute Italian Chicken Skillet is a delicious and low-calorie meal that’s great for meal prep – all you need is one pan!

Easy Cashew Chicken Recipe This easy Cashew Chicken stir fry is better than takeout and great for meal prep. Plus, the sauce is made using mostly pantry staples!

A plate with hasselback caprese chicken with a side salad.

Hasselback Baked Caprese Chicken This Hasselback Baked Caprese Chicken is like summer on a plate, made with mozzarella cheese, sliced plum tomatoes and fresh basil.

Jalapeno Popper Hasselback Chicken This Jalapeno Popper Hasselback Chicken is so good. All you need is light cream cheese, cheddar and jalapeno peppers!

Close-up shot of sheet pan pesto chicken

Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken This Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken is a delicious low carb meal prep bowl idea that comes together in 30 minutes!

A sheet pan with sausage and vegetables.

Sheet Pan Sausage & Root Vegetables This Sheet Pan Sausage & Root Vegetable Scramble is a quick and easy dinner cooked all on one pan in the oven with rosemary and garlic.

Clean eating made simple

If you’re looking to learn even more about clean eating, make sure you sign up for my . It helps you stay on track with a week’s worth of healthy and easy recipes, including prep ahead instructions.

Here’s what you’ll receive when you sign up:

1 make-ahead breakfast
1 meal prep lunch recipe
5 healthy dinner ideas
Prep ahead instructions designed to make your dinners come together quickly and easily each night!

Click here to sign up for my !

More clean eating resources

close up of Sheet Pan Greek Chicken out of the oven and ready to serve

Shot of healthy two-ingredient pancakes with syrup and bananas in the background

Created by Taylor Stinson

Hey there, my name's Taylor! I’m the founder of The Girl on Bloor, a food blog where I share healthy meal prep recipes for busy people. I'm a busy city girl living in downtown Toronto on (you guessed it!) Bloor Street. I've got 10 years experience meal prepping, along with a Master's degree in journalism, and you can find my work across the internet featured on publications such as Buzzfeed, HuffPost, Women's Health, Reader's Digest and more. I'm also the founder of Dinner Prep Pro, which is a meal prep app and community that helps busy people get more time back, save money on food and reduce stress during the work week. Thanks for being here and I hope to inspire you with my recipes and meal planning tips!

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