50+ Summer Meal Prep Ideas Ready In No Time (2024)

This vegetarian paella is super simple to prepare and ready in just 30 minutes.

It's packed with tons of fresh rainbow vegetables, saffron-infused rice, and loads of flavors.

It's delicious warm or cold, especially on hot summer days, so a terrific idea to double up the recipe and store or freeze the extra for meal prep.

With wholesome, fresh ingredients, this Mediterranean meal prep lunch box couldn't be easier to put together.

It's loaded with vegetables, chickpeas, and hummus.

You can make it for a quick lunch in advance, and it's ready in about 20 minutes. It's one of my favorite summer meals!

This Bento Box is inspired by traditional Japanese flavors with a modern twist.

It's filled with a simple omelet inspired by Tomagoyami, a cabbage salad coated in a salty miso dressing, brown rice, smoked salmon, and spicy edamame for a perfect summer lunch or dinner.

This Buddha bowl is filling and nourishing.

Brown rice, fresh vegetables, crispy chickpeas, creamy avocado, and a turmeric tahini dressing are just a few of the plant-based goodies in this one-bowl meal.

Delicious!

What I love about Bento boxes is that they are made to be eaten cold or at room temperature. Which makes them perfect for summer meal prep.

And this chicken teriyaki bento box is one of my favorites.

You can prepare it the night before and store it in the fridge before lunch. So good!

You can keep this flavorful Mediterranean quinoa salad in the fridge for a few days, and it's ideal for lunch or a cool summer dinner.

So good!

This vegetarian sandwich is flavorful, creamy, and loaded with scrumptious vegetables.

Just prepare the ingredients in advance. Then put it together in the morning to take with you for lunch on the go!

But remember to add the avocado last!

Ready in 30 minutes, this Mexican Quinoa is the ideal weeknight meal.

You can make it in advance and store it in the fridge for a few days.

Just add the avocado at the last minute, and you are good to go.

This Italian Lunch Box requires no cooking and is ready in 10 minutes.

It's quick, easy, and healthy. It's the perfect lunch box to make for hot summer days: all you'll need are sun-ripen tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, pesto, fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, and some fresh fruit.

And for more lunch box ideas, check out this post.

This refreshing hummus bowl comes together pretty quickly.

It's filled with plant protein and crunchy veggies, making it the perfect light summer lunch or dinner.

I love that you can store all the ingredients and assemble it at the last minute.

You're going to fall in love with this vegan poke bowl recipe!

It's light and healthful while still being filling and gratifying. You'll need crunchy rainbow vegetables, crispy tofu marinated in a light ginger soy sauce, plus sweet mango.

You can prepare all the elements in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days!

If you love rice, you have to try this Italian-inspired cold rice salad!

It's the perfect make-ahead recipe that tastes incredible and doesn't take much effort.

Perfect for those hot, lazy summer days!

This quick and easy no-cook tomato pasta can be made in just 15 minutes, and it's the ideal summer weekday meal.

All you'll need is a few sweet, sun-ripened tomatoes, almonds, a few basil leaves, some capers, garlic, and extra-virgin olive oil.

It's delicious hot and cold, making it the perfect meal to make ahead.

This chickpea salad sandwich is a lighter alternative to an egg or tuna salad sandwich.

You can prepare the filling ahead of time and store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

You can also wash and chop the vegetables ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator to make your life easier.

When you are ready to eat, assemble your sandwich, and you are good to go!

This vegetarian pasta salad has a trick in store.

By marinating the veggies, you get a flavorful pasta salad that you can meal prep in advance and lasts for days! So juicy!

These veggie stir-fry noodles are ready in just 15 minutes, and you can customize them with whatever veggies you have available!

Use summer favorites like red peppers and zucchini to make it seasonal!

You can make this Mexican-inspired salad with black beans, bell peppers, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, onions, romaine lettuce, and some fresh cilantro.

Combine it with a side of corn, tortilla chips, and guacamole for a fresh summer meal.

This perfect summer salad combines salmon with grilled corn, fresh tomatoes, and avocado, all mixed in a cilantro-lime dressing.

Indulgent and refreshing at the same time!

This vegetarian bento box is a nutritious cold meal to keep you going throughout the day.

It's filled with a hard-boiled egg, healthy veggies, quinoa, and fresh fruit. Plus, it's naturally dairy-free and gluten-free.

This flavorful lentil tabbouleh is filled with plant-based protein and loaded with flavor in every bite.

Serve it with some pita bread or brown rice to make it a full meal.

You can make it ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Adding the dressing at the last minute will make it less watery.

This simple pasta dish with tomatoes and zucchini is ready in just 30 minutes.

Filled with fresh summer vegetables, you can make it ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. And trust me, it's delicious cold as well as hot.

This strawberry spinach salad is filled with fresh, juicy strawberries, lots of leafy greens (here, Erin used baby spinach), red onions, pecans, and a delicious feta dressing.

Summer salad perfection!

These mushroom tacos burst with flavor from the grilled portobello mushrooms and avocado salsa.

They're a quick and tasty plant-based meal! To meal prep, make the mushroom filling in advance and store it in the fridge.

I would prepare the avocado salsa at the last minute to avoid having it turn brown.

A Nicoise salad loaded with lots of summer veggies. A light and fresh vinaigrette brings to life all the ingredients.

A cold salad perfect for enjoying when it's out outside.

Stuffed peppers are so much fun!

They are colorful, lively, and delicious.

Filled with coconut rice, mango, and lots of fresh herbs, it's the perfect dinner for warmer weather.

This chicken burrito bowl is perfect for summer meal prep.

All you'll need is golden chicken, cilantro lime rice, avocado, and a delicious lime dressing!

Pasta salads are some of the best summer dinner ideas.

This vibrant pasta salad features fresh veggies and a creamy Greek salad dressing with fresh herbs from the garden.

You can prep it ahead and have something cool and ready for a hot summer day.

Nothing screams summer meal prep more than a salad in mason jars!

And this quinoa salad with a lemon-dill dressing is perfect for your weekly meal prep during the summer months.

It features shrimp, quinoa, tomato, cucumber, and feta cheese.

Try this orzo salad for summer barbecues and picnics!

It is bursting with flavor thanks to the feta cheese, cucumber, olives, red onion, zesty Greek dressing, and a dash of black pepper.

This sheet pan chicken is the perfect easy recipe for summer.

All you'll need is chicken breast and lots of colorful veggies.

Add some fresh lemon juice, and you'll have an easy recipe ready in no time.

This succulent salad tastes like summer!

Full of Mediterranean ingredients - olives, tomatoes, cucumber, avocados, and chicken - is a complete meal in a bowl!

Use any fresh vegetables you have on hand to make this versatile roasted vegetable pasta!

Garnish it with fresh herbs, and you'll have a straightforward and perfect meal prep recipe in no time.

This mouthwatering vegetarian wrap recipe is made with warm pita bread, shawarma-flavored chickpeas, creamy hummus, spicy zhoug, and fresh vegetables.

Make the filling ahead of time, and fill the wraps when you are ready to eat for an easy summer lunch.

Nothing beats the hot weather like a simple gazpacho recipe.

This cold soup is filled with summer vegetables, vinegar, and a drizzle of olive oil.

You can keep it in the fridge for 4-5 days and enjoy it with some sourdough bread. Yummy!

Carrot soup is something I usually enjoy on cold days.

But I tried this slightly warm with fresh carrots from the garden, and I am converted.

This creamy and spicy soup is perfect for enjoying on a hot summer night.

Just prepare it in advance and eat it slightly warm or cold.

These baked gnocchi scream summer!

Made with fresh zucchini, tomatoes, red onion, capers, and vegan ricotta, they are simply delicious.

They are easy to batch cook and eat cold or warm a few days later. You can opt for standard ricotta cheese if you are not vegan.

Another healthy salad you can meal prep this summer, this Panzanella salad, is inspired by Tuscan summer nights.

Made with sun-ripen tomatoes, fresh basil, chickpeas, and stale bread, it's one of my favorite salads to eat in the summer months.

This chicken salad is perfect for summer! It's filled with chipotle chicken, crunchy bacon, juicy sweet corn, fresh avocado, strawberries, and a refreshing cilantro vinaigrette.

Pro tip: Prepare all the ingredients ahead, but add the avocado, strawberries, and dressing at the last minute to avoid having a soggy salad.

This easy one-pan Italian chicken dinner can be made with any summer vegetable you have.

Here you'll see zucchini, tomatoes, and green beans. The best thing? It's ready in 20 minutes!

These fresh summer rolls are colorful, nutritious, and fun to make.

The perfect light lunch or dinner you can make ahead and store in the fridge, ready to serve with creamy peanut or sweet chili dipping sauce!

Crunchy and spicy, these creamy Asian Chicken wraps are an explosion of color, flavor, and texture. Plus, they are ready in only 30 minutes!

You can prepare the filling up to 1 day in advance and store it in an airtight container.

Assemble the wraps up to 4 hours in advance and store them in the refrigerator (or your lunch box) until ready to serve.

This filling rice salad features black beans, plenty of veggies, brown rice, and a zingy lime dressing.

Once ready, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I love to make stuffed vegetables for an easy summer dinner. And these zucchini boats are so good.

Filled with cherry tomatoes, lemon, thyme, and Parmesan, they are simple to make, fresh & delicious.

Filled with tofu and mushrooms, these lettuce wraps are easy, healthy, and delicious. I love that you can make the tofu filling ahead of time and refrigerate it for 3 to 5 days.

But keep the lettuce leaves in a separate container. Leftovers are great mixed with rice or scrambled with egg.

There's no summer without tacos!

And these are filled with summer grilled vegetables and served with black beans. But the creamy cilantro sauce is what sets them apart from the crowd.

Plus, they are ready in just 30 minutes.

Grilled mushrooms, red onions, sweet peppers, and herb-grilled chicken give this spinach salad its rich flavor.

Finish it with a healthy French dressing for a complete meal on warm days!

One of the most classic summer meals from my Italian childhood.

Nothing beats a delicious Caprese salad made with the best heirloom tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, and a drizzle of the best extra virgin olive oil.

There isn't much to prep ahead here. All you need are top-quality ingredients and 5 minutes of your time.

If you have too many zucchini in your garden, this is the perfect summer meal prep recipe for you.

This noodle-free zucchini lasagna is just as tasty as the original. You can assemble it, put it in the refrigerator, and bake it on the day of serving.

Or you can bake it ahead and reheat it in the oven.