It’s finally fall! The leaves have started turning, the air is getting cooler, the fall flavors are here and pumpkin (and pumpkin spice) is on the menu everywhere. Squashes, apples, roasted veggies, and so many other yummy ingredients and seasonal produce are in season! The fact that the fall flavors are here is so exciting to everyone who loves warm spices, pumpkin spice-flavored foods, comfort food, soups, and baked goods. It’s also the perfect time for an apple cider with friends. As it starts to get cooler we wave goodbye to summer and start to settle back into another year of school. But it’s not long until the holiday season will be upon us.
Now is the perfect time to start getting into some good habits around preparing food in advance. By making large batches of food, commonly known as meal prepping, and freezing or storing you can relax knowing you always have healthy food ready to go. At a time when you’re busy starting new school routines or taking time to travel, it’s a great time to start making sure there’s healthy food ready to go. It’s the perfect time to turn healthy fall recipes into healthy fall meal prep recipes – always take advantage of seasonal produce.
These recipes are perfect for your weekly meal prep. Spend a bit of time on a Sunday, or whenever works for your schedule, divide into meal prep bowls and you’ll have easy healthy options ready to go all week. No matter what your schedule throws at you. Check the portions of the healthy meal prep recipes below and increase to make the number of servings you want.
So what do you do? Do you head out for takeaways, stick to simple but non-nutritious meals or spend more time in the kitchen? Sure there are some options that don’t require a lot of cooking, like pre-cooked brown rice. But you don’t have to compromise! You can make healthy, nutritious food that doesn’t require hours in the kitchen and is slightly more exciting than a chicken salad. I want to show you a range of quick and easy meals that you can make that don’t require any cooking. Use these recipes for college students to build out a meal plan for yourself and take the stress out of eating healthy food. You don’t need to be a skilled recipe developed to enjoy delicious fall flavors, seasonal produce, pumpkin spice (that we all know and love), and all of the other warm spices.
Healthy Fall Meal Prep Recipes
HEARTY CHILI WITH BLACK BEANS
465 calories
Ingredients:
2 cups Canned, diced tomatoes – 100 calories
1 Carrots, whole, medium – 25 calories
½ cup Celery stalks, chopped in half – 8 calories
½ Onion, yellow – 27.5 calories
5 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw – 190 calories
½ cup Beans & legumes, black beans, cooked – 114 calories
1 Cumin, dash – 0 calories
1 Chili seasoning, dash – 0 calories
1 Garlic powder, dash – 0 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 tsp Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories
Instructions:
Spray a pan with an olive oil spray.
Dice chicken. Chop vegges into small pieces.
Spray a pot with an oil spray. Add in veggies, chicken, and seasoning.
Let heat through for ~12 minutes on low heat, stirring.
Add in tomatoes and chicken to the pot.
Turn burner to low heat & let sit, covered, for a minimum of 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
LOADED BAKED POTATO BOX
659 calories
Ingredients:
4 oz Ground turkey, 85% lean, raw – 225 calories
1 cup Carrots, baby – 45 calories
⅛ cup Nuts – 100 calories
½ cup Canned, diced tomatoes – 25 calories
1 Sweet potato, medium, 5 inches – 112 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, cheddar – 152 calories
1 Cumin, dash – 0 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
Instructions:
Poke holes in potato with fork. Microwave potato for 5 minutes. Turn potato over & microwave for another 5 minutes.
Spray a small pot with an oil spray. Stir fry ground turkey for ~8 minutes, until cooked through.
Add in tomatoes, simmer ~6-7 minutes and add seasonings.
Add chili to potato, top with cheese.
Have nuts and baby carrots on the side.
No turkey? Use tofu. No cheese? Use oil instead of an oil spray, or more nuts.
FALL HARVEST BOWL
517 calories
Ingredients:
1 Potato, sweet, medium, 5 inches – 112 calories
5 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw – 190 calories
1 cup Brussels sprouts – 56 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 14 calories
¼ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta – 99.75 calories
2 Tbsp Dressing, creamy (e.g. ranch), light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) – 45 calories
Instructions:
Poke holes in top and bottom of potato with fork. Microwave for 5 minutes on top and bottom. Once cooked, cut into small pieces.
Slice chicken into strips, chop off hard ends of Brussels and slice in halves.
Spray a pan with an oil spray. Cook chicken and Brussels for ~10 minutes on medium heat, until chicken has cooked through.
Combine all ingredients.
No chicken? Use beans, tofu, fish.
Note: The brand Bolthouse has low calorie creamy dressings – they’re available at most large stores (e.g. Safeway, Target)
CURRY CHICKEN AND RICE
421 calories
Ingredients:
½ cup Brown rice, cooked – 110 calories
¼ Onion, yellow – 13.75 calories
1 Curry powder, dash – 0 calories
¼ Tbsp Curry paste – 2.5 calories
3 oz Coconut milk, reduced fat (oz) – 105 calories
5 oz Chicken thigh, boneless, skinless, raw – 190 calories
1 tsp Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Tbsp Cilantro – 0 calories
⅓ Tbsp Garlic, minced (Tbsp) – 0 calories
Instructions:
This recipe works best when making 2-3+ servings. Perfect to add to any meal plans!
Cube raw chicken and dice onion.
Spray pan with an oil spray.
Stir-fry garlic (1/3 Tbsp = 1 tsp) and onion for ~6 minutes.
Add in chicken, curry powder, curry paste, and spices. Stir for another 4-5 minutes on lowest heat.
Add in coconut milk, let simmer for as long as you like.
Cook rice as instructed on package if not already cooked.
When ready to eat, top rice with curry chicken. Season with cilantro.
Notes: You can absolutely also use a pre-made curry sauce if you prefer. Track your ingredients ahead of time to make sure your calories are in check. No chicken? Use tofu.
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH
486 calories
Ingredients:
2 cups Squash, butternut, chunks, fresh (uncooked) – 126 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, butter lettuce, raw – 14 calories
⅛ cup Peanuts – 96 calories
4 oz Chicken breast, grilled – 175 calories
1 Tbsp Vinaigrette, regular (more than 50 calories per 2 tbsp) – 75 calories
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line cookie sheet with tin foil, Spray with oil spray. Line butternut squash chunks and chicken breast in a single layer. At 15 minutes, flip chicken over & mix around butternut squash. Bake for 30 minutes
Mix ingredients and enjoy!
Feel free to switch out lettuce for any other lettuce variety that you prefer
CHIA SEEDS WITH COCONUT MILK AND ALMOND BUTTER
470 calories
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Chia seeds – 60 calories
1 Tbsp Shelled hemp hearts – 60 calories
3 oz Coconut milk, reduced fat (oz) – 105 calories
1 Tbsp Almond butter – 101 calories
1 tsp Stevia – 0 calories
⅛ cup Pecans (cups) – 94 calories
1 cup Strawberries, fresh – 50 calories
Instructions:
Combine coconut milk, hemp hearts, and chia seeds in a container (e.g. mason jar) and soak in fridge overnight.
In the morning, add almond butter, stevia, pecans, and strawberries (halved or quartered).
This breakfast recipe isn’t designed to make multiples of, but it’s a great habit to get breakfast ready the night before so you know you’ve got something healthy, gluten free breakfast all ready to go.
2-INGREDIENT SLOW COOKER SALSA CHICKEN OR HARISSA CHICKEN
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound chicken breasts (about 4 chicken breasts), uncooked (skinless, boneless)
Salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups chunky salsa
Instructions:
Place chicken in the slow cooker and cover with salsa
Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until the chicken is done
Use the chicken in your weeknight dinner recipes or salads for lunches.
SHEET PAN SAUSAGE & PEPPERS BENTO BOX
357 calories
Ingredients:
1 Bell pepper, green – 27 calories
1 cup Veggie noodles/rice, cauliflower “rice”, raw – 38 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, cheddar – 152 calories
1 Sausage, chicken – 140 calories
1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Basil, dash – 0 calories
1 Oregano, dash – 0 calories
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper & spray with an oil spray.
Slice sausage into coin shapes & chop peppers into small
pieces.Add chopped sausage & chopped peppers to baking sheet, bake for 25 minutes.
Once cooked, top with seasonings and cheese.
No sausage? Use tofu. No cheese? Use a dairy-free cheese, or avocado.
OVERNIGHT OATS WITH 2 TBSP PB
533 calories
Ingredients:
6 oz Yogurt, plain, Greek, 2%, from tub – 127.5 calories
¾ cup Milk, skim, non-fat – 67.5 calories
½ cup Oatmeal, dry oats (uncooked) – 150 calories
2 Tbsp Peanut butter (Tbsp) – 188 calories
Instructions:
Combine oats, milk, peanut butter, and yogurt in a bowl.
Add to mason jar & cover with lid.
Refrigerate overnight.
No nuts? Use a seed butter e.g. sunflower seed butter. No dairy? Use a dairy-free yogurt and milk.
FALL HARVEST BOWL
517 calories
Ingredients:
- 1 Potato, sweet, medium, 5 inches – 112 calories
- 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw – 190 calories
- 1 cup Brussels sprouts – 56 calories
- 2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 14 calories
- ¼ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta – 99.75 calories
- 2 Tbsp Dressing, creamy (e.g. ranch), light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) – 45 calories
Instructions:
- Poke holes in top and bottom of potato with fork. Microwave for 5 minutes on top and bottom. Once cooked, cut into small pieces.
- Slice chicken into strips, chop off hard ends of Brussels and slice in halves.
- Spray a pan with an oil spray. Cook chicken and Brussels for ~10 minutes on medium heat, until chicken has cooked through.
- Combine chicken, roasted veggies, and all ingredients.
- No chicken? Use beans, tofu, fish.
- Note: The brand Bolthouse has low calorie creamy dressings – they’re available at most large stores (e.g. Safeway, Target)
