In the last few years, bowl food has become incredibly popular. Many restaurants and takeaways sell all kinds of bowls to go. Rice bowls are great for meals for one person, and it's actually remarkably simple to make them at home. In fact, you can turn them into a key part of your meal prep routine, preparing several bowls in advance for a week of tasty food. Here's how.
What goes into crafting the perfect meal prep bowl
One reason why bowls are such popular meals is that they contain all the components you need for a healthy, balanced lunch or dinner. That means, before you start cooking, you should plan the right mixture of protein, carbs, veggies, and tasty sauces and toppings.
Most meal bowls use rice as a base, but feel free to experiment with other carbs. Grains like quinoa, couscous and bulgur wheat also work well in meal bowls. Couscous is particularly good if you want to incorporate some Middle Eastern flavours. As you only need a kettle to cook it, it's easy to make a small portion in minutes following these meal prep recipes & tips.
Top chicken meal prep bowls for busy weekdays
Affordable, tasty and quick to cook, chicken is always a favourite for daily meals. Many of the best recipes for meal prep focus on this versatile protein, which works well with all kinds of cuisines. For a Japanese-style bowl, make chicken teriyaki or try one of these juicy chicken recipes. Take it to Mexico with a spicy, smoky chipotle chicken burrito bowl, or go north of the border with an easy all-American beef bowl.
A Vietnamese-style beef bowl, packed with brightly-coloured salads, is a great way to inject a bit of brightness into your working day.
Best burrito bowl meal prep ideas for easy lunches
Burrito bowls are basically a burrito without the tortilla. Not only do they taste great, but you also don't have to worry about the fiddly wrapping process. They often include rice, beans and some kind of spiced meat, along with fresh veggies. Try adding a tomato and red onion salsa, along with cubes of avocado, to ensure plenty of goodness. A topping of grated cheese or sour cream is the perfect finishing touch.
This Mexican beef burrito bowl can be as mild or as spicy as you like, as you control the chilli levels. Keep it mild if you're not used to fiery Mexican flavours, or if you're a spice veteran, turn up the heat as much as you dare!
Making your beef or chicken rice bowl healthy
When you're planning your favourite meat recipes for the week, think of nutrition. One of the easiest ways to ensure that your meal prep bowls are healthy is by trying to eat the rainbow. Different colours of veggies contain different nutrients, so if you can ensure your bowl contains, for example, red, yellow and green veggies, you'll get more bang for your nutritional buck than if you just go for greens.
Don't drown your rice bowl in oil or heavy sauces. Keep it light and simple. Japanese dressings are popular for a reason, and they’re a good choice if you want to focus on your health.
Planning rice bowl meal prep for the week
Truly organised cooks can plan out an entire week's worth of meals, but it does take a bit of practice. If you want to prepare the whole week's meals in advance, then the fridge isn't enough. It’s very likely you'll also need to brush up on your freezable meal prep skills.
Think of bowls as a kind of mix-and-match lunch. You don't need to make five totally different meals from scratch, which would take a lot of time and require dozens of ingredients. Instead, you could make a large batch of quick-pickled veggies or salad and use it several times over the week. Use up ingredients that will go off quickly, like raw lettuce, in the first couple of days.
Meal prep inspiration for storing and organising bowls
Meal prep bowls are popular on social media, so start browsing for inspiration! Remember, though, that when it comes to meal prep, health and safety are paramount. When planning to make your favourite fish and seafood recipes, keep in mind that poke is raw fish. You will need to buy sashimi-grade fish to ensure it is fresh enough to eat, and you’ll need to use it immediately, so don't leave it sitting around the fridge for days. Meal prep bowls built around raw fish are only suitable if you can keep them refrigerated right up until lunchtime. If your office doesn't have a fridge, use different ingredients instead.
Meal prep bowl FAQs
How long do meal prep bowls last in the fridge?
That depends on the exact ingredients, but in general, you can expect meal prep bowls to last about 3 days. Keep in mind that ingredients like avocado will discolour quickly and should be eaten sooner rather than later.
Can you freeze chicken rice bowls?
Yes, chicken rice bowls freeze well. You can either freeze the chicken and rice separately or together. Add any fresh veggies you want to eat after you've defrosted the rice bowl.
What rice works best for meal prep bowls?
That depends on what you're making with meal prep rice. Long-grain rice like basmati is versatile and popular, but short-grain sushi rice is more suitable for Japanese bowls or poke bowls.
How can I meal prep for 7 days without the food going bad?
You'll need to use the freezer. You can store the first two or three days' worth of food in the fridge, but the rest should be frozen. Divide it into convenient portions before freezing.
How much protein should I put in my meal prep?
That depends on you. Dietitians Australia suggests around 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal. The higher end of the scale is better if you are trying to build or maintain muscle mass with a high protein diet plan