32 Bodybuilding Meal Prep Ideas to Build Muscle – Meal Prepify

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Bodybuilders are known for eating insane amounts of food.

There’s no doubt that it can be hard to find good, healthy food and eat on a budget. If you’re eating 4-6 meals a day, it can also be exhausting to cook and clean all the time.

Meal prepping is the answer. Cook a bunch of food at once and eat on it throughout the week.

If you’re looking for some easy bodybuilding meal prep ideas, this list is for you! We’ve put together a list of our staple recipes whenever I’m trying to build muscle or cut weight.

These are our 32 easy bodybuilding meals.

32 Easy Bodybuilding Meals to Build Muscle or Cut Weight

Quick Bodybuilding Meal Ideas for Breakfast

These bodybuilding meal ideas are perfect for helping you build muscle, recover from training, and get in better shape for that new sport you’re looking to try.

Skip the drive-thru line and make your own much healthier version at home. Opt for turkey bacon for a lean meat without losing protein. Fry up an egg or two and place them between whole wheat bread for fiber. Don’t forget the veggies! You can even make-ahead and freeze breakfast sandwiches if you’re really short on time.

This recipe uses shredded chicken and eggs for an incredible protein hit. Your choice of cheese (Gruyere is listed but cheddar is a good one too) helps hold together the veggies. Make this quiche on a Sunday and keep it in the refrigerator for a grab-and-go breakfast.

If you’re not eating sweet potatoes in your bodybuilding meal prep, you’re missing out. They’re high in fiber and essential vitamins. Add the two colors of bell pepper this recipe calls for and you’ve got an extremely nutritious meal. Don’t forget the salsa!

Pre-cook your quinoa or brown rice to save time with this breakfast. Then just throw everything in your cast iron skillet and set it in the oven. Want more protein? Add turkey sausage.

Layers of protein powder, Greek yogurt, and powdered peanut butter combine with coffee in this delicious, eye-opening breakfast option. Prep a few of these and keep them in the fridge to power your week. Definitely one of the best simple bodybuilding meal ideas on this list! This is a great egg free breakfast idea!

Really, you can throw any ingredients into an omelet and call it good. This one includes healthy veggies and lean ham for a high-protein breakfast. Need to make a batch? Try it in skillet form instead. Throw in some spinach to pack an extra nutritional punch. This is definitely meal prep for bodybuilding made easy since it’s so quick (and cheap) to make!

Bodybuilding Lunch Ideas

This air fryer turkey burger is perfect for a quick high protein lunch. Because these patties are so freezer-friendly, you can bulk make them and freeze them for next week. Once made, they only take 10 minutes to cook!

They only contain 3 grams of net carbs and 3 grams of fat while containing a whopping 28 grams of protein.

This slow cooker bolognese is the easiest bolognese recipe I’ve seen. It takes 5 minutes to prep and is packed with protein. The whole recipe is very budget-friendly coming to around $1.65 per portion. This is one of our favorite cheap crockpot meals!

This beef yakisoba is perfect when you want to whip up something fast and delicious! It uses delicious umami flavors and can be made with your favorite steak!

It’s packed with vegetables giving you a substantial boost of vitamins and minerals. This steak yakisoba is perfect to have on a workout day because it’s packed with good energy sources and protein for muscle repair.

Want more steak recipes? Check out these easy steak meal prep ideas.

Avocado and yogurt take the place of mayo in this much healthier version of chicken salad. Simply pre-cook your chicken and then mix all the ingredients together. Serve with tomato slices and sprouts for a well-balanced lunch.

With a bit of chopping prep, you can have oven-baked fajitas right at home. Instead of standing over a stove and sautéing, you simply throw your ingredients in the oven and walk away. For a vegetarian version, try strips of tempeh. This is one of those bodybuilding meal prep recipes that can really make your work week MUCH smoother when prepped in advance for a grab-and-go lunch.

Make this recipe on Sunday and portion it out for ready-to-go lunches throughout the week. Shrimp, Greek yogurt, and mushrooms come together to boost the protein in this delicious dish.

Bodybuilding Meal Prep Recipes for Dinner

Start this in the morning before work and come home to a delicious meal. There’s very little prep involved, too—your crockpot does most of the work. One of our favorite easy and delicious bodybuilding protein recipes for sure! This is one of our favorite slow cooker meal prep ideas!

When those take-out cravings set in, reach for this healthier option instead. Zoodles (zucchini noodles) take the place of oil-heavy chow mein. Rump steaks and edamame make it a protein-packed meal. Don’t forget the yellow bell peppers for a flash of nutritious color.

Lean beef patties and turkey bacon give this burger an incredible amount of protein with half the fat of its fast-food counterparts. Vegetarians, try it with your favorite high-protein imitation beef for even less fat.

Not quite crock pot simple, but close. Brown ground turkey in a pot, add the remaining ingredients, and let it simmer. It’s an effortless bodybuilding meal prep idea. You could easily turn this into a ground chicken recipe for bodybuilding as well.

Make a large batch of this marinated chicken and use it throughout the week in various recipes. Pair it with an orzo salad or steamed veggies for a well-balanced, high-protein dinner.

Double this recipe to make a large batch of marinade and keep it in the fridge. Throughout the week, soak your steak (or other preferred cuts of meat) in a pre-portioned amount for a quick, delicious meal. Perfect for those busy nights when you need a healthy workout dinner recipe so you can get more time in at the gym without compromising your nutrition!

If you want more ethnic food, try one of our favorite indian meal prep ideas!

Vegetarian/Vegan Bodybuilding Meal Prep Ideas

This slow cooked vegan bean chilli is perfect for meal prep. It’s healthy, high protein and extremely low in saturated fats. It uses mouth watering smokey Mexican flavors and its so easy for batch cooking!

Whether you eat these for breakfast or take them with you for lunch, overnight oats are an easy way to boost your protein. You simply throw all the ingredients in a mason jar, shake or stir it up, and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. Grab it and go the next morning. (Use flax milk for a vegan option.) This is definitely one of the more filling bodybuilding meals on this list! This is one of our favorite meal prep recipes for college students because you don’t need to cook at all!

Two cans of beans, four eggs, kale, and cheese come together to make this vegetarian recipe higher in protein than you’d think. Eat it with a slice of whole-grain toast for a nutritious boost. The eggs and beans in this make it one of our favorite vegetarian meal prep ideas because it’s so high in protein!

Yes, you can absolutely include mac and cheese in your bodybuilding meal prep ideas. Greek yogurt and low-fat cheese combine with whole wheat pasta to make this impressive dish. This is a bit higher in calories, but if you’re on a bulk then this pasta meal prep could be great for you.

Hot chocolate can be healthy (and vegan!) too. Melt milk and chocolate in a saucepan, let it cool and blend it with the rest of the ingredients for a delicious, healthful way to get your chocolate fix.

This recipe has a few ingredients you may not have on hand, but if you do, it’s so worth it to make. Use whatever veggies are in your fridge or stick with the recipe’s spinach.

Throw together these vegan meatballs and serve them on a bed of edamame spaghetti for a high-protein dinner. Choose marinara or shake it up with pesto. Leftovers store well in the fridge for the next night. This is one of our favorite high protein vegan meal prep ideas!

Quick and Easy Bodybuilding Meals

Don’t discount the power of the microwave. There are tons of healthy microwave hot dogs available that are made from quality meats and are high in protein. Just heat them up and they’re ready to eat.

This recipe takes just one pan and about half an hour in the oven. Plus, the ingredients are ones you likely already have on-hand. With just a step or two of prep, throw your pan in the oven and wait. Couldn’t be easier. This is one of our favorite pescatarian meal prep ideas for weight loss!

Alright, this one’s a bit less of a “meal prep for bodybuilding” and a bit more of a “ran out of time to prep” but it’s so easy it’s going on the list. To make a healthful omelette in a fraction of the time, just mix all the usual omelette ingredients in a microwave-safe mug and heat it up.

Give the diner classic a makeover with this healthier version. Use tuna in water and light mayo for a protein boost without the calorie hit. All you do is toast the open-face bread on low heat for a few minutes to melt the cheese and you’re ready to go.

Set the slower cooker on Sunday for this big-batch meal. The only prep work required? Dicing two bell peppers. Then just throw everything in the cooker and walk away for seven hours.

Just mix together your favorite protein powder with eggs and a few other ingredients to make this high-protein, delicious batter. Make a large batch and fry it up throughout your week for effortless breakfasts. These high protein waffles can be a great high calorie meal prep idea if you’re trying to gain muscle.

Slow cooker to the rescue again! This recipe has one step in the middle where you whisk a secondary sauce together and add it to the cooker. Otherwise, it’s super straightforward. This one is a big unique, but the sweetness of the mango can make it a great meal prep for picky eaters who don’t normally like chicken!

Bodybuilding Meal Prep FAQs

What’s the best way to meal prep?

The best way to meal prep is to start small by testing out recipes before you prep a big batch. Find a few recipes that use similar ingredients and create your grocery list. Don’t forget to set aside some time to do the cooking!

What should I eat between meals when bodybuilding?

Prioritize snacks that are high in protein, healthy fats, and dense carbs. Basically, you want your food to be as nutrient-dense as you can make it. It’s incredibly important to make sure you’re eating the right stuff when you’re trying to improve your bodybuilding efforts.

Is 2 meals a day enough for bodybuilding?

If you’re trying to gain muscle then 2 meals a day probably isn’t enough for bodybuilding! Some people have success with intermittent fasting, but it’s harder to build muscle and recover from the gym on only two meals a day.

Is 6 meals a day good for bodybuilding?

Most bodybuilders eat anywhere from 4-6 meals a day to provide their bodies with the fuel they need to recover from the gym and build muscle.

What do bodybuilders eat for lunch at work?

Most bodybuilders will eat a high protein lunch with some kind of healthy carb source and veggies. My favorite lunches are grilled chicken with sweet potatoes and grilled asparagus.

Is meal prep good for bodybuilding?

Meal prepping is great for bodybuilding! It can be a ton of work to cook and prep 4-6 fresh meals a day. Meal prepping will help you save time, money, and always have food on hand to stick to your meal plan.

Final Thoughts On Bodybuilding Meal Prep Ideas

For most bodybuilders the hardest part of their lifestyle isn’t going to the gym to train – it’s the diet. Consistently eating 4-6 meals a day is a ton of work and effort.

I hope these easy bodybuilding meals will help you cut weight or gain muscle! I highly recommend learning how to make a few basic recipes that you can keep in your meal plan rotation. This will give you the variety you need to not get bored.

If you have any favorite bodybuilding meal prep ideas, please share them in the comments!

If you need more recipe suggestions, check out our list of macro friendly recipes or these high protein meal prep ideas for muscle gain!

Just like food, it’s important to use good quality equipment when working out; if you’re a weight or powerlifter, have a look at some of these Olympic barbells. 

Richmond Howard started Meal Prepify in 2019 and has helped over a million people learn how to meal prep, get better at meal planning, and create a kitchen they love to use. He’s an avid home chef and loves to bbq, grill out, and make awesome food for family and friends. He’s been featured on MSN, Renaissance Periodization, and Good Financial Cents.