If you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for easy meals and snacks that make life a little easier during busy weeks. Between kids, schedules, and everything in between, having simple recipes ready to go is a game changer. These are three of our go-to healthier recipes that we keep on repeat. They’re easy to prep, store well in the fridge, and are total crowd-pleasers for the whole family. We love to get the boys involved with the prep too with these kid friendly knives from Amazon.

You can shop our meal prep essentials here.

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High Protein Pancake Sausage Muffins

(Perfect Make-Ahead Breakfast)

These high-protein pancake sausage muffins are one of my favorite breakfasts to prep ahead. They’re filling, kid-approved, and super easy to grab on busy mornings. We love using Kodiak pancake mix because it adds extra protein without sacrificing taste.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Kodiak pancake mix (we love Kodiak because it’s full of protein!)
• 1 lb ground sausage, cooked, browned, and crumbled
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 2/3–1 cup pure maple syrup or honey (depending on how sweet you want them — we prefer 1 cup!)
• 1 cup shredded cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and grease a muffin tin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pancake mix, eggs, milk, and maple syrup until smooth.
3. Stir in the cooked sausage and shredded cheese until fully combined.
4. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ of the way full.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let them cool and enjoy! These reheat so well and are perfect for quick breakfasts or snacks throughout the week.

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No-Bake Protein Oat Balls

(Easy Grab-and-Go Snack)

These no-bake oat balls are such an easy snack to keep in the fridge. I love having something ready to grab when the kids are hungry again or when I need a quick snack.

Ingredients

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup honey

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a stand mixer or mixing bowl and mix until combined. If mixing by hand, use your hands to fully incorporate everything.
2. Scoop a small amount of the mixture, squeeze it together, then roll into a ball.
3. Place the oat balls into a food storage container.

Make It Your Own

• Add flaxseed or chia seeds for extra fiber.
• Mix in your favorite protein powder for an extra protein boost.

Tip: If the mixture feels a little dry, add more peanut butter or honey until it’s sticky enough to hold together.

Store in the fridge and enjoy all week long.

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Dense Bean Salad

(High-Protein Meal Prep Lunch)

This dense bean salad is one of those recipes that actually gets better as it sits. It’s hearty, full of flavor, and perfect for meal prep lunches or easy dinners during the week. I wake up excited to eat this for lunch!

Ingredients

• 1 bag Persian cucumbers
• 1 container cherry tomatoes
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 container mini mozzarella balls
• 1 container calabrese or salami
• 1 shallot
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 jar sliced Kalamata olives
• 1/2 jar sliced pepperoncini
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Dressing

• 2 cloves grated garlic
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Juice from half a lemon

Instructions

1. Dice the cucumbers, halve the tomatoes, chop the parsley, mince the shallot, and slice the calabrese.
2. Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, shallot, and calabrese to a large bowl.
3. Add the Parmesan cheese, mozzarella balls, olives, and pepperoncini.
4. Add the drained chickpeas and white beans.
5. In a large cup, combine all dressing ingredients and blend with a milk frother or whisk until creamy.
6. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss aggressively until everything is well coated.

Store in the fridge for 3–5 days and enjoy!

If you’re trying to simplify meals without sacrificing nutrition, these recipes are such a win.
Let me know if you try any of them — I’d love to hear which one becomes your favorite!