Achieve your goals with meal-prep with my top gluten-free meal-prep recipes. Meal-prepping doesn’t have to be boring or take tons of time. With the right recipes in your tool-kit, you can have a week full of healthy snacks and meals that taste good and only took you under an hour to make!
Before we dive in, let me give you a few quick tips for meal-prepping successfully!
- Have a plan – or at least a general idea of what you want prepared ahead of time for the week. Bonus if you take in to account you weak points (for example, you tend to make unplanned stops at the vending machines towards the end of your work day)
- Make use of your oven – when you turn on your oven throw in an extra bactch of veggies or protein. Be effecient and maximize your time by batching tasks with your appliances
- Make use of those hefty appliances – I’ll mention this later on too, but when you get out that food processor you haven’t touched all month (or let’s be real all year), when you finally do get it out, use it! Make sure nothing goes unchopped (with in reason).
Alright, those are my quick tips and food for thought! On to the top gluten-free meal-prep recipes!
Top Gluten-free Meal-Prep Recipes for Breakfast
Chia Pudding / Chia Pods
Basic Recipe:
3 tbsp chia seeds for every cup of fluid.
Typically takes 5-7 minutes to assemble multiple 8oz jars, or <5 minutes for 1 quart sized jar.
Ways to Customize
You can easily flavor chia pudding with:
- Flavored syrups
- Nut butters
- Toppings (like nuts, seeds, dried/canned/fresh fruit, etc.)
- Powders & spices (like cocoa powder, maca powder, cinnamon etc.)
My favorite recipes:
Overnight Oats
Basic Recipe:
For THICK Oats:
1 part oats to 1 part fluid
(so 1/2 cup oats to 1/2 cup fluid)
For Creamier Oats
1 part oats to 2 parts fluid
(so 1/2 cup oats to 1 cup fluid)
Typically takes 5-7 minutes to assemble multiple 8oz jars, or <5 minutes for 1 quart sized jar.
Ways to Customize
You can easily flavor chia pudding with:
- Flavored syrups
- Nut butters
- Toppings (like nuts, seeds, dried/canned/fresh fruit, etc.)
- Powders & spices (like cocoa powder, maca powder, cinnamon etc.)
My favorite recipe for overnight oats is my Birthday Cake Overnight Oat recipe!
Granola
A quick and easy meal-prep staple that can elevate any smoothie, oatmeal, chia pudding, or even bowl of ice-cream. Not only that, but it can make a delicious grab-n-go snack too!
(Typically takes 30-45 minutes to make a batch, most of the time spent waiting for the granola to cook.)
So let’s talk about the elephant in the room, are oats really safe for people with celiac disease?
It depends on a few things:
- If you’re sensitive to cross-reactive proteins
- If you’re sensitive to gluten at levels less than 20ppm
- What kind of cross-contamination the oats endure (are they just normal oats? Certified gluten-free? Purity Protocol Oats?
So are oats safe for people with Celiac? It depends on the individual.
I have a simple oat based recipe posted here.
But there are a bunch of amazing paleo and grain-free recipes out there to. Like this one!
Top Gluten-Free Meal-Prep Recipes for Lunch & Dinner
Slaw
(Typically takes 15-20 minutes to assemble)
Why you’re missing out if you don’t meal-prep slaw for the week:
- You’re missing out on the gift that just keeps giving (seriously, slaw just get’s tastier and tastier as it melds with the flavors of it’s dressing!)
- It makes delicious and nutritious snacking and munching the obvious choice
- It’s easy to make and helps your pack in fiber (something most American’s are lacking in).
What I love about slaw is that you can customize it to what ever your hearts desire (and or to the limitations of your fridge).
Additionally, there is room for so much creativity when it comes to dressing your slaw. From using gluten-free ranch, a classic mayo dressing, to my Sun Butter Dressed Rainbow Slaw. With limitless options on how to dress it up, you are sure to never get board.
PRO-TIP: Make your hefty appliances work for you.
For instance, when ever I bust out my beast of a food processor I make sure to process everything any anything that needs it. I’m talking slicing carrots, shredding cabbage, making energy bites…
Salad
(Typically 10-30 minutes to prep ahead of time)
I know what you are thinking, salad? Isn’t that the same thing as slaw? Yes and no.
When preparing a slaw ahead of time you can prepare the whole think without worrying too much about it getting soggy. When preparing salads you have to be smarter about it.
First, most greens won’t hold well when prepared in advanced. Water is not your friend and guess what has a lot in it? Lettuce.
All of the other fixings however can be prepared days in advanced, think chopped celery, peppers, and carrots.
Kale is a whole other story, I highly suggest you prepare kale ahead of time. Now there is a whole debate about whether or not you should massage your kale.
I’m here to tell you, MAKE LOVE TO THAT KALE. Massage it with olive oil and massage it good! It will make it the perfect soft and not to chewy texture for salads.
Here’s my favorite simple salad to make with Kale, but feel free to get creative with your salad prep!
Buddha Bowls
(Typically a 45-60 minutes to assemble necessary ingredients. A heft time investment but these ingredients can be reused in other dishes too, think salad toppings, side dishes etc.)
Buddha bowls are my favorite thing to eat any meal. Also known as Grain Bowls, these dishes are easily customizable to what you have on hand!
Buddha Bowl Basics:
- Cook a grain for the base (think rice, quinoa, or gluten-free pasta)
- Roast some vegetables for colorful nutritious toppings (think cabbage, sweet potato, squash, onion, broccoli)
- Prepare a protein (think falafel, chicken, or this 10-minute chickpea tofu)
- Prepare a sauce (think a simple tahini dressing, guacamole, hummus, or even a butternut squash dressing)
Storing Your Buddha Bowl:
You can either store each ingredient in separate containers for assembly on the day of (this also leaves for more room for customization and helps prevent you from getting bored of your meals) or you can portion and assemble everything ahead of time for easy grab-n-go lunches! I am known to do both!
Pasta Salad
(usually prepared in 20-30 minutes)
First let me say, if you’re gluten-free. you’ll want to use gluten-free pasta. Duh, right? My favorite gluten-free pasta (as you ca so clearly see in this picture) is Banza Chickpea Pasta. I don’t know why, but I love it.
Second, I love pasta salad. It’s a great way to add in some healthy carbs (in this case protein too because of the bean pasta) and vegetables.
Easy Pasta Salad Add-ins:
- Olives
- Chopped bell peppers
- Chopped zucchini
- Canned green beans (drained)
- Chopped cauliflower/broccoli
- Nutritional yeast (make sure it’s gluten-free)
And so much more.
Soup
Soup is by far one of my favorite things to prep. You can make it hot or cold, you can keep in the fridge for use during the week, or in the freezer for even more future use.
Pictured here is my Creamy Garlic Celery Soup, but really any soup (chunky or creamy) can easily be prepared for the weak!
Bonus: soup also helps you stay hydrated.
Top Gluten-Free Meal-Prep Recipes for Snacks
To Buy
Fresh Fruit
They usually travel well and can withstand warmer temperatures.
Nutrition Note: Pairing fresh fruit with a cheese stick or a nut butter packet can help you stay full for longer.
Larabars
With simple and naturally gluten-free ingredients, you can feel safe buying and packing these as healthier snacks. My favorite flavor is the Cinnamon Roll (
If you aren’t sensitive to egg whites, these bars are great protein bar to add into your snacking habits.
Jerky
Try out some Gluten-Free Grass-Fed Jerky or any other gluten-free jerky (I know KRAVE Jerky has some safe flavors as well) (as always be sure to check the ingredient list!)
You know what I am talking about, those squeezable applesauce packets that are tailored to children but are actually suitable and delicious for any age.
They have gluten-free quinoa oatmeal squeezes that are amazing. Get some healthy whole grains and fruit in with one squeezable pouch! (This brand also has some awesome Gluten Free Protein Cookies available too).
To Make:
Bliss Bites
Usually taking 10 minutes or less, energy bites (or bliss bites) are a great room-temperature safe treat to pack with you on long days!
Some of my Top Gluten-
Free Meal-Prep Bliss Bite Recipes
- Maca Energy Bites – this recipe is adaptogenic, gluten-free and vegan
- Adaptogenic Lemon Matcha Bites – this recipe is adaptogenic, gluten-free and vegan
- Strawberry Shortcake Energy Bites – this recipe is gluten-free and vegan
- Cake Batter Gluten-Free Bliss Bites – this recipe is gluten-free and vegan
- Almond Joy Bliss Bites – this recipe is gluten-free and vegan
- Apple Pie Spice Bliss Bite – this recipe is grain-free, gluten-free, vegan
Mug Cakes
Just place the dry ingredients in a jar and set aside until your ready for a perfectly portioned treat.
(Typically takes less than 3-5 minutes to assemble the dry ingredients into jars and then another 5 minutes to cook and let cool!)
Here are a few of my favorite go to gluten-free mug cake recipes!
Dips and Sauces
Depending on what you are preparing, these can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 45 minutes to prepare!
Preparing things like guacamole, hummus, and other dips for your veggie dipping delights can be a great way to make sure you are eating healthy snacks.
On top of that, preparing pasta sauces and other sauces ahead of time for tasty and flavorful dishes can help prevent you from getting bored of the same old core ingredients.
Buying a pre-made dip or sauce (with decent ingredients) from the store counts! In fact, I almost always make sure I have a variety of salsa in my pantry because 1. I love them so much and 2. they act as my sauces for the week.
Pickles
Starting quick pickles with raw apple cider vinegar can be a great way to get some probiotics in to your diet easily.
Alternatively if you’re feeling adventurous, you can always try your hand at picking the old fashioned way, by fermenting!
Here’s my easy Probiotic Quick-Pickled Celery recipe or my Fermented Pickled Carrots recipe if you want to give them a shot!
Gelatin Bites
A quick and easy snack made in 5 minutes! (Excluding the setting time)
Looking for a healthy, delicious, and protein-packed snack to keep you full in between meals? Gelatin Bites are the perfect treat. With their soft yet gummy texture that melts in your mouth, these bites are an easy way to satisfy your sweet tooth and get in essential nutrients.
I have a Blackberry Ginger Gelatin Bite recipe posted and a Chocolate Peanut Butter one!
What are your favorite meal-prep recipes?
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