10 Bodybuilding Meal Prep Recipe Ideas to Build Muscle
Like proper supplementation, bodybuilding meal prep is a necessity because it helps you maximize your dietary intake to fuel peak performance. Whether you’re looking to put on muscle mass, cut fat, or simply feel good, what you eat matters. Below are ten quick and easy bodybuilding meal prep recipes that can help you build muscle while your body recovers.
Table of Contents: Top 10 Bodybuilding Meal Prep Recipe Ideas
Why is bodybuilding meal prep a good idea?
Consistency: Bodybuilding meal prep ensures that you have a consistent supply of healthy, high-protein meals readily available, which is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass.
Time-savings: Having meals ready reduces the need for last-minute take out runs and alleviates your daily cooking requirements. This is especially important for people with busy schedules who may not have the time to prepare healthy meals on a daily basis. You can always lean on a bodybuilding meal prep service to have bodybuilding meals delivered to your door.
Nutritional intake control: Meal prepping allows you to control the nutritional content of your meals, ensuring that you consume the appropriate amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fats needed to support muscle growth.
Cost-effectiveness: Meal prepping can be cost-effective, as buying ingredients in bulk and preparing meals in advance can save money compared to eating out.
Below are our top 10 bodybuilding meal prep recipe ideas to build muscle and support protein synthesis for muscle gain.
10 Bodybuilding Meal Prep Ideas to Build Muscle
Pulled Chicken Breast
Pulled chicken breast is lean and high in protein.
The most versatile protein in our list of bodybuilding meal prep recipe ideas is shredded chicken breast. It is a lean protein that you can toss with some kale or baby spinach for a quick meal on a cutting cycle or you can put the pulled chicken breast in a toasted bun for a bulking cycle. Either way, this bodybuilding pulled chicken meal prep recipe is a great staple to have in your fridge.
See shredded chicken breast recipe >
High Protein Bodybuilding Recipe Using Shrimp
Shrimp is high protein and low in fat and cholesterol.
While being great for cutting, this shrimp bodybuilding meal prep recipe idea is low in calories – so it should be paired with some starches or healthy fats if consumed on a bulking meal prep plan (to increase calories). On the protein side of nutrition this bodybuilding meal prep recipe idea has a lot to offer because a 3-ounce serving of shrimp provides ~18 grams of protein, which can help support muscle growth and repair.
In addition to protein, shrimp also contains a range of essential nutrients that are important for overall health and wellbeing. For example, shrimp is a good source of vitamin B12, which plays a key role in energy production and can help support a healthy metabolism.
See bodybuilding shrimp recipe >
Bodybuilding Salmon Recipe for Bulking
This Bodybuilding salmon recipe is great with its anti-inflammatory properties.
Salmon is a good bodybuilding meal prep idea due to its high protein content and healthy fats. This is a complete protein, which means it contains all the essential amino acids needed for muscle growth and repair. The omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and lubricate your joints. This would be a great bodybuilding meal prep idea to enjoy after lifting on leg day – and you know that’s a tough one!
A 3-ounce serving of salmon contains about 22 grams of protein.
Furthermore, consuming adequate amounts of protein is essential for muscle growth and repair, and salmon is a great source of protein for bodybuilders, making it a good food choice for those looking to increase their protein intake. See bodybuilding salmon recipe >
High Protein Turkey Ragù Meal Prep
This turkey ragù recipe is low carb but with penne pasta is great for bulking.
This ragù bodybuilding meal prep recipe idea uses turkey instead of ground beef to be low in fat and cholesterol. You can also toss this bodybuilding turkey ragù recipe with al dente penne pasta for a bodybuilding meal prep you won’t want to miss. See high protein turkey ragù recipe >
Bodybuilding Meatball Recipe
Meatballs are a great way to cross-utilize ground meat across recipes.
This meatball recipe can be made with beef, turkey, ground chicken or any combination of each. It is a great way to cross-utilize leftovers and break the monotony of bodybuilding meal prep. When made with ground turkey meat each 2oz meatball will contain about 111 calories comprised of 11.5g of protein, 5g of carbohydrates, and 5g of fat. See bodybuilding meatball recipe >
Bodybuilding Steak Recipe for Bulking (Flank)
Flank steak is a tender and relatively affordable cut.
Steak is good bodybuilding meal prep recipe idea but it can be quite expensive. For this reason this bodybuilding meal prep recipe uses flank steak which is affordable and tender. This cut offers good marbling and can be pan seared for a quick meal.
Flank steak is also known as the butcher’s cut. This cut of meat is so tender with good marbling that the butchers used to keep it for themselves.
In addition to protein, this steak bodybuilding meal prep idea also offers a good source of iron, a mineral that is essential for oxygen transport in the body. Iron is important for bodybuilders because it helps deliver oxygen to working muscles, which can improve endurance, recovery and overall performance.
See bodybuilding steak recipe for bulking >
Bodybuilding Steak Sandwich
You can use steak leftovers for an affordable bodybuilding meal prep recipe idea.
This bodybuilding steak sandwich is great bodybuilding meal prep idea since you can use leftover steak from the flank recipe above. It is also highly portable and with a toasted sourdough or whole wheat but it adds variety, flavor and carbs to your diet while using leftover ingredients makes for an affordable bulking recipe.
See this steak sandwich for bodybuilding >
Bodybuilding Pork Recipe for Bulking
Pork chops are affordable and high protein.
Pork chops can be a good bodybuilding meal prep recipe idea due to their high protein content and other essential nutrients. They are also relatively affordable, and on a bodybuilding diet having a more affordable source of protein can provide welcome relief.
Pork chops are also a good source of complete protein, which is essential for muscle growth and repair. A 3-ounce serving of pork chops provides approximately 20 grams of protein.
However, some cuts of pork chops can be high in saturated fat, so it is important to choose leaner cuts of pork chops, such as loin chops, and to trim any visible fat before cooking to reduce cholesterol content.
See affordable pork chops recipe for bulking >
Breakfast Omelette for Bulking
Omelette with whey protein powder, egg, and egg whites.
Eggs are a staple for bodybuilding since they are a great source of high-quality protein and other nutrients, and help repairing and building muscles. Their downside is that the yolk is high in cholesterol. The egg whites are high in protein. For this reason, this bodybuilding omelette recipe uses egg whites in addition to whole eggs to give you more protein without the downside of cholesterol. The recipe also calls for you to whisk in some whey protein powder or weight gainer for best protein ratio.
See this bodybuilding meal prep omelette recipe >
High Protein Bodybuilding Scrambled Eggs Recipe
Bodybuilding breakfast recipe for bulking.
Eggs are a bodybuilding staple. Bulking or cutting you can remove some or all of the egg yolks by separating them from the egg whites during the cracking process. This reduces your overall fat consumption.
To Scrambled Eggs Recipe >
If I prepare my bodybuilding meal prep in batches and freeze them, what are some tips for reheating food to maintain its taste and quality?
When it comes to reheating leftovers while preserving their flavor and texture, there are a few effective strategies you can employ:
Vacuum seal (if you can): Look to preserve food naturally by removing oxygen from the packaging. This is why vacuum sealing portioned meals is the best method for freshness retention.
Combine ingredients that have the same re-heat time Choose the right ingredient combinations so that your meal can be re-heated well without one of the ingredients drying out before the other one is ready.
Separate Sauces and Garnishes: Keep sauces and garnishes separate until after the dish has been reheated. Adding them just before serving helps maintain the integrity of their flavors and textures, ensuring a delicious final product.
Bast-chilling your ingredients (if you can). Cooling faster than traditional methods while also staying out of the food danger zone, blast chillers reduce the number of ice crystals that can form on the surface preventing freezer burn.
By following these simple yet effective tips, you can enjoy your leftovers as if they were freshly made.
Top 10 Bodybuilding Meal Prep Recipe Ideas Conclusion
In summary having a fully stocked pantry can help you save time and money while allowing you to build muscle while you recover. This is why bodybuilding meal prep is a crucial aspect of a successful bodybuilding diet and can help you achieve your fitness goals more efficiently.
Chris Park is a board-certified sports nutritionist, registered dietitian and former college rugby player. Chris loves strength training and pushing his body to the limit, which comes in handy when working with professional athletes and designing their nutritional needs. Chris also enjoys helping others by writing about nutrition.