23 Meal Prep Salads (+ Easy Recipes)

Trying to squeeze a healthy meal into your week? These meal prep salads are a lifesaver!

Hectic schedules make it tough to find time for nutritious meals. That’s why I love meal prep salads.

They’re healthy, convenient, affordable, and customizable. 

With your meal already made, they help curb those urges to make poor decisions.

Plus, they’re easy to make in advance and grab-and-go friendly. 

Make a kale steak power salad for a big day. Or opt for a clean-eating detox salad.

Can’t decide on just one? That’s what the mix-and-match salads are for.

No matter your dietary preference, you’ll find plenty of meal prep salads to enjoy.

1. Basic Meal Prep Salad

The best place to start is with the basics. So, here’s an introductory meal prep salad that provides a pretty blank canvas. 

You divide the Romaine lettuce among your containers. Then, top it with carrots, bell peppers, purple cabbage, and green onion.

Keep it as is for a simple green salad or customize it. 

2. Easy Cobb Salad Meal Prep

Are you looking for a high-protein salad? This 30-minute recipe is perfect. 

Chicken breast, hard-boiled egg, and bacon pack it with protein. Each serving offers a whole 29 grams worth. 

The diced avocado is also extra filling. As a bonus, it’s Whole30- and paleo-friendly.

If you have leftover rotisserie chicken to use, it’s even better. It will cut down the meal prep time. 

3. Chopped Chicken Salad

Here’s another fantastic use of leftover chicken for easy meal prep.

It’s a super simple chopped salad featuring chicken, Romaine, cucumber, red onion, and avocado. 

Lemon and olive oil keep things bright and healthy. Although, you can use any dressing you like. 

Even if you don’t have leftover chicken, the prep time is still pretty quick.

4. Mix and Match Mason Jar Salads

These mix-and-match Mason jar salads should be on everyone’s list. 

You can add a little of this and a little of that to each jar. 

With five different options, they never get old. There are directions for a Caprese, green goddess, Tex-Mex, ranch, and Greek.

The key is proper layering. Start with the dressing, add the mix-ins, then top it off with the greens. 

That way, you won’t wind up with wilted, unpalatable greens.

5. Greek Chickpea Salad

When my schedule gets crazy, I turn to this salad. It’s such a lifesaver!

It’s full of fresh Mediterranean flavors like olives, tomatoes, and feta. And it’s probably one of my favorite canned chickpea recipes. 

These protein powerhouses are affordable and make meal prep easy. 

You can divvy up the salad between food containers. Or, go the Mason jar route. I often opt for the latter. 

6. Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad

Is a lackluster salad tempting you to hit the drive-thru? If so, it’s time to prep this salad for lunch.

It’s an invigorating mix of seasoned chicken and Southwestern staples. Corn, black beans, bell peppers, and tomatoes make it a party.

Right before diving in, toss it with light ranch dressing. Also, don’t forget the corn chips.

7. Shaved Brussels Sprouts Meal Prep Salad

For dinners, lunches, potlucks, or picnics, this salad works for many occasions.

Shaved Brussels sprouts and kale are very hardy. So you can toss the salad with dressing in advance. 

Plus, all the add-ins make it flavorful to boot!  

8. Greek Chicken Salad Bowls

This is one of those salads you can eat again and again and still love it.

It’s healthy, super fresh, and totally scrumptious.

The seasoned chicken, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and olives are so gratifying. Plus, everything tastes a little better with feta.

9. Thai-Inspired Chopped Chicken Salad

I love mixing up the routine with an Asian salad like this. It’s such a tasty break from the typical leafy greens. 

It’s a vibrant blend of crunchy veggies, peanuts, cilantro, and shredded chicken.

The best part has to be the peanut dressing. It’s creamy, nutty, sweet, and umami.

Keep it in a separate container until you’re ready to eat. That will prevent the salad from getting soggy.

10. Mediterranean Bean Salad

Another staple of mine is this Mediterranean delight. 

It turns three types of beans into a satisfying meal. It’s all thanks to the veggies, parsley, feta, olives, and fresh basil. 

It’s often my go-to make-ahead potluck salad. I also love bringing it to cookouts. Mostly though, I just make it for lunch.

11. Easy Kale Salad with Fresh Lemon Dressing

If you’re trying to eat more superfoods, this salad is a great choice. 

Kale, carrots, and broccoli make it nutrient dense. Plus, dried cranberries, cheese, and lemon dressing make it yummy.

If you have a nut allergy, leave out the almonds and add extra sunflower seeds. Otherwise, keep them in for more protein. 

12. Kale Steak Power Salad

Are you tired of healthy salads that leave you hungry? If so, add this power salad to your list.

This well-balanced meal provides plenty of energy.

It has kale, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, pecans, blue cheese, and sirloin steak.

Gluten-free, high-protein, and high-calorie, this salad will definitely leave you full.

13. Chopped Salad with Shrimp

Fresh, bright, and simple, this chopped salad is a summertime must. 

It’s a surf and turf meal featuring two of the best proteins: shrimp and bacon. 

What meat eater doesn’t love that?! All the fillers make it extra delicious. 

Just be sure to use a hardy lettuce variety like Romaine. Other greens can be too delicate.

14. Roasted Vegetable Salad Meal Prep

You can use roasted veggies for a meal prep salad, too.

This recipe has an assortment of roasted goodies like zucchini, squash, and tomatoes. 

Quinoa is also a super smart choice. It gives it a boost of plant-based protein. Plus, it’s economical. 

15. Healthy Tuna Salad Meal Prep

Tuna salad is a classic that you can also meal prep. 

Mix it with mayo, celery, cranberries, green onions, and Dijon. Then, divide it among your containers.

It helps to have containers with two compartments, one for the tuna and the other for the spinach and apples.

16. Meal Prep Low-Carb Big Mac Salad Jars

Big Mac cravings and healthy eating are so conflicting. But you know what’s not? This brilliant lunch idea.

It lets you indulge that craving and skip the drive-thru. 

Make the three-ingredient Big Mac sauce, then divide it between four Mason jars. Next, layer the cooked beef, onions, pickles, cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce.

You’ll have Big Mac salads for the next 5 days.

17. Super Fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad

Get ready to meet one of my all-time favorite vegetable salads.

It’s a garden-fresh mix of cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, bell pepper, and parsley. 

Add the feta for a vegetarian version or leave it out to keep it vegan-friendly. 

Either way, it’s simple and ideal for lunches, a quick snack, or even dinner prep.

18. Easy Quinoa Salad

Searching for more quinoa salad ideas? I have an excellent one for you.

This easy quinoa salad is beginner-friendly, quick, and easy to make ahead. Also, It also has the best flavor combination. 

It’s a medley of tomatoes, spinach, avocado, feta, and red onion all tossed with quinoa in a zippy dressing. You’ll love it!

19. Caprese Chicken Salad Meal Prep Bowls

Caprese salads are one of my favorites, but they’re not super filling. Enter this protein-packed version. Adding chicken and quinoa instantly turns this classic into a satiating meal.

Layer all the ingredients in a container and mix right before serving. I also recommend doing the same with the balsamic vinaigrette.

20. Healthy Egg Salad

Do you love egg salad, but don’t have time to make it? Add it to your meal prep day.

This 20-minute salad is easy to squeeze in. It’s as simple as boiling, peeling, and mixing. 

Plus, it’s healthy too. A single serving is less than 200 calories and has 14 grams of protein.

21. Meal Prep Detox Salad

Here’s a prime option for a clean eating diet. It’s packed with whole foods and a tasty sesame ginger dressing. 

Quinoa and avocado give it extra substance. And kale, almonds, apples, edamame, and cabbage make it nutrient-dense.

For a spicy kick, add Sriracha to the mix.

22. Easy Buffalo Chicken Salad Meal Prep

Buffalo wings might not be the most meal-prep-friendly thing, but this salad sure is!

The shredded chicken is dripping with spicy buffalo sauce. To keep the Romaine from wilting, layer it on a separate side of the container. Then, sandwich the tomatoes, carrots, and celery in between. 

It’s best to keep the ranch dressing separate, too. 

23. Italian Couscous Salad

I love those big, chewy couscous pearls, and they’re fabulous in this salad! It’s such a clever take on an Italian pasta salad. 

You combine couscous with salami, olives, mozzarella, chickpeas, and more. All those flavors are so gratifying and will keep you coming back for seconds.