Home » Recipes » Meal Prep Bowls » 22+ Healthy Grain Bowls You Can Meal Prep
By Taylor Stinson | Rate Recipe | Posted: | Updated:
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These are the best grain bowl recipes on the internet! Use your favourite grains like rice, quinoa and farro to make these meal prep lunches.
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What's in this Post
- Healthy Grain Bowl Recipes
- Tips for the Best Grain Bowl
- How to Make a Grain Bowl
- Rice Bowls
- Quinoa Bowls
- Other Grain Bowls
Healthy Grain Bowl Recipes
Grain bowls are a great option for meal prep – they're healthy, filling, delicious and super customizable! You can make them with any kind of grain of your choice like rice, quinoa or farro. To help you get started, I rounded up some of my favourite healthy grain bowl recipes you're sure to love.
Tips for the best grain bowl
Here are some of my top tips for making the best bowls:
- Cook your grains in the Instant Pot: To cut down on prep time, you can make rice, quinoa or farro in the Instant Pot.
- Use broth instead of water: For extra flavour, you can cook your grains in chicken or vegetable broth instead of water.
- Fluff after cooking: When your grains are done cooking, fluff with a fork to separate the grains and ensure they have the best texture.
- Get creative: Grain bowls are super customizable, so feel free to throw in whatever you have in your fridge! Experiment with different flavours and add-ins until you find a combo you love.
How to make a grain bowl
Here's how to make a grain bowl:
- Cook your grains: The grain is the base of your bowl. You can use white rice, brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, farro or couscous. Make it in a pot on the stovetop, in the rice cooker or the Instant Pot.
- Cook your protein: Choose what protein you're going to add to your bowl and cook it using the method of your choice. You can use chicken, steak, ground beef, ground turkey, sausage, shrimp, tofu, beans, lentils or eggs – the options are endless!
- Prep your veggies: Chop up any veggies you're adding to your bowls and cook if desired. Popular veggies include sweet potatoes, squash, broccoli, carrots, parsnips, bell peppers, carrots, brussels sprouts, corn, jalapenos, tomato, avocado or cucumber.
- Make your sauce: You can add any sauce of your choice to your grain bowl like hot sauce, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, spicy mayo, guacamole, salsa or pico de gallo.
- Assemble your bowls: Add the grains to the bottom of your bowl followed by the veggies and protein, sauce and any toppings of your choice like green onions, red onions, sesame seeds, cilantro, wonton strips or nuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What grains are the healthiest?
All these grain bowl recipes are healthy, but if you want to stick to the healthiest grains, I'd recommend using barley, quinoa, farro, wild rice or brown rice.
Do you eat grain bowls hot or cold?
Whether you enjoy your grain bowls hot or cold is all a matter of preference. If you're making them fresh, you can enjoy them warm, but if you're meal prepping your bowls, you can eat them straight out of the fridge.
How far in advance can you prep them?
You can prep your bowls up to 5 days in advance – they're a great option for meal prep! Store individual serving sizes in glass bowls in the fridge. Keep in mind that certain toppings, like avocado, won't keep well for that long, so you should leave those off and add them fresh right before serving.
Rice Bowls
If you're new to making grain bowls, try one of these rice bowls! Rice is one of the most popular grains for a reason – it's delicious, nutritious and affordable. These recipes are all great!
Korean Inspired Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
35 minutes minutes
These Korean Inspired Chicken Meal Prep Bowls are a healthy make ahead lunch idea made up of chicken thighs, sesame coleslaw and jasmine rice!
Make this recipe
Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 491mg | Potassium: 813mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 164IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 3mg
Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls {Oven + BBQ}
50 minutes minutes
These Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls are filled with corn salsa, pico de gallo, marinated chicken and sautéed veggies – extra guac included!
Make this recipe
Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 3223mg | Potassium: 1456mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 3850IU | Vitamin C: 149mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 3mg
Sweet Chili Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
40 minutes minutes
These Sweet Chili Chicken Meal Prep Bowls are a delicious make-ahead lunch idea. Serve with jasmine rice and your choice of toppings!
Make this recipe
Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 656mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 6300IU | Vitamin C: 26.4mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1.3mg
Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef {Chipotle Copycat}
6 minutes minutes
This Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef is a perfect Chipotle copycat! The beef stays tender and flavourful with a natural pressure release.
Make this recipe
Calories: 514kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 900mg | Potassium: 494mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Vitamin C: 6.6mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 3.6mg
Honey Sriracha Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
35 minutes minutes
These Honey Sriracha Chicken Meal Prep Bowls are a delicious make-ahead lunch idea. The sauce is so easy to make with just 3 ingredients!
Make this recipe
Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 460mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 500IU | Vitamin C: 32.2mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 3.6mg
Meal Prep Dynamite Shrimp Sushi Bowl
35 minutes minutes
These Meal Prep Dynamite Shrimp Sushi Bowls offer a deconstructed take on sushi. The shrimp tastes just like the PF Chang’s appetizer!
Make this recipe
Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 178mg | Sodium: 706mg | Potassium: 295mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1100IU | Vitamin C: 56.9mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3.8mg
The Easiest 30-Minute Ahi Poke Bowl
30 minutes minutes
This Ahi Poke Bowl is a Hawaiian-inspired recipe with marinated tuna, sushi rice, avocado and seaweed that tastes just like the takeout dish!
Make this recipe
Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 1105mg | Potassium: 331mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2380IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 2.1mg
Meal Prep Fiesta Chicken Rice Bowls
30 minutes minutes
These Fiesta Chicken Rice Bowls will spice up your meal prep – they’re ready in just 30 minutes and are packed full of Tex Mex flavours.
Make this recipe
Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 1218mg | Potassium: 1043mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2085IU | Vitamin C: 123.9mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 2.8mg
40 minutes minutes
These Chicken & Butternut Squash Harvest Bowls are filled with fall flavours and an easy meal prep idea. Almost everything cooks on one pan!
Make this recipe
Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 434mg | Potassium: 469mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1500IU | Vitamin C: 110.6mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg
Quinoa Bowls
Quinoa is a wonderful superfood that is a great base for any bowl. Customize your bowl by swapping out toppings and dressings.
Easy Mediterranean Bowl {Meal Prep}
40 minutes minutes
This Easy Mediterranean Bowl is going to become your next favourite lunch! It's got quinoa, chicken, roasted red peppers, hummus and more.
Make this recipe
Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 999mg | Potassium: 877mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 981IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 4mg
Meal Prep Chicken Souvlaki Bowls {+ Video!}
40 minutes minutes
These Meal Prep Chicken Souvlaki Bowls with quinoa and grilled veggies are a delicious and easy lunch idea you'll want to eat all week!
Make this recipe
Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 1703mg | Potassium: 1395mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1238IU | Vitamin C: 77mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 3mg
Build Your Own Buddha Bowl {Vegan}
45 minutes minutes
Build Your Own Buddha Bowl with delicious fresh veggies that are roasted on a sheet pan. You’ll love the homemade tahini dressing!
Make this recipe
Calories: 502kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 1118mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4587IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 6mg
Sheet Pan Buddha Bowls with Turmeric Tahini Dressing
35 minutes minutes
These Sheet Pan Buddha Bowls with Turmeric Tahini Dressing are a delicious vegan lunch idea that can be made almost all on one pan!
Make this recipe
Calories: 535kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 698mg | Potassium: 1233mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 10117IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 7mg
Summer Buddha Bowls with Turmeric Chickpeas
50 minutes minutes
These vegan Summer Buddha Bowls with Turmeric Chickpeas, marinated tofu and quinoa are just as delicious as they are nutritious!
Make this recipe
Calories: 533kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 796mg | Potassium: 1051mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 509IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 9mg
Warm Tahini Kale and Quinoa Bowl
55 minutes minutes
This Warm Tahini Kale and Quinoa Bowl with roasted chickpeas is a healthy lunch idea packed full of nutrients and yummy veggies.
Make this recipe
Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 1012mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 6370IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 6mg
40 minutes minutes
These Chicken Ranch Kale & Quinoa Bowls are super delicious and gluten-free with an easy-peasy and low-calorie homemade ranch dressing.
Make this recipe
Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 1187mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 19450IU | Vitamin C: 229.4mg | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 8.6mg
Steak Quinoa Burrito Bowl
40 minutes minutes
This Steak and Quinoa Burrito Bowl with pico de gallo and corn salsa is a delicious lunch idea you can meal prep, and is inspired by Chipotle burrito bowls!
Make this recipe
Calories: 549kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1289mg | Potassium: 1383mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1787IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 5mg
Instant Pot Quinoa Burrito Bowl via Eating Instantly
Making quinoa in the Instant Pot is so easy—it’s perfect every time! Plus, get the recipe for my yummy vegetarian quinoa burrito bowl.
Other Grain Bowls
There are so many different grains you can use in bowls. Experiment with farro, couscous and more!
Instant Pot Farro Bowl via Eating Instantly
This Instant Pot Farro is super easy and comes together in just 15 minutes. Use the superfood grain to make a healthy and nutritious bowl!
Roasted Broccoli and Farro Bowls via Gimme Some Oven
These Roasted Broccoli and Farro Bowls are loaded up with hearty whole grains, avocado, veggies, greens, crispy almonds, and the dreamiest lemon-tahini dressing. Naturally vegan and delicious!
Jennifer Aniston Greek-Inspired Grain Bowl via Food by Maria
This healthy Greek-inspired grain bowl is our spin on what we actually think Queen Jennifer Aniston would eat for lunch every day.
Couscous Bowls via Forks Over Knives
This satisfying meal is equally good made with traditional couscous or the larger, pearl-sized Israeli couscous.
Lunchtime Southwest Couscous Bowls via How Sweet Eats
These southwest couscous bowls are an excellent make-ahead meal for lunch or dinner! They are served with a chili lime dressing that is extra flavorful too. Super easy and delicious!
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Created by Taylor Stinson
Hey there, my name's Taylor! I’m the founder of The Girl on Bloor, a food blog where I share healthy meal prep recipes for busy people. I'm a busy city girl living in downtown Toronto on (you guessed it!) Bloor Street. I've got 10 years experience meal prepping, along with a Master's degree in journalism, and you can find my work across the internet featured on publications such as Buzzfeed, HuffPost, Women's Health, Reader's Digest and more. I also run the awesome 5-Day Meal Prep Challenge, which is a free email course and Facebook group where I share my meal planning strategies and easy meal prep tips and recipes. Be sure to check out my free beginner’s guide to meal prep and follow me on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to get my latest recipes and meal prep tips!
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