Skinnytaste Meal Prep: Healthy Make-Ahead Meals and Freezer Recipes to Simplify Your Life: A Cookbook

by Gina Homolka

Save time, money, and calories with #1 New York Times bestselling author Gina Homolka's simple, smart solutions for healthy freezer meals, ready-to-serve dishes, grab-and-go breakfasts and lunches, ingenious "planned-overs," and more.

Whether you're looking to lose weight or just eat a little healthier, meal prepping and cooking in advance helps you stay on track with your diet, saves time on busy weeknights, and is great for your budget. Skinnytaste Meal Prep delivers more than 120 healthy, diverse recipes that turn simple, easy-to-find ingredients into flavor-packed meals and snacks you'll have ready at your fingertips for the week ahead and beyond.

Gina utilizes a number of brilliant time-saving strategies, including recipes to prep ahead so they can go straight from the freezer (your kitchen's secret weapon!) to the Instant Pot(R), slow cooker, or oven to finish cooking, along with dishes that are completely made ahead and easily reheated. With these flexible techniques, you'll have meals on-hand months in advance, ready whenever the need arises, with no further shopping or cooking required. Imagine stress-free mornings when you can enjoy Lemon Blueberry Sheet Pan Pancakes for breakfast and just grab a DIY Chicken Taco Kit for lunch on your way out the door--no more unhealthful drive-thru breakfast sandwiches or expensive takeout. Healthy bites like Pumpkin Hummus and "Everything" Nuts will fuel you through the afternoon. For no-prep, effortless dinners, Roasted Vegetable Lasagna, Moussaka Makeover, and Greek Chicken Pilaf Bowls will make the entire family happy and satisfied.

With Skinnytaste Meal Prep, cooking smarter and eating healthier just got a whole lot simpler.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Reference, Foodie, Health

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2020

About the author

Hi, I'm Gina Homolka, author, photographer and recipe developer of Skinnytaste.com which features delicious, healthy, low fat, family-friendly recipes several times per week and Skinny Bits, where I answer cooking questions, health tips, reviews and giveaways.

What originally began in 2008 as an idea to marry my two passions, great food and beautiful photography, Skinnytaste was born and has developed into a highly rewarding labor of love reaching over 3 million unique visitors monthly.

At Skinnytaste.com, you'll find healthy dishes that don't sacrifice any of the flavor that can be found in their full-fat origins. My creations must be both "skinny" and "tasty" because after all, this is the same food I cook on a daily basis for friends and family, and they are some of my toughest critics!

Raised on Long Island, I'm a busy mom of two girls, and I currently reside in Oceanside, NY with my husband and children.

My food philosophy is to eat seasonal, clean, whole foods and maintain good portion control. When you cook your own meals, you know you can feel good about what is going into your body. Let me help you navigate your way around the kitchen and teach you how to prepare delicious, light, fresh meals your whole family will love (and they won't even realize it's good for them!)

Exercise + a well balanced diet + good sleep = a happy life.

I'm also a huge advocate of Weight Watchers because of their “everything in moderation” approach.

From the author's website.

Reviews

[marta the book slayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The meal prep portion of this book was too intimidating, so instead I picked a few recipes that look the most appetizing and they did not disappoint.

I can instantly see how this cookbook has so many holds on it at the library. The recipes were pretty simple and SO FLAVORFUL.


The first recipe I attempted to make was the chickpea spinach tomato curry (pictured on the left) and it did not disappoint. I love a vegetable curry, however this one used canned crushed tomatoes which really added depth to the flavor I know and love. In fact, this was so good I made it twice. When I was craving something warm and all restaurants were closed on July 4th, I was able to quickly re-make this with my pantry ingredients. (I think it turned out even better the second time).

I invited my friend over for dinner one evening and we made a pesto chicken and roasted veggie farro bowl (pictured on the right). The pesto was made using spinach and arugula which was an interesting twist on the pesto I usually eat. The recipe picture on the right is of a quinoa bowl using the remaining vegetables and chicken with chimichurri drizzled on top. Delicious when made as intended and as leftovers.


As a quick breakfast snack that was supposed to last me a couple of days (but only lasted ~2) are the stuffed bagel balls (pictured on the left). I am notorious for going to Dunkin and ordering these any chance I get. I took the initiative to try and make them at home instead to replicate the flavor I so desperately crave. Excuse the ones in the back that had the cream cheese spilling out, I'm not a professional pastry chef and what matters most is the flavor not the looks! My mom and boyfriend were a fan of these, but I think they are best eaten fresh out of the oven and don't taste as good reheated.

Because my boyfriend is acting like a baby after his COVID vaccine (honestly seeking he has 0 side effects), I decided to treat him to a warm cup of chicken and wild rice soup (pictured on the right). This soup was perfect even though I substituted basmati rice instead. I was worried that the consistency would be too thick, however adding some chicken broth helps when it's reheated. I also appreciated that the cookbook included instructions for a dutch oven if an InstantPot was not owned (which in this case was not). It may not look the prettiest but as long as the flavors are there I am a fan.

Finally, not pictured but which I will do as soon as the soup runs out is chicken souvlaki pitas so stay tuned.

Overall, pleasantly surprised with this cookbook. Katy has got a lot of great recipes to chose from so I hope she's assured that the cookbook has been tested and approved for by me.

∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙
Welcome to my journey of "holy fuck I moved out of my home and now I need to cook everyday." I'll be visiting my local library to pick up cookbooks as I navigate adulthood. Please feel free to recommend me any cookbooks you enjoy.
cooking experiment 1: lunch!
cooking experiment 2: mostly plants
cooking experiment 3: skinny taste meal prep

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pretty excited to get Gina Homolka's newest cookbook in the mail last weekend. Her Skinnytaste website is probably my favorite go-to place for recipe ideas. Homolka is a master at providing healthy recipes full of flavor. Her latest cookbook appealed to me because I don't really like cooking during the week. I do it, but it is a struggle. I like to meal prep and cook stuff on the weekends to keep us from going out or ordering in when I am too tired to think at the end of the day. The book provides a lot of great ideas. While the meal planning section was a bit more complicated than I am willing to take on, the make-ahead and freezable recipes look delicious. I have been able to make three so far. The Stuffed Chicken Parmesan and Asparagus, Freezer Chicken Black Bean Burritos, and Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili. All three were winners and I have another meal's worth of burritos and a couple of containers of Basil Pomodoro Sauce ready for quick meals sometime in the future.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course there are tips in Skinnytaste Meal Prep: Healthy Make-Ahead Meals and Freezer Recipes to Simplify Your Life: A Cookbook for how to get ahead of the game in the kitchen when you’ve got a busy schedule. But as always with the Skinnytaste cookbooks, the real treasure comes with the slew of recipes with plenty of taste despite fewer calories.

I adored Gina Homolka’s previous cookbook, The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor, in which she magically converted delicious — but calorie-laden — dishes into low-calorie recipes. And, unlike in The Skinnytaste Cookbook, this one has some recipes for those looking to cut carbohydrates as well as, or instead of, calories. Cooks, rejoice! Homolka has done it again!

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything looks yummy and I like the tips and planovers.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Gina’s books. Flavorful meals, recipes appeal to a wide range of tastes, and include nutrition information, which has been very helpful when planning for company. I have yet to make a SkinnyTaste meal that we haven’t enjoyed, and am excited to incorporate more of her meals into my meal prep repertoire.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Healthy, yummy meal prep recipes that don’t require too much time or ingredients. I bookmarked many recipes to try. The Mediterranean sheet pan and taco salad were instant favorites in our house this week!

[Yvette Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy, family friendly, flavorful food. I've made a dozen recipes so far and my family has enjoyed all of them. Favorites so far are the Gyro Loaf and Cheeseburger Egg Rolls.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

The breakfast and entree salads look so good. I will have to buy this book.

[Jennifer Smyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who don't know, I am a big FOODIE! This book is beautiful. I love the recipes, the meal plans and the freezer favorites. Try the smashed broccoli pecorino farro bowls....they are amazing!!!

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love some of the breakfast ideas. There are a lot of bowls which require much chopping but overall some good recipes. We love the avacado,tomato and egg bowl.

[Camie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book with pictures for each recipe. Had to return before I could make these meals. (I bought the kindle edition, so I can look up later.) So I can't comment yet how good everything is.

MEALS TO TRY:
p. 40 Baked Oatmeal Cups
p. 66 Ramen Salad Bowls with Grilled Chicken
p. 60 Food cart chicken and white sauce
p. 77 Tuna and White Bean Salad
p. 81 Surf and Turf with gorgonzola
p. 89 Fiesta Quinoa Salad
p. 101 Sauces and 100 Bowl IDeas
p. 102 Chicken meatballsp.
p. 110 Chili lime Black Bean Cauliflower Bowl
p. 117 Pesto Chicken adn Masked Farro
p. 118 Banh Mi Turkey Meatball Rice Bowl
p. 122 Kofta Meatball
p. 133 Smashed brocoli & farro
p. 170 Baked Spinach Stuffed Shells
p. 173 Chickpea Curry
p. 189 Falafel burgers
p. 194 chicken marinade options
p. 195 Instant Pot chicken and dumpling soup
p. 255 Chicken summer bowls
p. 276 Colombian Beans

[Melissa Goodall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m rather disappointed in this book. I’ve collected and used and loved all of the other books in the Skinnytaste series. I constantly recommend them to friends and family. This edition does not reach the level of the others. I have become a really good cook thanks to these books and this newest one takes a step backward in trying to make things too simple or easy for people. I’m sick to death of the argument that people don’t have time to make healthy tasty meals. All of the other books have proven that healthy and delicious is not time consuming or difficult. This book is just paying lip service to the “cult of busy”.

Please put out more books like your original with interesting recipes that reaffirm that healthy and delicious is not difficult and very often not time consuming.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is pretty much everything I want in a cookbook. Family friendly, using real food, easy straightforward instructions and you have the option to prep ahead. I'm starting to do this, and this book was very helpful. The author includes full nutritional information, helpful prep hints, and there is a photo for each recipe. I found the breakfast and dinner sections to be the best, but really the whole thing is a keeper. I guess if you're looking for appliance specific recipes, like for the crockpot or instant pot, there aren't many here.

I took this out of the library and am probably going to have to buy it. That's how much we're using it. If you're looking for healthy, easy to plan meals for a family or group, this is a great resource.

[Briel · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many great options in this cookbook along with smart tips and tricks for meal prep. I read a few of her other cookbooks and wasn’t enamored with them, but this book focuses on real food made simple rather than calorie counting/replacing high fat ingredients with lower fat ingredients. Most recipes are GF or can be made GF and many are low dairy/low sugar without replacing with stevia, etc. I borrowed from the library, but I’m adding to my wish list to purchase.

[Justus · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've been reading a number of meal prep and/or meal planning cookbooks over the past few weeks, which has made me ponder what, exactly, makes a good one. Not just "are the recipes in this one even my kind of thing". But what makes this a good meal prep/plan cookbook per se and not just any old cookbook? Sometimes reading a bad examples helps crystallise in your mind what you're actually looking for.

This is a bad meal prep cookbook. That doesn't mean it is a bad cookbook. But there just isn't a lot of actual "meal prep" here. Take the Shrimp Salad with Dill...is there anything you can make in advance? Anything you can freeze? The only nod towards "meal prep" is a note that it can stay in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. But....that's true for basically all leftovers ever. That doesn't make something meal prep. And as you go through this cookbook you'll notice a lot of these recipes have nothing more than "this keeps in the refrigerator for a few days". A few, like air-popped popcorn with salt, can't even be kept that long -- the recipe doesn't even specify how long it can be kept. What's the meal prep in popcorn? Is anyone really going to make a huge batch of popcorn and then eat it every day for the next 3-4 days before it goes stale?

There are just way too many "obvious" recipes that feel like they are just padding out the book. There's an entire chapter on salads. The only "meal prep" about salads is "you can make them in advance, just don't add the salad dressing until you're ready to eat them". Do we really need a chapter of salad recipes when that same basic meal prep advice applies to virtually every single salad?

Ditto for the muffin & bread recipes. Did you know if you make a batch of muffins they last 3 or 4 days? I mean...duh? Or if you roast a batch of vegetables (carrots, broccoli, etc) the leftovers keep in the refrigerator for a few days? For the entire first half of the book there was very little that I felt qualified as true, actual "meal prep".

It isn't until the final three sections -- freezer favorites: vegetarian, freezer favorites: meat, and big batches for leftovers -- that I felt like the book finally started delivering on its premise. But all my goodwill was exhausted by this point. And it's a shame because there are some good looking recipes here, especially in those final three sections. Things like the freezer to instant pot chicken & dumpling soup or the freezer chicken black bean burritos. There are some interesting flavors, as in the Indian-inspired shepherd's pie.

But it just felt like too little too late and there are other cookbooks in the genre I'd recommend over this one. Check it out from the library but I wouldn't buy it until you've looked through it and decided it is for you.

[Rhiannon Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



Some of my cookbooks are beautiful and lovely to look at but sometimes their recipes are too far out of my comfort zone. Then there are cookbooks like Skinnytaste Meal Prep: Healthy Make-Ahead Meals and Freezer Recipes to Simplify Your Life that I can tell I'm going to use almost every week. In addition to mouth-watering photos on almost every other page, the ingredients are easy to obtain and recipes are easy to follow. I love to cook and I love recipes that can be assembled ahead of time. Since I work from home, I'm able to do a bit of prep work here and there when I take breaks throughout the day. I also love to make freezer meals but have had lots of mishaps over the years. I learned a few new tips and tricks at the beginning of this cookbook that I am excited to try out when stocking my freezer this fall. I tried the Baked Spinach Stuffed Shells (p 170) to make sure we liked the recipe and my next step will be to make a double batch with one for now and one for later. After I see how they come out of the freezer I'll decide if it's one of those recipes I can make in mass quantities (like I do with my lasagnas). Speaking of lasagnas there is also a Roasted Vegetable Lasagna (p 181) I am going to try (although I am very skeptical that anyone else in my family will like it, but it's worth a shot) as well as Juicy Italian Chicken Meatballs (p 102,) Black Bean and Butternut Enchilada Bake (p 185,) Autumn Stuffed Acorn Squash (p 221,) and Turkey Cheeseburger Egg Rolls (p 229.) In addition to all of those "Freezer Favorites" this cookbook also includes multiple recipes for Breakfast; Hearty Salads; Warm Grain, Noodle & Vegetable Bowls; Smart Snacks; and Big Batches & Planned-Overs. Whether you are looking for a cookbook for grab-and-go breakfasts, meal-prepping a week's worth of lunches, filling your freezer, or just you just need some dinner inspiration Skinnytaste Meal Prep: Healthy Make-Ahead Meals and Freezer Recipes to Simplify Your Life has what you need!

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[Alisa]

This is my fifth cookbook on my meal prep journey and I will share a new tip I learned: use dry erase marker to write on plastic containers.

This book has weekly meal plans for 3 meals a day for several weeks. It does not include grocery lists or weekly prep lists. It is up to you to turn to each recipe and figure out what you are going to prep ahead. In that light, the book allows for a more flexible usage than some of the other meal prep books I reviewed because it is organized like a standard cookbook.

There is large section of dishes that can be prepped a day or two ahead, or maybe you could just make sure your veggies are diced and sauces stirred. These dishes would actually be best if served fresh.

There are also breakfast and snack foods, both categories that take me 0-5 minutes to cook and if you need to prep ahead for those things.... honey go eat a fried egg and reevaluate your life choices.

The section I found the most valuable was the freezer meals. Soup kits to keep in the freezer and toss directly into a pressure cooker, chicken marinades, and planned-overs (make a large batch and freeze half) are all good recipes that I will be keeping.

Overall I would say this is a good family cookbook with budget-friendly, flavorful meals that use basic ingredients. It uses a variety of cooking techniques, so you wouldn't only be eating frozen and reheated meals all the time. And I appreciated that the majority of these meals could easily be made gluten free.

[Sarah Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is an absolute staple in my home. Here’s a breakdown of what I love:

1. Variety - You’ll find Greek, Indian, Salvadorian, Italian, and American recipes to name a mere few. Each are packed with flavor, easy to make, and use easy to find ingredients.

2. Versatility - Each recipe contains instructions on how to adapt the meal to your needs. Want to eat it now? Freeze some for later? Break the meal into portions for easy meal prep? There’s plenty of recommendations on how to make the most out of every meal which I really appreciated as someone who meal preps.

3. Meal Planning - The book begins with 4 weekly meal plans to make your healthy eating journey even simpler. You can easily swap out recipes and adapt the meal plan to fit your preferences.

Overall, this is one of the most intentionally designed, functional cookbooks I’ve ever seen and would highly recommend it!

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous Skinnytaste offering from Gina Homolka. So many wonderful ideas for healthy, time-saving, easy recipes in Skinnytaste Meal Prep:Healthy Make-Ahead Meals and Freezer Recipes to Simplify Your Life.

I received my book yesterday and I’ve already made one recipe last night. Delicious! Working on my meal planning for next week and I am going to incorporate a couple more into the list. This cookbook did not disappoint.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this. Usually I find cookbooks that tout healthy choices have you scampering to purchase atypical ingredients. This one is geared toward a more pedestrian pantry. (Not a bad thing.) It's a gentler curve to creating healthier meals. The pictures are representative of the recipes, the ingredient lists are realistic and instructions are uncomplicated. I would recommend this one.

[Joss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been wanting to meal prep for a while but was struggling to figure out how to implement it in my daily life. This book helped me figure out how to plan out my meal prep schedule without being repetitive.

My favorite dishes I will keep in rotation from this book:

Breakfast: breakfast sandwich, breakfast fried rice, and stuffed bagel balls

Lunch/Dinner: freezer burritos, wonton soup

Snack: deviled eggs with lox

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked out several Skinnytaste recipe books form the library recently, and this is my favorite one. Good recipes in each book, but this one has more that appeal to me by far. Most I don’t even intend to “meal prep”, but I appreciate that there are instructions for how to store it in the fridge or freezer and how to reheat. I’ve gotten so many recipe ideas that it is overdue at the library and I may need to buy it!

[Courtney McGrale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skinnytaste rocks! I just love Gina Homolka’s take on healthy, simply delicious cooking. I have all of her cookbooks. This one has a smattering of everything: food prep instructions, storage and freezing tips, meal plans, and of course plenty of scrumptious recipes! This would make a beautiful holiday gift; the paper is thick, the cover gorgeous and colorful. Love ❤️

[Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skinnytaste Meal Prep.... globally inspired cuisines offer ideas for weekday meals and weekend meal prep. Not all recipes appear portable for lunch or kid friendly, but everything looks delicious for a luxurious adult weeknight meal. Great suggestions for substitutions and alterations for different diet accommodations.

[Dani Avenue · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best cook book I have EVER purchased!! In 2 weeks I have already made 5 recipes, and have begun to stock my freezer with healthy meals ready to go.

She brilliantly explains exactly how to store each recipe and what parts can be frozen or should be left fresh.

This book has made me excited to cook again!

[Amaryca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook did not disappoint. I’m an avid meal prep junkie and this book is filled with great recipes and principles. The recipes are really good, but more important in this book is that it teaches you how to meal prep. She lays a foundation that will allow you to experiment and meal prep foods you love far beyond the recipes she gives. I will purchase this book.

[Miss Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Prepping ahead, freezer foods, lots of options for Instant Pot, nutritional information included for all the recipes.

Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches (the recipe is not novel but the preparation is)
Greek Yogurt Raspberry Loaf
Stuffed Chicken Parmesan and Asparagus
5 Freezer Chicken Marinades*
Freezer-to-Instant-Pot Thai Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Normally, Skinnytaste cookbooks are a no brainer 5 star review for me. I own every cookbook that Gina Homolka has written and follow her site. In Meal Prep, I found that NUMEROUS recipes are repeats from other cookbooks. Furthermore, meal prep instructions were often confusing or non-existent. Actually trying to decide whether to keep this book or return it.

[Sara Larson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful book. The introduction and text are nice and get you excited for the recipes. I love reading cookbooks! Though many of the tips seemed pretty basic, but I’m sure they will be helpful to many readers. I have t tried any of the recipes yet, but have flagged several. Especially some of the breakfast and lunch prep. Fun read!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the meal prep section of this book and it gave me some good ideas, but I didn't make any recipes from that section. I did make the chickpea tomato curry and the butternut squash and black bean enchilada bake and both were very good. My kids loved the enchilada bake and I will for sure make that again.