July 13, 2025, 6:07 am | Read time: 10 minutes

I always say: Preparing meals is not a matter of discipline–it’s about organization. If you invest 90 minutes in the kitchen once a week, you’ll have your hands free for the next five days: for sports, the couch, or just relaxing. And the best part: The air fryer does most of the work. No stove, no chaos, no greasy pans.

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Why Airfryer Meal Prep Makes Everyday Life Easier

We all know the feeling: no time in the morning, too expensive at lunch, too tired in the evening. And then there’s the good intention to eat “healthier.” The airfryer is the ace in this dilemma: quick, efficient, and nutrient-preserving. With a few smart basic ingredients, you can prepare complete weekly menus–varied, filling, and without a stove or oven.

What Meal Prep (Really) Means

The term comes from the English “meal preparation”–and it means nothing more than the deliberate pre-cooking of meals. The point: not having to cook every day but still eating healthily. Most people think of meal prep as three kilos of rice and five servings of broccoli with chicken–but it can be different.¹

For me, meal prep works when the dishes are easy to prepare, taste varied, don’t lose quality when reheated–and are best eaten cold. The airfryer helps me with exactly that: No preheating is necessary, I need hardly any oil, and cleaning is quick. Ideal if you want to cook different components one after the other and don’t want to deal with stove chaos.

Mediterranean Chicken and Vegetable Tray

Sometimes you don’t need superfoods–just something warm, fragrant, and filling that tastes a bit like a vacation. That’s exactly what this dish delivers: lots of colorful vegetables, tender chicken, olive oil, and herbs–voilà, the Mediterranean tray is ready.

Chicken provides high-quality protein with little fat–perfect if you don’t want to fall into a food coma after eating.² Bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant provide vitamin C, potassium, and phytonutrients. For me, this recipe is a meal prep classic because it can be easily portioned, reheated, and even eaten cold–for example, with hummus or feta. And yes: It just smells better than Tupperware with rice and chicken.

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

• 250 g chicken breast fillet
• 1 small zucchini
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 small eggplant
• 1 small red onion
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Spices: rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt, pepper

Preparation:

Wash all the vegetables and cut them into cubes or wedges. Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces, marinate with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme. Mix the vegetables with a little oil and finely chopped garlic. Then put everything together in the air fryer–first the vegetables, then the chicken on top. Cook at 375°F for about 12 to 14 minutes until the meat is cooked through and slightly browned. Feel free to mix once in between to prevent drying out or burning.

Secret tip: If you like, you can sprinkle some crumbled feta on top at the end–or eat it cold with a dollop of hummus. Tastes even better than it looks.

Also interesting: “My 3 Favorite Summer Recipes–Healthy and Refreshing from the Air Fryer”

Teriyaki Salmon with Edamame Rice

For me, salmon is a power start to the week. Lots of omega-3, good protein, no heaviness. Add edamame for plant-based protein and pre-cooked rice that even tastes good cold.³ The teriyaki marinade rounds it out–sweet, salty, and satisfying.

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

• 2 salmon fillets
• 2 tbsp reduced-sugar teriyaki sauce
• 3.5 oz frozen edamame (shelled)
• 4 oz basmati rice (cooked)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 green onion
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Preparation:

Marinate salmon fillets with teriyaki–at least 15 minutes, preferably overnight. Place in the air fryer and cook at 350°F for about 10 to 12 minutes. Pour hot water over the edamame and let it drain. Mix the pre-cooked rice with sesame oil and edamame, divide into containers, and top with the salmon. Slice the green onion into rings, sprinkle sesame over–done.

Note: I cook both servings directly on Sunday. I eat one fresh on Monday, and the second stays airtight in the fridge and is served on Wednesday. Cooked salmon should be eaten within two days.⁴

Pro tip: Take the teriyaki sauce separately and only add it when reheating–keeps it fresher and prevents sticking.

Frittata Cubes with Spinach and Feta

Eggs, feta, spinach–for me, it’s an unbeatable combo. The frittata cubes are filling, provide protein, and can be eaten hot or cold. When I don’t feel like having something “proper,” I take two of them, some raw vegetables and a spoonful of yogurt–and I’m all set.

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

• 4 eggs
• 3.5 oz frozen spinach (thawed, well-drained)
• 1.75 oz feta
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Nutmeg, salt, pepper

Preparation:

Mix eggs with spinach, crumbled feta, and spices. Pour the mixture into small silicone molds or an air fryer-safe baking dish. Bake at 320°F for about 12 minutes until set. Let cool briefly, then turn out and cut into cubes.

Note: I don’t freeze feta–so I ideally eat the frittata by Tuesday or Wednesday. Alternatively, I prepare them without cheese, freeze the cubes in portions, and add some fresh feta when reheating.

Pro tip: This dish is also delicious cold–perfect as a snack or as a protein component in a bowl. The cubes freeze well–just take them out in the morning and eat them at lunch.

Sweet Potato Falafel with Yogurt Dip

Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin C, contain potassium and beta-carotene–and they are pleasantly filling with a slightly sweet taste.⁵ In my opinion, perfect for savory dips. I shape them into small falafel that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. With yogurt dip or in a wrap, they become real fillers.

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

• 7 oz sweet potato (pre-cooked)
• 4 tbsp oats
• 1 tbsp spelt flour
• Cumin, paprika, salt, pepper
• 4 tbsp yogurt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Fresh mint (optional)

Preparation:

Process the sweet potato with the oats, spelt flour, and spices into a smooth dough. Shape small balls with your hands, flatten slightly, and bake in the air fryer at 400°F for about 10 minutes until golden brown. For the dip, mix yogurt with lemon juice and mint (but only on the day you eat it).

Pro tip: also delicious in wraps or with roasted vegetables–instead of bread or pasta.

Quinoa Bowl with Marinated Tofu and Roasted Vegetables

Why it’s healthy–and why I eat it on days when I want something light: Tofu is an underrated protein source–and when well-marinated and roasted, it becomes crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. With quinoa as a plant-based protein source and baked vegetables, this is a bowl that keeps you full for a long time but doesn’t sit heavy in the stomach.⁶

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

• 5.3 oz firm tofu
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 3.5 oz quinoa (cooked)
• 1 small zucchini
• ½ red bell pepper
• 1 small carrot
• Fresh herbs (e.g., cilantro, parsley)

Preparation:

Cut the tofu into cubes, marinate with soy sauce and sesame oil. Chop the vegetables. Put everything together in the air fryer and bake at 400°F for about 12 minutes. Fill the quinoa into the container, place the vegetable-tofu mix on top, and top with fresh herbs.

Pro tip: Season with lime juice and yogurt or a curry dressing for a light, fresh kick.

Shopping List for All Five Dishes

• 2 salmon fillets
• 250 g chicken breast
• 5.3 oz firm tofu
• 4 eggs
• 7 oz sweet potato
• 3.5 oz quinoa
• 4 oz rice
• Frozen spinach, edamame
• Zucchini, bell pepper, eggplant, carrot, onion
• Feta
• Plain yogurt
• Teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil
• Spices: cumin, paprika, rosemary, thyme, garlic, nutmeg
• Fresh herbs, lemons, sesame

How to Keep Everything Fresh:

• Always let cooked food cool before putting it in the container.
• Fill dressing or sauce separately–especially for rice or quinoa dishes.
• Eggs and frittata cubes freeze well.
• Fish and chicken should be eaten within three days or frozen in advance.
• When reheating in the air fryer, spray briefly with some water or oil–prevents drying out.

What a Meal Prep Week Could Look Like

What’s the point of five dishes if you don’t know when to eat them? I’ve come up with a sequence that has proven itself in everyday life. It takes into account shelf life, taste, and reheating behavior–and ensures that nothing feels like “leftovers.”

Monday: Teriyaki Salmon with Edamame Rice

On Mondays, I start with the teriyaki salmon with edamame rice. I cook both salmon fillets directly on Sunday: I eat one fresh on Monday, and store the second one airtight in the fridge to eat by Wednesday. That’s the maximum storage time for cooked fish.

Tuesday: Mediterranean Chicken-Vegetable Tray

This keeps well in the fridge for two to three days and reheats perfectly. The perfect meal for the day after the salmon.

Wednesday: Salmon Again

The second portion of salmon. This is the last chance to safely eat cooked fish–after that, it should no longer be used. I pair it with some rice, quinoa, or leftover vegetables from the other dishes.

Thursday: Quinoa Bowl

Quinoa bowl with marinated tofu and roasted vegetables. Keeps well, tastes good cold–ideal for the office.

Friday: Sweet Potato Falafel

I pre-baked the falafel on Sunday and stored them airtight in the fridge until Friday–they keep well for four days. I mix the yogurt dip fresh on Thursday evening so it doesn’t spoil or turn sour. On Friday, it’s enough to warm the falafel briefly in the air fryer for five minutes at 350°F–or just eat them cold.

Saturday: Frittata Cubes with Spinach & Feta

Frittata cubes with spinach–without feta, frozen right after baking. On Saturday morning, I let them thaw briefly and add a small dollop of fresh feta when reheating in the air fryer–or leave it out entirely. This way, it also works with storage.

Sunday: Freestyle Day

I combine leftovers or cook spontaneously–and calmly prepare for the next week.

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Can You Really Do It in Two Hours?

In short: yes–if you approach it correctly. I set a timer for Sunday evening, pre-cook rice and quinoa in parallel, keep the air fryer running without a break, and chop the vegetables while the first portions are cooking. While the salmon is sizzling in the air fryer, I already mix the frittata. I either cook the sweet potato for the falafel the night before or throw it in first. I do everything that can be done simultaneously at the same time.

The trick is: not to do everything one after the other, but to think in a flow. While one component is baking, prepare the next. This way, you can actually get everything done in under two hours–including the washing up. And yes: You sweat a little once, but then you have five days of free mind.

And to Be Honest: I Don’t Do This Every Week

Meal prep is not a must for me. I don’t always do it. But during stressful times–such as exam periods or when I know I have little capacity during the week–it’s worth its weight in gold. It takes a worry off my mind before it even arises. And it reminds me that healthy eating has nothing to do with perfection–but with good preparation.