Welcome to Protein Meal Prep: Part 14! (If you’re catching up, you can find last week’s post here.)

This week’s prep is all about keeping things versatile, snack-friendly, and easy to throw together into complete meals. I leaned into some of my favorite staples that make healthy eating feel effortless: a baked good that doubles as breakfast or snack, a simple protein base that can be used three different ways, my weekly go-to complex carb (with a little protein boost), and my favorite balanced snack box!

For something a little sweet, I baked a batch of Protein Oatmeal Pancake Muffins… soft, chewy, and just the right amount of chocolatey. For an easy lunch or dinner base, I cooked up a simple batch of ground beef (you’d be surprised how many different ways you can repurpose it during the week!). I also made a pot of Bone Broth Rice – my weekly go-to hack for sneaking in more protein and flavor without extra effort. And of course, no prep week feels complete without my favorite grab-and-go snack box.

As always, these are simple, mix-and-match recipes that make busy weeks feel so much smoother. Ready for the full breakdown? Let’s get into it…

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1. Protein Oatmeal Pancake Muffins

These soft, chewy muffins are perfect as a light breakfast or snack on the go. They’re naturally sweetened with banana and maple syrup, packed with healthy fats from almond butter, and boosted with protein from collagen and Birch Benders Protein Pancake Mix.

Makes: 6 muffins | Protein: ~10g per muffin

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup Birch Benders Protein Pancake Mix
• 1 scoop collagen
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• Mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a muffin tin.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
3. Transfer batter to the muffin tin, filling each slot halfway (makes ~6 muffins. Double for 12!).
4. Bake 20–25 minutes.
5. Cool on a rack and enjoy throughout the week.

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2. Bone Broth Rice

A simple hack to sneak extra protein and flavor into your meals! By swapping water for bone broth when cooking rice, you not only get a delicious, savory flavor but also about 8g of protein per serving.

Makes: 4 servings | Protein: ~8g per serving

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice
• 2 cups chicken bone broth
• Optional: ginger and/or garlic

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to package directions, replacing water with bone broth. Add ginger and/or garlic if desired.
2. Store in a container in the fridge and pair with protein and veggies throughout the week.

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3. Ground Beef

Makes: 4 servings | Protein: ~29g per serving

Sometimes the simplest prep is the most versatile. I cooked up a batch of ground beef with a little olive oil in a skillet until browned and seasoned lightly with salt and pepper. Once cooled, I stored it in a container in the fridge to use in different meals this week.

Here’s how I’ll be enjoying it:

• Stuffed into loaded sweet potatoes
• Mixed into taco pasta
• Tossed into a quick stir-fry

This is such an easy way to have a protein ready to go for multiple meal bases!

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4. Snack Box

Makes: 1 serving | Protein: ~12g per snack box

I always love prepping a grab-and-go snack box for the week. This time, I built mine with:

• 2 Babybel cheeses
• Strawberries
• Carrots + snap peas
• Lemon hummus

It’s a balanced combo of protein, fiber, healthy fats, and freshness. The best part is you can mix and match endlessly based on what you’re craving. Here’s a quick guide to building your own:

Protein:

• Turkey slices, chicken breast, hard-boiled eggs, tuna packets, mini meatballs, cheese, Greek yogurt

Complex Carbs (fiber + energy):

• Veggies (carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, snap peas, etc.), fruit (grapes, berries, apple slices, cherries, etc.), whole grain crackers, rice cakes, roasted sweet potato wedges

Healthy Fats:

• Cheese, eggs, avocado/guac packs, nut butter, nuts, olives

Treats (because balance!):

• Dark chocolate, protein balls, dates, or a homemade baked good

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That’s it for this week’s meal prep! From muffins to snack boxes, these little boosts of protein make eating healthy so much easier. Which recipe would you make first?