35 Vegan Meal Prep Ideas

These vegan meal prep ideas make it easy to fill up on plants! Find our best make-ahead recipes for plant-based breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.

If you want to eat more plants in 2026, these vegan meal prep ideas are for you! They include our best grab-and-go breakfasts, packable lunches, and make-ahead dinners—all healthy, delicious, and entirely plant-based. After weeks of holiday treats, I always start January in the mood for fresh, feel-good food. The easiest way to ensure I actually eat the nourishing meals I’m craving is by meal prepping. That way, when we’re running late for school drop off or I get bogged down with work, I’m not tempted to skip a meal or order takeout. I have a healthy option ready to go!…

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White Bean Soup

This white bean soup recipe is a cozy, healthy, and delicious one-pot meal! It's filled with creamy white beans, tender vegetables, and flavorful herbs.

This white bean soup recipe is the perfect cozy meal for a cold day. A savory, garlicky broth surrounds tender vegetables, kale, and creamy, protein-packed white beans. Fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice round out its bright, earthy flavor. This white bean soup comes together in about 30 minutes, so it’s a perfect easy dinner for a busy weeknight. It’s also great for meal prep. In the winter, I love to make a big pot on the weekend and eat it for lunch all week. It tastes even better on days 2 and 3, after the flavors have had…

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10 Healthy Smoothie Recipes

These healthy smoothie recipes are an easy, delicious way to fill up on fruits and veggies. My family loves them for breakfast or as a snack!

These healthy smoothie recipes are packed with good-for-you ingredients! Think fresh fruit, vegetables, chia seeds, nut butters, and more. They fill these healthy smoothies with nutrients like fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals…and they taste delicious too. If you’re looking for breakfast or snack ideas for 2026, these healthy smoothie recipes are a great place to start. Ranging from classic fruit smoothies to vibrant green smoothies to tropical and chocolatey blends, they’re satisfying, flavorful, and easy to make in minutes. My whole family loves these recipes (kiddo included!). I hope you will too! Healthy Fruit Smoothie Recipes Strawberry Banana Smoothie This classic…

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Paper Plane Cocktail

This paper plane cocktail is easy to make with equal parts bourbon, Aperol, amaro, and lemon juice. A modern classic, it's boozy, bright, and delicious!

Have you ever tried a paper plane cocktail? Invented in 2008 by New York City bartender Sam Ross, it consists of equal parts of four ingredients: bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and fresh lemon juice. Bitter, sour, citrusy, and deliciously complex, this drink has become a modern classic, and I’m here for it. I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t actually get on the paper plane bandwagon until last year. Jack and I were snowed in at home for the week after Christmas, and for a fun, festive, and cozy activity, we made a new classic cocktail every night. This paper plane…

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Lentil Soup

Meet the BEST lentil soup recipe! Made with dried lentils, fresh vegetables, flavorful spices, and hearty greens, it's simple, healthy, and delicious.

This easy lentil soup recipe is warming, nourishing, and delicious. It’s packed with hearty greens, tender vegetables, and fiber- and protein-rich lentils. Fresh herbs and spices fill it with complex flavor, and a splash of vinegar adds a bright, tangy kick. It’s not just my best lentil soup recipe—it’s one of my best recipes, period. It’s been a staple in my rotation for years. Easy to make with pantry ingredients, it’s the perfect healthy dinner for a winter weeknight (save any leftovers for lunch the next day!). I hope you love this simple lentil soup as much as I do. Lentil…

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Pomegranate Martini

This pomegranate martini recipe is sweet, tart, and delicious! Easy to make with 4 ingredients, this ruby red cocktail is perfect for winter celebrations.

Let’s make a pomegranate martini! I love pomegranate anything, so this fruity cocktail is one of my favorites. It has a delicious sweet-tart, citrusy flavor, and the pomegranate juice makes it ruby red. It’s like the (way more) fun cousin of a classic martini, perfect for celebrations like New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, or girls nights in. My pomegranate martini recipe is easy to make with 4 ingredients. It starts with pomegranate juice and vodka. Then, I add orange liqueur and a splash of orange juice for a bright, citrusy kick. Garnished with a sprig of rosemary, it’s such a refreshing winter drink.…

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Amaretto Sour

This amaretto sour recipe is an updated take on the classic cocktail. Easy to make with 5 ingredients, it's nutty and bright, with a delicious foamy top.

This amaretto sour recipe is frothy, nutty, and bright. Easy to make with just 5 ingredients, it’s such a festive cocktail for Christmas or New Year’s Eve. The amaretto’s almond notes remind me of marzipan (or the almond extract I use in many of my favorite Christmas cookies). It feels perfect for the season. When I was in college, I had a good friend who always ordered an amaretto sour when we went out. The first time I tried one was with her. I remember liking the nutty flavor but thinking it was too sweet for me. I recently learned…

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French Toast Casserole

This overnight French toast casserole recipe is the perfect breakfast for a crowd! It's simple and delicious, with a crisp topping and custardy middle.

This French toast casserole recipe is the easiest way to make French toast for a crowd. Instead of standing at the stove, flipping slices to order, you pile cubed bread into a casserole dish, douse it in a rich, cinnamon-spiced custard, and bake it with pecans and brown sugar on top. It’s a breeze to make on the morning you plan to serve it, but you can also assemble it a day ahead and let it sit overnight in the fridge. The next morning, just add the nutty topping, pop it in the oven, and bake! This French toast casserole…

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Cinnamon Rolls

These easy homemade cinnamon rolls are soft, gooey, and delicious! They're my family's favorite holiday breakfast. Make-ahead instructions included!

This cinnamon roll recipe is my family’s favorite holiday breakfast! Easy and delicious, it makes the best cinnamon rolls I’ve tried. They have a soft dough filled with a rich brown sugar and cinnamon swirl. A gooey vanilla glaze (or cream cheese frosting!) takes them over the top. I first shared this recipe in 2019, inspired by the cinnamon rolls my mom made on Christmas morning when I was growing up. Now with over 350 5-star reviews, it’s since become a reader favorite! I recently updated it with new photos, make-ahead and freezing instructions, and tips for cinnamon roll success.…

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25 Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes

Ready for holiday baking? Find our best Christmas cookies below! They include easy recipes for sugar cookies, spice cookies, cut outs, and more.

I’ll be baking Christmas cookies on repeat for the next few weeks! They’re one of my favorite parts of the holiday season—sweet, festive, and perfect for making with family and sharing as a gift. If you ask me, there’s no better way to spread holiday cheer. In case you’re ready for holiday baking too, I’ve rounded up my best easy Christmas cookie recipes below. They include traditional Christmas cookies like gingerbread as well as fun shortbread variations, classic chocolate chip cookies, and more. They’re all great for holiday parties, cookie tins, and baking with loved ones (kids included!). I hope…

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Pignoli Cookies

Learn how to make pignoli cookies! These Italian pine nut cookies are chewy, nutty, and full of rich almond flavor. They're perfect for the holidays!

These pignoli cookies are a new addition to my holiday cookie lineup, and I already can’t get enough of them. A toasty, crunchy pine nut crust surrounds the chewy cookies, which are bursting with almond flavor (my favorite at Christmastime). They’re easy to make with 7 ingredients, but I think they’d be the star of any holiday cookie plate. I first tried pignoli cookies on a trip to Italy years ago, and I re-discovered them more recently at a bakery near our cottage in Michigan. I bought so many over the last few summers that I knew I had to…

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A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Welcome to Love & Lemons!

I'm Jeanine Donofrio, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author and recipe developer. I share fresh, delicious vegetarian recipes that celebrate seasonal ingredients and flavors.

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