Most Popular Recipes of 2018

Time to look back and review Project Meal Plan’s top recipes of 2018! There are some favorites that made the list last year, along with a couple new recipes published this year that you guys simply loved! It’s the best of Project Meal Plan with the Most Popular Recipes of 2018!

I love looking through the analytics and seeing what recipes you guys loved the most over the course of the entire year. It’s my pleasure to share this list with you, so that you can see what others love the most, and check those recipes out for yourself. 

Many on this list are no surprise to me because they tend to be in the top ten viewed pages every day, and it’s been that way for a over a year. But a couple recipes that made the list were published THIS year, which means they were quick favorites if they’re competing with recipes that are 18-24 months old (wow!! so crazy to me!!).

Last year, I published Top 5 Recipes from 2017. In that article, I shared the top 5 posts that were published in 2017, but they were not top overall. At the time, I wanted to share the newer recipes with you guys, so I didn’t include older recipes. 

Now, I’m changing it up. I’m sharing the top ten recipes overall. This way, I can compare year to year and see what stays popular, and what trends I can find. To compromise (with myself, I guess), I’m including a top five list of recipes published this year, as well as a few other lists of info. This is mostly for me to look back on in the future, but also for you if you’re another blogger or if you’re just into that kind of thing like me.

So, I gathered this list by looking at the top most viewed recipes on Project Meal Plan, not including recipe round up posts or non-recipe articles. If you’re looking for the best of Project Meal Plan, try one of these Most Popular Recipes of 2018 (or meal prep ideas), loved by many!

#10 Turkey Pesto Tortilla Pinwheels

These Turkey Pesto Tortilla Pinwheels also made the top five list last year, and continue to be a Pinterest favorite. They make a great cold lunch or snack. Easy Turkey Pinwheels Meal Prep are another simple but delicious lunch option. GET THE RECIPE.

#9 Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Meal Prep

One of the two on this list published this year, Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Meal Prep is a great Instant Pot meal prep option if you love buffalo chicken like me! The meatballs and quinoa are cooked together in the Instant Pot, and I paired my lunches with raw carrot and celery sticks. GET THE RECIPE.

#8 Mexican Quinoa Chicken Salad Lunch Bowls

Full disclosure, this Mexican Quinoa Chicken Salad Lunch Bowls recipe was featured in a recipe round up at The Every Girl back in 2017, and it’s definitely kept the traffic coming steadily every Sunday. Check out 15 Lunches You Can Meal Prep on Sunday for more like this one! Or GET THE RECIPE.

#7 Chicken & Hummus Plate Lunch Meal Prep 

If there was a “Star Recipe of 2018 Award”, it would go to this Chicken & Hummus Plate Lunch Meal Prep recipe. This is the second and last recipe on this list actually published in 2018. Plus, it was published in May! All the other recipes had five extra months to gain pageviews. I suspect this one will be even higher on the list next year. GET THE RECIPE.

#6 DIY Adult Lunchables

Full title: How to Turn Cheese and Crackers into DIY Adult Lunchables. Super easy. Super customizable. And always super popular. Because lunchables are not just for children. GET THE RECIPE.

#5 Make-Ahead Fruit & Greek Yogurt Parfaits

Plain Greek yogurt plus a hint of maple syrup is an easy way to start these Make-Ahead Fruit & Greek Yogurt Parfaits! Plus, FIVE flavor ideas to make-ahead and try throughout the week! Blueberry lemon bar, apple cinnamon, PB banana crunch, and more! GET THE RECIPE.

#4 Smoky Green Bean Turkey Skillet

One of the very first recipes to hit Project Meal Plan, there’s a reason this Smoky Green Bean Turkey Skillet is near the top of the list. It’s healthy, easy to make, perfect for meal prep, and full of flavor. Since publishing in July of 2016, I’ve updated photos, created a video, and learned how to spell smoky as an adjective. GET THE RECIPE.

#3 Meal Prep Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki Quinoa Bowls

Another recipe from 2016 and with a huge advantage after being included in a Greatist article called 21 Not-Boring Chicken Breast Recipes Made for Meal Prep, these Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki Quinoa Bowls are at the top every Sunday. It’s made with simple ingredients and can really be served with rice or quinoa. GET THE RECIPE.

#2 How to Cook Quinoa in the Rice Cooker

I was pretty shocked how quickly this How to Cook Quinoa in the Rice Cooker article became popular in 2017, and here it is again in 2018. People like recipes, but they also want to know how to do the basics well. GET THE RECIPE.

#1 Veggie Loaded Rotisserie Chicken Casserole

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: I do not understand what the deal is with the Veggie Loaded Rotisserie Chicken Casserole. It’s not my favorite, it’s not particularly amazing, it just filled the need for a healthy casserole made with rotisserie chicken and vegetables. This recipe was first published in 2016, but republished with new content and answers to popular questions in June 2018. GET THE RECIPE.

2018 in Review

I’m also going to share a few other and tidbits and top lists to sum up the year for Project Meal Plan. As I’ve entered adulthood, nothing has proven to be more true than the fact that time seems to go by faster every year. If I don’t take a few minutes right now to grab this information and put it into words, I probably never will.

It’s important to reflect on the data every once in a while to see how far we’ve come, and help set goals for the future. Since I stopped doing income & traffic reports a while ago, I thought it would be appropriate to share this information here.

Top 10 Landing Pages from Pinterest:
1) Veggie Loaded Rotisserie Chicken Casserole
2) 16 Make-Ahead Cold Lunch Ideas to Prep for Work This Week
3) How to Meal Prep for Beginners
4) How to Turn Cheese and Crackers into DIY Adult Lunchables
5) Chicken & Hummus Plate Lunch Meal Prep
6) 7 Things From Costco That Make Meal Prep Better
7) Pesto Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash for Two
8) How to Cook Quinoa in the Rice Cooker
9) Turkey Pesto Tortilla Pinwheels
10) Mexican Quinoa Chicken Salad Lunch Bowls

Finally, My Top 5 Recipes Picks From This Year:
1) Chicken & Hummus Plate Lunch Meal Prep
2) How to Make Whipped Greek Yogurt
3) Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Meal Prep
4) How to Make Air Fryer Chimichangas
5) Kimchi Bacon Greek Yogurt Mac & Cheese

Thank you all for making and cooking my recipes, and making these the most popular recipes in 2018! It means a lot to me to be able to provide you with the inspiration! I can’t wait to see what I come up with in 2019, and what remains top ten most popular on the blog 🙂