How to prepare delicious meal prep lunches for the workweek
Meal prepping is a game-changer for anyone with a busy schedule, providing the perfect balance of convenience, nutrition, and variety. If you’re tired of relying on fast food or cafeteria options during the workweek, preparing your lunches ahead of time ensures that you’ll have a delicious and nutritious meal every day. In this post, we’ll dive into the key steps to prepare delicious meal prep lunches, from planning and prepping ingredients to storing and choosing recipes that keep lunch exciting and flavorful.
Why Meal Prep Lunches Are Important
Meal prepping not only saves time and money but also helps you stick to healthier eating habits. By preparing your meals in advance, you can avoid the unhealthy temptations of fast food or vending machine snacks. Here are some reasons why meal prepping is beneficial:
- Prepping meals in one go eliminates the need to cook every day.
- Preparing in bulk helps save money as you can buy ingredients in larger, more affordable quantities.
- When you prepare your meals, you have full control over ingredients and portion sizes, making it easier to maintain a balanced diet.
- By planning meals ahead, you can use all your ingredients efficiently and avoid throwing away unused food.
Step 1: Plan Your Meals
Successful meal prepping starts with careful planning. Before you hit the kitchen, take some time to decide what you’ll eat throughout the week.
Craft a Meal Plan
The first step is to decide how many meals you’ll need. Will you be prepping lunch for five days? Or maybe you only need meals for a few days, with room to switch things up mid-week. Whatever the case, plan for enough variety to keep things interesting while ensuring that each meal is balanced and nutritious.
Start by selecting easy-to-make recipes that store well. Consider dishes that include a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and vegetables to keep you full and energized. Planning helps ensure you use all your ingredients efficiently and avoid midweek trips to the grocery store.
Ensure Variety
While preparing one recipe for the entire week is tempting, you can easily end up with meal fatigue. Incorporating variety into your meal plan is essential. Opt for different types of proteins (chicken, tofu, beans), vegetables (roasted broccoli, sautéed spinach, mixed peppers), and grains (quinoa, brown rice, couscous) to keep meals exciting and diverse.
You can also experiment with different cuisines—perhaps a Mediterranean grain bowl one day and an Asian stir-fry the next. Seasonings and sauces can add variety without extra effort, like pesto for one meal and a simple vinaigrette for another.
Step 2: Prepare Ingredients Efficiently
After planning your meals, it’s time to prep your ingredients. This is where meal prep saves time for the entire week.
Batch Cooking
Cooking your grains, proteins, and vegetables in bulk is the best way to prepare for the week. Here are some tips:
- Grains: Cook a large batch of grains like quinoa, brown rice, or pasta. These can be stored in airtight containers and used as a base for bowls, salads, or sides throughout the week.
- Proteins: Grill, bake, or roast a large batch of chicken, tofu, or beans. Store them in the fridge for easy access when assembling your meals.
- Vegetables: Roasting vegetables like sweet potatoes, zucchini, or carrots can save time and add flavor to your meals. Store these in containers and mix them into different meals.
By preparing these components in bulk, you can quickly assemble your lunches by mixing and matching ingredients. For example, one day, you could pair roasted chicken with quinoa and veggies, while another day, you could create a wrap using the same ingredients but with a different sauce.
Pre-cut Vegetables and Fruits
If you prefer fresh salads or wraps, pre-cutting your vegetables and fruits is a great way to save time. Slicing cucumbers, bell peppers, and carrots in advance allows you to throw together a salad or snack during the week quickly. Likewise, pre-washing and chopping fruits like strawberries, grapes, or melons will make it easier to reach for healthy options during busy workdays.
Step 3: Choose Easy and Delicious Recipes
The key to keeping meal prep exciting is choosing easy to prepare, delicious, and satisfying recipes. Here are a few recipe ideas to get you started:
Buddha Bowls
Buddha bowls are an excellent choice for meal prep because they are highly customizable. A typical Buddha bowl consists of a grain base (like quinoa or brown rice), a variety of vegetables (both raw and cooked), a protein source (like grilled chicken, tofu, or chickpeas), and a flavorful dressing. You can change the ingredients daily by switching the grain or protein and experimenting with dressings like tahini, lemon vinaigrette, or a soy-ginger sauce.
Wraps and Sandwiches
Wraps and sandwiches are quick to assemble and can be packed with protein, veggies, and healthy fats. For example, a whole-wheat tortilla filled with grilled chicken, hummus, spinach, and roasted peppers makes for a delicious and satisfying lunch. You can switch things up by using different spreads, like avocado or pesto, and rotating the fillings.
Stir-fries and Grain Bowls
Stir fries are quick, versatile, and easy to prepare in large batches. Simply sauté your choice of vegetables and proteins (chicken, tofu, or shrimp), add a flavorful sauce (soy sauce, teriyaki, or garlic ginger), and serve over a bed of rice or noodles. Grain bowls are another option, pairing cooked grains with veggies, protein, and sauces for an easy-to-pack lunch that can be enjoyed hot or cold.
No-Reheat Options
For those without access to a microwave, no-reheat lunches are a must. Cold pasta salads, couscous bowls, and wraps are perfect no-reheat options. For example, a chickpea salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and feta tossed with olive oil and lemon juice makes for a refreshing and filling lunch.
Step 4: Properly Storing Your Meals
Storing your meals correctly ensures that they stay fresh and delicious throughout the week.
Choose the Right Containers
Investing in high-quality containers is key to successful meal prep. Look for containers that are:
- Airtight: To keep your food fresh longer.
- Microwave-safe: If you plan to reheat your meals at work.
- Leak-proof is especially important for dishes with sauces or dressings. Consider using glass containers for easy reheating or mason jars for storing salads (with dressing on the bottom and leafy greens on top to avoid sogginess).
Portion Control
Properly portioning your meals helps prevent overeating and ensures that you have just the right amount of food. A balanced meal should consist of:
- One portion of protein (about the size of your palm).
- One portion of grains (about half a cup).
- Two portions of vegetables (aim to fill half of your container with colourful veggies).
You can avoid wasting food and overloading your plate by pre-portioning your meals.
Step 5: Time-Saving Tips for Meal Prepping
Meal prepping doesn’t need to take hours. Here are some time-saving tips to streamline the process:
Double-duty Ingredients
Choose ingredients that can be used in multiple meals. For example, roasted vegetables can be used in grain bowls, wraps, and salads throughout the week. Grilled chicken can serve as a protein in both stir-fries and sandwiches.
Multitasking
Maximize your time by multitasking in the kitchen. While your grains cook on the stovetop, you can roast vegetables in the oven and grill proteins at the same time. Having multiple things cooking simultaneously reduces the total time spent in the kitchen.
Use Kitchen Tools
Certain kitchen gadgets can make meal prep much faster. For example, a rice cooker can handle your grains while you focus on chopping veggies, and a food processor can help you quickly dice onions or blend sauces.
Step 6: Sample Meal Prep Menu for the Week
To give you a head start, here’s a sample meal prep menu that includes a variety of delicious lunches:
- Monday: Quinoa Buddha bowl with roasted sweet potatoes, spinach, chickpeas, and tahini dressing.
- Tuesday: Grilled chicken salad with mixed greens, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and lemon vinaigrette.
- Wednesday: Veggie stir-fry with tofu, bell peppers, broccoli, and brown rice.
- Thursday: Hummus and veggie wrap with avocado, roasted peppers, spinach, and a whole-wheat tortilla.
- Friday: Cold pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, feta, olives, and a lemon-olive oil dressing.
FAQs
How long can meal-prepped lunches last in the fridge?
Most meal-prepped lunches in the fridge can last 3 to 5 days when stored in airtight containers. If you’re prepping for the entire week, consider frozen meals for later use, especially those that may not stay fresh for five days, like seafood or sure salads.
Can I freeze my meal-prepped lunches?
Yes, many meal-prepped lunches, such as grain bowls, soups, and stews, can be frozen for future use. Freezer-friendly meals can last up to 3 months. When freezing, store meals in airtight, freezer-safe containers to prevent freezer burn and maintain flavour.
What are some no-reheat lunch options for meal prep?
No-reheat meal options are perfect for those without access to a microwave during the day. Some great options include cold pasta salads, quinoa bowls, veggie wraps, and couscous salads. These meals can be enjoyed straight from the fridge and don’t require heating.
How do I avoid meal prep fatigue and keep meals interesting?
To avoid meal prep fatigue, incorporate a variety of proteins, grains, and vegetables into your meals. Rotate recipes throughout the week and experiment with different sauces, dressings, and seasonings. You can also prepare other meals daily or alternate between two or three main dishes.
What are the best containers to use for meal prep?
The best containers for meal prep are airtight, leak-proof, and microwave-safe. Glass containers are a popular choice because they are durable and safe for reheating. Stackable containers with divided compartments are also helpful in separating ingredients until you’re ready to eat.