Make lunch count! Read on to find healthy meal prep ideas and easy meal prep recipes that will make you look forward to lunch each day.
Meal prep is all the rage these days, and for good reason! When I worked in an office, the lunches I packed were some of the healthiest meals I’d eat in a week. They were full of fresh veggies, they kept me from eating out, and they were satisfying enough to prevent me from getting too snack-y in the middle of the afternoon. In short, they helped me save money and kept me eating healthy. What’s not to love?
Today, I’m sharing the meal prep ideas, tricks, and tips I picked up from my years of packing lunches, plus a whole slew of healthy meal prep recipes. Whether you’re new to healthy meal prep or are a seasoned pro looking for new meal prep ideas, I hope you find some lunchtime inspiration!
Sturdy Salad Meal Prep Ideas
My favorite category of weekday lunch. We’re talking pasta salads, noodle salads, slaws, leafless salads, and, of course, kale salads. Vegetables and noodles that hold up well (or even improve) when dressed ahead of time are ideal here.
- How to meal prep: Prep the recipe start-to-finish ahead of time & store in to-go containers! You might want to freshen servings up with extra dressing, a squeeze of lemon, or a pinch of sea salt (#desksalt) when you’re ready to eat, but these salads should keep well in the fridge.
- How to pack: Carry servings in to-go containers (I like these glass ones). If I know I’ll want to serve these with a little lemon or lime, I’ll tuck a wedge on top of the salad. Packing garnishes like crunchy seeds or fresh herbs on top of a salad or taking them in a small separate container can be a fun touch as well.
- What to make:
Bowl Meal Prep Ideas
Essentially salad’s heartier cousin. My favorite bowls consist of a grain, a protein (chickpeas, lentils, baked tofu, etc.), plenty of raw + cooked veggies, and a yummy sauce. Top with nuts, seeds, herbs, or something pickled for extra texture and pops of flavor.
- How to meal prep: Depending on the recipe you’re making, cook a big batch of grains ahead of time and prep your protein of choice. This could mean cooking a batch of chickpeas, draining and rinsing canned beans if that’s more your style, or baking cubes of tofu. Mix up your sauce, and chop, steam, or roast veggies for your bowl.
- How to pack: I like to layer bowl components separately within a single container and mix them together as I eat. Pack sauce on the side!
- What to make:
Sandwich and Wrap Meal Prep Recipes
Sandwiches and wraps can get a bad rap as a less-than-healthy lunch, but if you fill them with plenty of fresh veggies and plant-based protein, they can be a great take-to-work choice. Veggies with a hearty spread, chickpea salad, or planks of baked tofu or tempeh are all great vegan filling options. If you’re not vegan, a little cheese can go a long way in adding flavor and staying power to a sandwich.
- How to meal prep: Sandwiches are best made day-of, but for speedy morning assembly, take 30 minutes to prep components over the weekend. For example, make a batch of a yummy spread like this baba ganoush, pulse together a chickpea salad, or marinate & bake tempeh for this club sandwich. I also recommend washing and drying greens and thinly slicing crisp veggies ahead of time. In the morning (or the night before), layer your bread with your prepared components. Your lunch will be ready in minutes!
- How to pack: I like to wrap sandwiches in foil to help them hold together during travel. If you eat sandwiches often, a reusable wrap might be a worthwhile investment.
- What to make:
Meal Prep Ideas for Leftovers
Last but not least, leftovers(!) are a great lunch to take to work. Many soups, stews, and curries taste better on the second day, so you’ll do yourself a favor by making a meal plan ahead of time and setting aside a serving for lunch. Loaded veggie pizzas and veggie patties also keep well.
- How to meal prep: Make dinner!
- How to pack: I like to crumble leftover veggie patties over leafy greens, taking dressing in a small separate container. Pack curries and rice on separate sides of a single container. Alternatively, carry them in two small containers so that the curry stays saucy until lunchtime. If you’re packing up a soup or a stew you know you’ll want to reheat, make sure to store it in a BPA Free microwave-safe container. Glass is always my first choice. I use these. Definitely no metal here unless you’ll be reheating your meal in a pot on the stove.
- What to make:
Let me know what your favorite meal prep ideas are!
Looking for more meal prep recipes?
Try packing overnight oats in a Mason jar for breakfast, or check out these healthy recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas - Broccoli Quinoa Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 bunch broccolini, cut into pieces
- 3 large kale leaves, chopped (about 3 loose packed cups)
- Juice of ½ lemon, more to taste
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 watermelon radish, or 3 red radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, cubed
- ½ cup fresh leafy herbs, ie, mint, basil, and/or dill
- 1 batch Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 batch Lemony Pea Pesto
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare a large pot of salted boiling water and a large bowl of ice water. Drop the broccolini into the boiling water and blanch for about 1 minute, or until tender but still vibrant green. Transfer the broccolini to the ice water and let it cool for 1 minute. Drain and set aside to dry as you make the other components. Alternatively, you can roast the broccoli.
- Place the kale into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Massage the leaves until they soften and wilt down.
- Divide the quinoa among 4 meal prep containers. Add the kale, watermelon radish, avocado, herbs and broccolini. Season with drizzles of olive oil, squeezes of lemon juice, and sprinkles of salt and pepper. Add the roasted chickpeas and top with dollops of pesto.
This post could not have come at a better time! Love all your ideas! Thank you.
This is exactly what I needed to see today, this is so great!
Reading this article was perfect timing for me, because I’ve just recently started thinking about how I want to step up my lunch game. All of these were such inspiring ideas! 🙂
You made the boring food look wow! You inspired me to cook better and more importantly a healthy and yummylicious meal! Thank You, keep up the good work!
So many meal prep ideas. I love it!
I really love broccollies its so yummy healthy tasty vegan preparation. Recipes and tips are fantastic! Thank you..
i will definitely try the vegan meal prep.
Do you have any ideas on how to ‘fix’ a vegetable if its a bit older than you would like/bought some bad ones. Throwing them out would be a bit wasteful, but it’s not as good as fresh ones.
Hi Sally, I love this idea for a whole new post – thank you, I’m inspired to come up with a group of ideas around this topic!
I love all your ideas for healthy meal prep and how you break it down for prep and packing. That broccoli quinoa recipe looks fab too. Pinning to try soon!
thank you! I hope you love the recipes!
So many useful tips! Thank you! For more info on how you can healthy meal prep read this article: https://blog.marleyspoon.com/healthy-meal-prep
Great recipes! Roughly how long in advance would you say these meals could be made?
These can be stored about 3-4 days in the fridge.