These Healthy Meal Prep Lunch Ideas for Work are perfect for busy weeks! These make-ahead meal prep recipes are delicious and easy.
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Benefits of healthy lunches
They save time
They save money so you're not buying lunch out
You're more organized
You're less stressed in the morning – no wondering what to eat and when
You're eating healthy, unprocessed food on a consistent basis
You'll have more energy because you're eating better
Lunch packing tips
Start with making one lunch recipe a week. It's easy to get overwhelmed when you start meal prepping but I recommend just trying one quick and easy lunch recipe each week. Spending 30 minutes a batch of lunches is not a huge time commitment upfront and will save you so much time throughout the week.
Bring leftovers for lunch. When I'm meal planning, I always account for leftovers. Leftover sheet pan dinners, stir fries and one pot pasta dishes, in particular, make great easy lunches.
Invest in the right containers. Ditch the brown bags and package your lunch in reusable glass containers. Using proper meal prep containers will keep your food fresh for longer.
Consider your office. Some workplaces don't have microwaves, so cold lunch ideas are best. On the other hand, if you're working from home, you'll have the most flexibility for reheating your lunch.
Wraps & Sandwiches
Where would we be if I didn't list some wrap and sandwich options?! I really dislike the traditional types of sandwiches with cold cuts so I try to cook up chicken breast and shred it to use in wraps or sandwiches but from time to time lean cold cuts like turkey are ok. Even just cheese and vegetables will give you enough protein to sustain yourself for the day, too! Try these great wrap and sandwich ideas below.
Turkey, cheddar cheese, spinach, apple, and mustard get rolled up in whole wheat tortillas and cut into bite size pinwheels. These easy Turkey Pinwheels make a fun and delicious lunch, snack, or party appetizer.
Soups are really great options for work and are easier to transport than you think! And before you think soups aren't filling enough think again! I've included some thicker soups/stews in this round up to give you some ideas of ways you can add protein to your soups. Most are also vegan/vegetarian-friendly so soups can be super budget-friendly as long as you have access to a microwave at work.
My meal planning service, Dinner Prep Pro, removes the guesswork and helps you get dinner on the table in 15-20 minutes each night. My meal prep checklists only take 1 hour each week!
If you're meal prepping ahead of time, these are my favourite type of healthy lunches to make! You basically throw everything on a sheet pan or in a skillet, cook, then divide into glass meal prep bowls. You can often switch up the veggies you're using too, these one pan recipes are so versatile and customizable!
Honey Chipotle Meatball Meal Prep Bowls make the tastiest prep ahead lunches! Healthy baked turkey meatballs are tossed in a smoky sweet and savory honey chipotle glaze, and served over cilantro lime cauliflower rice.
Vegetarian lunch ideas are great for when you're looking to eat lunch on a budget. Typically all you need is a can of beans or chickpeas, or some tofu that has been quickly marinated along with a killer sauce and veggies. Sometimes you can even get away with a couple no-cook recipes where you can just throw everything in a meal prep bowl or jar and call it a day!
I’m hitting you with one of my healthy meal prep ideas today so you can prepare everything ahead to take stress out of your week. Chickpeas, quinoa and plenty of veggies make this a super easy healthy meal prep recipe.
These southwest sweet potato vegan meal prep bowls are a healthy and efficient meal prep idea. You can have 4 delicious meals ready in under 45 minutes!
Low carb lunches are great options because they keep you from getting too weighted down with that midday meal. Oftentimes all you need to do is cook up a lean protein, add some veggies (raw or cooked) and season everything with the same spice blend or sauce. Plus, you end up saving time because you don't have to cook any grains. It's a win-win!
Zesty lemon garlic shrimp is topped over zucchini noodles with sliced tomatoes. Baked on a sheet pan in under 10 minutes! A light, fresh and satisfying low carb meal to take with you on the go!
Low Carb Philly Cheesesteak Meal Prep is a fast, simple and flavorful recipe that is made with only 7 ingredients. A gluten-free recipe that comes together in less than 15 minutes and works for lunch or dinner.
Similar to the low carb options above, salads are of course a go-to for healthy lunches but they don't have to be boring! Be sure to mix up the toppings and salad dressings. I like keeping my salads in mason jars when meal prepping them for the week because you can keep the dressing and protein in the bottom then layer in your veggies. This is especially important for lettuce to make sure it stays fresh!
Inspired by Aroma Espresso Bar, this is the BEST Arugula Salad – it features lentils, sweet potatoes, and lemon-olive oil dressing. You can meal prep it, too!
Keto Prosciutto Egg Cups are a high protein, low carb grab and go item that work for breakfast or snack! They have a crispy outside with a perfectly cooked egg in the center. Whole30. Gluten Free.
Want an easy grab-and-go lunch? These Healthy Bento Box Recipes are perfect. You can make them in minutes and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days!
When I really have time to prep ahead, I like to prep meal prep bowls! The Korean Chicken and Mango Chicken are my faves because the sauces are just SO good, but burrito bowls are also super easy to throw together and you can also take shortcuts by using pre-chopped veggies and store-bought salsas, which are a great low-calorie option for your bowls!
These Korean inspired Chicken Meal Prep Bowls are a healthy make ahead lunch idea made up of chicken thighs, Asian coleslaw and jasmine rice! Recipe adapted from Canadian Living.
This easy recipe is loaded with lean protein from black beans and ground turkey, healthy fats like avocado oil, and whole grains like brown rice. This flavor-packed recipe will satisfy your fast-food cravings and keep you stocked with fresh meals for 4 days!
Get your meal prep on with this healthy cilantro lime chicken served next to a delicious cauliflower rice! This recipe is low-carb, high-protein and delish.
I love making my lunches for the week in the Instant Pot. You can make all sorts of lunch-friendly recipes like rice bowls, casseroles, pastas, taco meat, etc. I personally like to batch cook a big pot of pasta to take for work week lunches like the Pesto Chicken Pasta linked below – it's one pot for minimal clean up, you can easily transport it to work and it reheats well. Tip: Add a splash of water overtop of your pasta before microwaving. It will help retain moisture!
These Spicy Honey Garlic Instant Pot Noodles are a delicious gluten-free dinner option that’s even easier to make than a stir fry – and you should have most of the sauce ingredients in your pantry!
The best work lunch is one you're excited to eat! Any of these recipes fit the bill for being healthy and nutritious. Anything that can be eaten cold or reheated in easily in the microwave is perfect.
What can I take to work for lunch instead of sandwiches?
While sandwiches are a lunch staple for many people, they can get boring! Instead, I love packing lettuce wraps, meal prep bowls, or salads. There's a bunch of options available to you.
Do these recipes work well for school lunches?
These recipes are great for both adults and kids! You know your kids best, though, so if they're picky eaters, they may not like some of these lunches. If you're looking for kid-friendly recipes, these meal prep school lunch ideas are great!
What can I make for lunch at home?
I work from home most days of the week, so I can often make myself a fresh lunch from scratch like a grilled cheese sandwich or a pita pizza. I typically meal prep my lunches in advance on the weekend, though, as it saves me time during the work week.
Lunch Recipes & Weight Loss
I always used to struggle with lunch meal prep for the work week because I had trouble planning ahead and let's just say this was long before I discovered food blogs! I used to rely primarily on cookbooks to whip together delicious dinners but would struggle when it came to making my lunches for work and school.
You can learn more about my 25lb weight loss and meal prep journey over on my About Page, and this page will also help you navigate how to use my website to its full potential. I've got a ton of other amazing resources and recipes that will help you with so many more healthy lunch ideas!
These Healthy Meal Prep Lunch Ideas for Work are perfect for busy weeks! These make-ahead meal prep recipes are delicious and easy. Here's an easy bento box idea that's ready in minutes.
Store in the fridge until ready to eat, then enjoy!
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Notes
Bento boxes will last in the fridge up to 5 days. This is a basic template of a lunch recipe and is based on this Turkey & Hummus Bento Box recipe.Check out the links in this blog post for more individual meal prep recipes.
