You can stay away from packaged food and drive-thru snacks by preparing healthy lunches in advance. If you don’t have the time or inclination to cook at home, consider using prepared meal delivery services to make your week less stressful. These services bring fresh, delicious, prepped meals right to your door. The lunch meal ideas below are not only good for you, but they are also inexpensive.
Below are six healthy meal prep ideas for lunch:
1. One Pan Teriyaki Chicken with Vegetables
One-pot meals require minimal preparation. These are easy meals you can prepare on a lazy Sunday afternoon to set you for the week. The one-pan teriyaki chicken accompanied by vegetables is a perfect choice when time is of the essence. Preparing this finger-licking meal is as simple as throwing in your chicken and choice of vegetables.
Line the sheet pan with parchment paper or foil, and then throw your chicken into the oven. Next, get your sweet and sticky teriyaki sauce. You can either make or buy one. The homemade sauce is a breeze to make, and it’s fresh and tastes way better.
At the point where your chicken is nearly cooked, throw the veggies in the pan and put it back into the oven for several minutes. Finally, add carrots and broccoli to keep the chicken tender while the veggies roast up crispy and caramelized. For a tangy, sweet and savoury flavour, drizzle with some extra sauce.
2. Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
Chicken salad lettuce wraps is an easy and healthy meal prep idea for lunch. This chicken wrap with Greek yogurt is one of the best lunch meals you can prepare for the week. Whether or not you like the mayo, you will find the tangy Greek yogurt a great alternative. You can have it with crispy, salty bacon to indulge your tastebuds further.
To prepare a chicken salad wrap, toss lemon juice, Dijon, pepper, vinegar, salt, apple cider, garlic powder, and Greek yogurt in a medium bowl. Next, whisk the contents until they are thoroughly blended. Throw in your chopped bacon, shredded chicken and chives and stir until they are evenly coated. You can add some extra chives and bacon and then serve with sliced heirloom tomatoes in a lettuce cup.
3. Chicken Burrito Bowls
This is one week-worth meal you can prep in an hour. It is a healthy meal you can enjoy during lunch in school or at work. Besides, it is inexpensive and beats the other fast food alternatives. The beauty of chicken burrito bowls is that they are packed with plenty of veggies, grains and protein. Besides, it’s easy to heat them in a microwave and have minimal waste.
To prepare this delightful dish, load up fajita veggies, rice, meat, and beans in a single bowl before heating. Put the cold ingredients in a separate bowl.
You can have your fresh burrito bowl anytime by heating its contents. Add sour cream, cold salad and guacamole and then dig in. If you are watching the calories, go for brown rice. However, if you feel the urge to reward yourself, throw in a handful of cheese over the lettuce and enjoy.
4. Steak Cobb Salad
If you are looking for an easy, inexpensive, low-carb meal loaded with greens, proteins and nutrients, this is it!
On medium-high heat, melt your butter in a skillet. Pat the sides of the steak until dry using paper towels. Next, sprinkle olive oil and season to taste using pepper and salt. Toss your steak into the skillet to start cooking. Flip as it cooks until it’s done the way you want it. For medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes are enough.
After it has cooled, dice it into small pieces. Next, add eggs to a saucepan and fill it up with an inch of cold water. Let it boil and cook for one minute. Cover it using a tight-fitting lid and set it aside for between eight and ten minutes. Drain and let it cool and then peel and dice. To serve the salad, get meal prep containers and put your spinach there. Next, top with rows of tomatoes, eggs, feta, pecans and steak.
You can serve a dressing of your choice or with balsamic vinaigrette.
5. Buddha in Jar
This is another lunch meal you can prepare in a jiffy. To prepare it, start by heating the oven to 400º. Next, place red onion, broccoli and chicken on a sheet pan. To marinate, mix garlic powder, lime juice, soy sauce, honey and olive oil in a medium bowl. Next, season with pepper and salt and whisk to blend. Pour the marinade over the chicken and veggies and, if need be, add pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly and bake for 25 minutes until the chicken is ready and the veggies tender.
Put the rice in mason jars and sprinkle sriracha and soy sauce. Top with avocado, roasted veggies and chicken. To season the avocado, add more pepper and salt and garnish with green onions. Close the mason jar lid and store it in the refrigerator until your meal is ready to eat. Note that your cooked poultry will stay fresh in the refrigerator for between three and four days.
6. Cashew Chicken Quinoa
This is a single pan, high-protein dish for the entire family. For best results, submerge all the quinoa in liquid and then put it in the oven. To evenly cook the chicken casserole, stir it halfway through the process and then spray the dish to keep the ingredients from sticking to it.
These are easy-to-prepare, inexpensive, healthy lunches you can whip up in under an hour.
