For busy weeks, we’ve rounded up some hearty, nutritious make-ahead lunches. Preparing food the night before can be a helpful way to prepare a healthy meal, even when your schedule is busy during the day. In just three steps or less, recipes like our Teriyaki Tofu Rice Bowl and Loaded Chicken Quinoa Salad will help you stay energized and feel your best even when your calendar is full.
Teriyaki Tofu Rice Bowls
With a handful of shortcut ingredients from your grocery store, including pre-cooked rice packets and seasoned baked tofu, you can prepare several fiber- and protein-rich meals in about 15 minutes.
Best Three Bean Salad
Traditional three bean salad gets a healthy, fresh twist with the addition of black soybeans, snow peas and a tarragon-infused vinaigrette. Find black soy near other canned beans; they’re a sweeter, creamier relative of the greens you’re probably familiar with.
Tortellini salad
A rich tomato vinaigrette enhances the flavor and reduces the calories and fat of this tortellini salad (the vinaigrette is also great on green salads or grilled fish). Roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes add a healthy dose of vitamins A, C and fiber.
Meal Prep Chili Lime Chicken Bowls
Skip the takeout and make these equally delicious and easy burrito bowls at home. They’re perfect for a quick and easy dinner or a healthy meal to take to work throughout the week.
Salad topped with chicken and quinoa
Transform simple pre-cooked ingredients into a delicious, single meal, rich in fiber and protein to keep you feeling full.
Spicy Tuna Wrap
These tuna wraps were inspired by spicy tuna sushi rolls. We like how they taste with peppery watercress, but other greens, like arugula, romaine, escarole, or even radish sprouts, would taste great in the topping. If you want to play on the sushi inspiration, add a little wasabi to the soy sauce for dipping and serve with pickled ginger. Serve with slices of cucumber and chopped red onions drizzled with rice vinegar, a little oil and a pinch of salt.
Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad
Avocado makes an exceptionally creamy and healthy dressing for this chicken salad. A little ranch dressing with pickled jalapeño adds a tangy twist to the breakfast classic. Serve it on a slice of whole wheat toast for an open-faced sandwich or in a lettuce cup for a low-carb lunch.
Spinach and Dill Pasta Salad
Edamame gives this veggie-filled vegan pasta salad a bit of filling protein. Serve garnished with freshly ground pepper, if desired.
Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl with Cauliflower Rice
This easy, easy-to-make burrito bowl is even better than takeout! You’ll never run out of carbs in this high-protein, ultra-flavorful meal that swaps cilantro-lime rice for cauliflower rice. We love this with chicken but it would be just as delicious with shrimp.
Roasted Vegetable and Quinoa Salad
Quick, easy, and high in protein and fiber, this salad makes a perfect one-dish lunch or simple dinner.
PB&J Bistro Lunch Box
Inspired by Starbucks bistro boxes, this peanut butter and jelly breakfast will be loved by kids and adults alike. Accompanied by sandwiches including yogurt parfait, fruit, vegetables and popcorn, this healthy grab-and-go lunch will keep you full until dinner.
Creamy Avocado and White Bean Wrap
White beans mashed with ripe avocado and mixed with sharp cheddar and onion make an incredibly rich and flavorful topping for this wrap. Tangy and spicy coleslaw adds crunch. A pinch (or more) of ground chipotle pepper and an extra pinch of apple cider vinegar can be used in place of the canned chipotles in the adobo sauce. Pack them to take as a healthy, portable lunch for work.
Chicken and Avocado BLT Wrap
Who doesn’t love a BLT? In this Mexican-inspired version, we added chicken and avocado and wrapped them in a tortilla, making it easy to eat.
Chopped Rainbow Salad Bowls with Peanut Sauce
Make good use of crunchy, colorful seasonal produce in these easy-to-prepare vegetable bowls. With just 30 minutes of prep, you get four healthy lunches ready to go. We use bulgur, which cooks faster and is higher in fiber than brown rice, but you can swap it for quinoa (or any other hearty whole grain). Feel free to add chopped cooked chicken, shrimp, or tofu for extra protein.
Turkey BLT Wraps
This delicious, kid-friendly twist on a classic BLT features turkey. The extra protein makes a hearty, healthy lunch to pack for school or work.
Protein Bistro Lunch Box
Inspired by Starbucks bistro boxes, this affordable lunch is easy to prepare and pack yourself. With protein-rich ingredients like a hard-boiled egg, edamame, and tuna, this bistro-style lunch will satisfy you.
Chicken and Cabbage Salads with Sesame Vinaigrette
Everything you need (just 4 ingredients!) to make a week’s worth of healthy, low-carb lunches can be found at your local grocery store. A bag of pre-chopped red and green cabbage serves as the crunchy, low-carb base in these chicken salad bowls, which take just 10 minutes to assemble. Top with sesame-flavored almonds and a sesame vinaigrette and you have an irresistible lunch you’ll look forward to all week. Shopping at Trader Joe’s? See the tip (below) for our product recommendations.
Vegetarian protein bowl
This vegetarian protein bowl has everything you need for a complete meal in one bowl. The beans not only increase the protein, but also add creaminess to the farro mixture. The chimichurri sauce brightens up the dish.
Green Goddess Farro Bowl
Farro and vegetables with a thick green goddess dressing pack this grain bowl with lots of flavor. Finish with chicken or use white beans as an alternative to plant-based proteins. (To make this bowl completely vegetarian, omit the anchovy paste from the dressing.) If you can’t find fava beans, try thawed frozen lima beans or edamame instead.
Chickpea salad
This satisfying chickpea salad is a delicious combination of textures, from crunchy cucumbers to crumbly feta. Dill ranch dressing adds creaminess, but a tangy dressing would be just as good.
