15 Healthy Make-Ahead Lunches
Hey friends! Today I wanted to share 15 healthy make-ahead lunches to help you fuel your body with the good stuff and walk away from those foods that aren’t doing much for you other than making your pants fit tight. Maybe you are already so good at meal planning and eating well-balanced meals. If so, perhaps these recipes will be some yummy additions to your already awesome lunch prep rotation.
I’ve noticed this really bad habit of mine lately. It’s called tortilla chips. When I am busy, I mindlessly eat those suckers like they are going out of style. Lately, my faves are the homemade ones from Raley’s. Bad idea. Cause they are loaded with salt and I eat them like they are my meal. I still highly recommend that you try them but maybe as a snack, with salsa and not as a complete meal.
A couple of years ago, I did the 21 Day Fix and it was pretty awesome as far as teaching me some great habits + I dropped some much-needed pounds. The biggest takeaway {besides the fact that I do not like shakes as a meal} is that meal planning and food prep makes all the difference in how I eat. That got me thinking, how can I make better choices on the fly? That’s where I knew I had to come up with a lunch plan that works for me – and I wanted to share it with you!
One of my favorite prep ahead lunches is a simple premade bagged salad with some rotisserie chicken thrown in. I will shred the chicken and then divvy the salad and chicken up in containers for a quick and satisfying lunch. I add the dressing right before I eat it. Protein is always key for me to feel satisfied. The salad in a Mason jar concept really has me intrigued and I will be making some of them soon. I can see them being a favorite come summer when it’s hot and cooking sounds like a major chore.
I found 15 healthy lunch recipes that can be made ahead and look so tasty. You might notice that I have a thing for bowls and salads. Especially anything Greek themed. #yum
Pesto Chicken and Veggies – Tasty inspired by Julia’s Album
Chicken Fajita Lunch Bowls – Sweet Peas and Saffron
Honey Sriracha Glazed Meatballs – The Easier Life
Cranberry Chicken Salad Wrap – Living Well Mom
Pssst – To make this a bit healthier, you could swap greek yogurt for the mayo
Taco Salad in a Jar – Pocket Change Gourmet
Tuna Salad Meal Prep – Damn Delicious
Baked Chicken, Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes – Recipe Diaries
Healthy Tuna Stuffed Avocado – The Stay at Home Chef
Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Ella Claire Inspired
Deconstructed Gyro Salad – Mel Joulwan
Greek Pitas – Hurry the Food Up
Black Bean Rice and Cilantro Salad – Kalyn’s Kitchen
Mason Jar Burrito Bowls – Gimme Delicious
Greek Chicken Bowls – Easy Peazy Meals
Rainbow Bowls with Ginger Almond Dressing – Love & Lemons
I know that finding time can be a tricky thing for me personally and I think that as busy as most of us are, creating a routine that helps us simplify any part of our lives can be a wonderful thing. I know if I set aside a couple of hours on a Sunday {pick whatever day works best for you} to meal plan, shop and do meal prep, then I am set up with meals for the week which helps me stay on track. I eat healthier this way. It stops the mindless snacking and of course takes the time and energy out of stopping what I am doing to think about what I want to eat as well as the time to make something. Most of these meals are made ahead of time, separated into meal sized portions and can be easily served as is or with very little assembly. Voila. Life made easy people. It’s a beautiful thing when about 3 hours, 1 day a week, saves you valuable time for the rest of the week.
On the go? You can pop many of these items in an insulated lunch bag and take them with you to work, appointments or even to run errands.
So I have to give y’all a little update. Remember how I was talking about my huge painting project? Well after today, I can officially/almost/kinda done! Right. That made almost no sense. Basically, there are a few spots that I need Go-Go Gadget arms for so my hubby is going to finish them up for me. I also need to tackle the stairwell and the small upstairs hallway but that doesn’t feel like a priority at this point. I just needed the downstairs to feel cohesive. You guys, it’s so bright and fresh! I just love the miracle of paint. Next up? The baseboards #notexcitedaboutthat I am working on some new gallery walls. Goodbye black frames. I have a few signs set aside to try and sell but the black frames are headed to Goodwill tomorrow. I just need them gone. I’m physically pooped and ready for a break from the house projects but give me two days and I will be back at redoing something! That’s how I roll. I thrive on projects and reveals around here. #tada
Do you have any life hacks that make your busy days feel a little less hectic? I’d love to hear them!
