Most of us have set an intention to eat healthier at one point in our lives, but often, a lack of time tends to stop us from achieving our goals.
After all, when takeout can be ordered at your fingertips, healthy lunch ideas become your last priority during a busy day. Your time is valuable, and so is your body, so stop wasting them.
Meal planning can free up valuable time throughout your week and helps you incorporate whole foods in your lunch box that fuel your body and mind.
When you set aside time at the beginning of your week to create delicious, healthy lunch recipes, you set yourself up for both professional and physical success.
Free up your week to make boss moves and care for your family with these healthy lunch meal prep recipes.
1. Maple Ginger Chicken Meal Prep Lunch Bowls
The best healthy meal prep ideas are both yummy, and economical. This lunch recipe makes a big batch of at least four servings of chicken and veggies for your week.
The maple ginger sauce is thick and delectable and brings a serving of brown rice to life (sub cauliflower rice for a low-carb keto option). Lean chicken breast is an easy, tender source of protein that won’t weigh you down as your day goes on.
2. Greek Couscous Salad
Couscous might be the most underrated grain. It’s protein dense and keeps you full for longer, and of course, tastes great with the Mediterranean flavors of this meal prep recipe.
Bell peppers, tomatoes, and onion together make a light and fresh palate full of nutrients. Wash your meal prep containers quickly because you’ll want to keep making this recipe over and over.
3. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
The only thing that makes a healthy meal prep recipe even better? Not having to wash a bunch of dishes after.
This recipe uses one sheet pan and lots of homey, Mexican spices, and is more versatile than one might think.
Wrap the chicken and veggies in a gluten-free tortilla or lettuce wrap, throw it on a salad, or reheat it and eat it on its own. Top with cilantro, avocado, cheese, and whatever else you like for a meal that’s sure to satisfy.
4. One Pan Whole30 Sausage and Veggie Meal Prep
For a winter meal prep lunch idea, this recipe is filling and hearty enough to keep you warm in the office.
If you’re looking for easy meal prep, this recipe is as simple as cutting up some veggies. Use apple sausage for a sweeter flavor, or turkey sausage for lower-fat content.
This low-carb recipe is full of fiber, healthy fats from the olive oil, and protein to keep your blood sugar stable as you tackle all of your hardest work projects.
5. Spicy Chicken Sweet Potato Meal Prep
Sweet, savory, and nutritious, this chicken meal prep recipe is a lunchtime adventure.
The Cajun seasoning mix brings the heat with the sweet potato balancing it out. Switch up this sheet pan recipe with more veggies like butternut squash, zucchini, or peppers.
Love sweet potatoes? Check out Our Favorite Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes.
6. Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna
A mason jar is the perfect lunch box: cute and easy to transport. The total time for this recipe is almost nothing; just cut your veggies and toss them in the dressing.
Tuna is a flavorful and nutritious protein with essential heart-healthy vitamins. And not to mention kale, a low-calorie superfood full of every vitamin under the sun. Meal planning couldn’t be healthier.
7. Meal-Prep Turkey Taco Bowls
These meal prep bowls have all of the deliciousness of a taco, with much fewer calories and almost none of the carbs.
Ditch the tortillas and indulge in the fresh bell peppers and onions, hearty brown rice, filling black beans, and the satisfaction of healthy and tasty food.
Using lean ground turkey instead of ground beef makes this recipe lower in fat and sodium, but just as high in happiness.
8. Root Vegetable Casserole
With this meal prep idea, you can pretend you’re having a Thanksgiving meal right at your desk.
Root veggies are full of antioxidants and nutrients and taste great when made right. This recipe amazingly uses summer squash or zucchini to make a sauce that tastes just like home.
Plus, it always feels like a fun bit of cheating when you can add a little white wine to a healthy lunch recipe.
9. Honey Sriracha Meatball
Honey sriracha is a classic Asian combination that tastes delicious on any meat.
These meatballs pair great with a grain such as brown rice or quinoa. You can also customize your meal prep with different veggies like sweet peas and broccoli.
With a prep time of 15 minutes and a cook time of 25, it’s easy to pop these in the oven on a busy weeknight and savor them the next day.