Short on time? Looking for a way to streamline your day? These 5 easy lunches to prep are the perfect solution!
Everyone is always looking for some delicious new recipe inspiration, especially when fall rolls around. We’ve got you covered! These recipes are exactly what you’re looking for. They’re all packed with nourishment, are delicious due to their flavor factor, and are super easy to prep in advance.
There’s nothing worse than having to rummage through your pantry or refrigerator as you’re running out the door on your way to work, or simply popping into the kitchen to have lunch. It’s so much easier to have something prepped and ready to go! That way, you can spend more time getting ready for your day, and less time stressing about what you’re going to eat.
Try out these five easy lunches to prep to save some time and spice up your weekly lunches!
Using the Foundational Five to Create Easy Lunches to Prep
In case you’re new to the NS Community and the Mindful Nutrition Method, the Foundational Five system is part of how we teach you to build balanced meals. It makes it easy for you to give your body the nourishment you need while having the flexibility to enjoy the foods you love without stressing about food.
The Foundational Five is made up of five elements of nutrition including Protein, Fat, Non-starchy Carbohydrates, Starchy & Sugary Carbohydrates, and the Flavor Factor (which brings vibrancy, deliciousness, and enjoyment to your meals).
You can download our free guide that walks you through our Foundational Five system for creating balanced meals that you can use to meal prep or cook fresh this week!
The Nutrition Stripped Community’s Favorite Easy Lunches to Prep
These five recipes are some of the Nutrition Stripped community’s favorites! They’re delicious, easy to prepare in advance, and packed with nourishment to keep you satisfied and satiated after your meals.
Say goodbye to boring, lackluster lunches!
1. Fall Grain Nourish Bowl
This nourish bowl is quite literally fall in a bowl. It can easily be reheated in a microwave or on the stovetop for a warm, comforting lunch option. The tempeh will give you a boost of protein, while the quinoa and butternut squash will give you the starchy carbohydrate you need to stay energized throughout your day.
Nourish bowls are some of my favorite ways to prepare lunches in advance because they’re so easy to store and travel with! You can pre-package everything into one storage container, or keep things separate if you prefer to combine them the day of. It’s totally up to you and your preferences.
2. White Bean Soup with the Best Broth Ever
Who doesn’t love a delicious, hearty soup during the fall months? Soups are also a great go-to when it comes to easy lunch recipes to prep. You can prepare a big batch on Sunday while watching your favorite sports teams, or maybe even get it going on the stovetop while you’re taking your work-from-home lunch break on Monday.
At Nutrition Stripped we always want to make sure our soups are substantial enough to ensure you feel full afterward. This white bean soup is no exception! The white beans are packed with starchy carbohydrates and protein, while the broth is warm, comforting, and delicious. Give this a try next week!
3. Buffalo Tempeh Nourish Bowl
Buffalo makes everything so delicious! And this bowl is no exception. This Foundational Five nourish bowl is a perfect example of a meal to prep with our meal components prepping method because of its variability and multi-faceted components. You can prep your ingredients and have this same bowl for lunch all week, then make extra of a few of the components to add to dinners throughout the week as well! Your options here are endless.
4. Tofu Tikka Masala
I promise this tofu tikka masala is about to be a staple in your lunch lineup. It’s creamy, warming, and oh-so-satisfying. I love making this with tofu, but if you prefer chicken, you can always make that swap! It’s a simple dish with only three major ingredients – rice, tofu, and sauce. While I love prepping this for lunches throughout the week, you could definitely have it for dinner as well.
5. Spicy Tempeh Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers are such a great way to add excitement and versatility to your lunches. This Spicy Tempeh Stuffed Pepper recipe is a delicious twist on the classic. Plus, it’s so easy to make in bulk! Just think through how many days you’d like to have these stuffed peppers, then prepare as many peppers as there are days. It’s truly as simple as that!
You can also prep a little extra spicy tempeh filling, and mix that with a pasta of your choice as an added dinner. This truly is such an easy lunch to prep because of its versatility and flexibility!
Tips For Making These Easy Lunches to Prep
There are a few tips you should keep in mind that will help you out a bit when prepping these 5 easy lunches.
Try our food component meal prepping method
Meal prepping can appear to be a bit daunting and overwhelming, especially if you’re just getting started. If this sounds like you, give our food component meal prepping method a try. With this method, you’ll only prep the major components of the meals you’re having (say that’s the quinoa, tofu, and roasted veggies). Then on the day that you’d like to have your planned lunch, you can just mix your prepped ingredients with the rest of the ingredients it calls for!
This is a great way to ease into meal prepping instead of diving in head first. Meal components give you some flexibility with your meals day-to-day, and ensure you’re not spending countless hours in the kitchen prepping every week.
Invest in some good storage containers
Quality storage containers really do make a big difference! If you’re going to be prepping meals on a weekly basis, grab some great glass storage containers. They’re easy to clean, and they keep your food fresh for as long as possible. You can even freeze your meals in these, too!
Switch out your recipes frequently
I believe the key to meal prepping success is frequent variability. A recipe that you love can become the most boring meal ever if you get sick of it! As you’re integrating these five easy recipes to prep, be sure to switch things up frequently.
Try picking just one or two recipes for one week, then select two different ones for the following week. On week three, add in the fifth recipe you haven’t tried yet, and revisit one of your favorites from weeks prior! Then just simply repeat the process and keep the rotation going. This will ensure these five recipes stay delicious and exciting for months!
FAQs About These Easy Lunches to Prep
Have a few questions? Check out these FAQs!
How long do these recipes usually keep for?
Always refer to the recipe itself for the storage life. This will differ recipe-to-recipe based on the ingredients used as well as the cooking methods used.
What if I’m not a fan of one of the ingredients used?
Never feel like you have to use all the exact same ingredients we recommend. Everyone has different flavor preferences, and that’s a beautiful thing! Feel free to use these recipes as inspiration rather than a steadfast guideline, if that works best for you.
Do You Want to Experience More Balance with your Food Choices?
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