25 Nutritious Lunch Meal Prep Recipes You Can Make Ahead

When you're busy, a nutritious lunch can be hard to come by. But that's where meal planning and prepping come in.

"The ultimate goal for many with meal or food prep is to have food ready to go when hunger hits," Hillary Pride, RDN, CPT, tells LIVESTRONG.com. "Some common barriers to weight-management success can be skipping meals, restricting foods and not choosing foods that provide fullness and satisfaction."

When you don't have a variety of healthy choices on hand, it's tempting to skip meals or tell yourself you'll "grab something later." And, far too often, that "something" ends up being fast food or ultra-processed foods.

Making your lunch ahead of time doesn't just help you avoid that pitfall: It can also save you time and money — and reduce the stress associated with deciding what to eat or rushing through meal prep, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Meal prepping any meal ahead of time can be a huge help to staying on track with balanced and healthy eating. Here are a few benefits to meal prepping lunches.

Tired of waking up in a frenzy morning after morning wondering what to make ahead for lunch? Meal prepping takes the guess work out of it. Simply grab your prepared lunch and head out the door.

Chances are, when you don't have a packed lunch prepared, you'll be more likely to spend money eating out. Preparing a lunch at home typically costs a fraction of the amount you'd spend on a restaurant lunch.

Having a healthy and balanced meal at your fingertips is one sure way to avoid the temptation of tasty but less nutritious foods like chicken tenders and fries. While there's nothing wrong with treating yourself here and there, consistently making your own lunch will help you stick to your diet goals over the long run — and allows you to control how much salt, sugar and fat goes into your dish.

Meal prepping might seem overwhelming at first, but it becomes much easier once you make it a habit. As you get used to prepping lunches for the week ahead, you'll start to note what you like to eat, and your daily menu (and nutrition) will become more consistent.

The old saying "practice makes perfect" definitely applies to meal prepping. To help you get started, registered dietitian Anika Christ, RD, an online coach with Life Time, offers these helpful tips:

1. ‌Invest in Mason jars or glass containers.‌ "I like [making] Crock-Pot chili on Sunday and filling five Mason jars for lunches at work for the upcoming week," she says. "It makes packing my lunch easy and doable each morning, and I don't run out of lunches during the workweek."
   
2. ‌Wash and cut produce in advance.‌ You're more likely to eat fruits and veggies when they're washed, cut and ready to eat. "Store your produce in clear containers on the top shelf of your refrigerator," Christ says. "That way, you'll see them when you open the door, and they won't get lost in the produce drawer."
   
3. ‌Don't try to prep for the whole week at once.‌ Instead of diving in headfirst, aim to make three healthy lunches at a pop. You can pick a second day in the week to prep the rest.

Now, get cooking with these tasty ideas for weekday lunches you can easily store or travel with.

"Canned tuna is an inexpensive way to get in extra lean protein," says Chicago-based registered dietitian May Zhu, RDN, LDN, of Nutrition Happens. And because it can typically be kept in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, it makes for a great meal-prep option during the week. Enjoy it on sprouted whole-grain bread, a bed of lettuce or even apple wedges.

To lighten up this stew, consider replacing the cream cheese with Greek yogurt. "It keeps the creaminess while boosting the protein and lowering the overall fat content," Zhu says.

"Beef is an excellent source of protein and contains 10 essential nutrients that support our metabolism, including B vitamins, zinc and iron," Zhu says. You can add your favorite veggies and swap the cauliflower rice for brown rice or whole-wheat noodles.

Stock your pantry with prep-friendly ingredients like chickpeas. "They contain both protein and fiber, which work together to slow down digestion and promote fullness," Zhu says. Pairing them with another source of plant-based protein — like the quinoa in this recipe — helps keep you feeling full longer.

"This taco-bowl recipe contains a well-balanced trio of protein, fiber and healthy fats," Zhu says. That combination of nutrients helps stabilize blood sugar and energy levels — meaning you'll be able to say bye-bye to feeling drowsy in the middle of your workday.

Pasta salads are a great option when you need to pack a cold lunch. They're also a great way to add a variety of vegetables to your diet, Zhu says. If you want to bump up the protein and fiber in this salad, consider using a legume-based pasta such as Banza ($3.19, Amazon).

"This is a great example of how frozen vegetables can be included into meal prep," Zhu says. "Frozen veggies are usually more affordable and just as nutritious as fresh vegetables." If you're looking to lower the carb content in this recipe, swap the noodles for zucchini spirals or cauliflower rice.

"This recipe contains an impressive 35 grams of protein per serving to help keep you full and satisfied between meals," says registered dietitian Andrea Mathis, RDN. "To help boost the fiber content, consider using whole-grain couscous, which can help keep your blood sugar levels stable and lower cholesterol, too."

When you're short on time, this quick and tasty recipe comes in handy. "Eggs are a great source of vitamin A, vitamin B12 and selenium, which helps to keep our immune system healthy," Mathis says. To lower the fat and calories in this recipe, swap Greek yogurt for the mayo.

Thanks to the chicken and quinoa, this salad is full of protein. "Quinoa is high in protein and one of the few plant-based foods that contain all nine essential amino acids," Mathis says.

This lunchtime dish is full of protein and fiber, thanks to its inclusion of black-eyed peas and sweet potatoes. "Black-eyed peas are also high in other nutrients such as folate, copper and thiamine," Mathis says. "And just one sweet potato gives you 400 percent of the vitamin A you need each day."

"This recipe is a healthier take on traditional minestrone soup," Mathis says. "It's packed with vegetables like spinach and zucchini, which contain pantothenic acid and folate — both of which are essential [B vitamins] for overall health."

"Peanuts and peanut butter help to provide this recipe with a source of healthy fats and protein," Mathis says. Even though they're calorie-dense, peanuts are nutrient-rich and low in carbohydrates, she says.

Ingredients like ginger give this recipe lots of flavor without adding calories. "Ginger has been used to aid in digestion, reduce nausea and help with symptoms of the common cold," Mathis says. If you want to make this recipe vegetarian, replace the meat with tofu or eggs.

Vitamin C-rich bell peppers help your body absorb the non-heme (plant-derived) iron in the beans, making this recipe a winner, says registered dietitian Nicole Rodriguez, RDN. Feel free to swap brown rice for the white, and a lettuce wrap or whole-grain tortilla for the regular one.

"Unless you're going low-carb, consider adding a whole grain to this salad," Rodriguez says, to help fill you up. Farro, brown rice and quinoa would all be nutrient-dense choices.

"This low-calorie recipe is perfect for a lunch or light dinner," Mathis says. "The zucchini noodles offer a low-carb option and provide a good source of vitamin A, which is an essential fat-soluble vitamin."

This chicken salad is loaded with fruits and veggies like grapes and red bell pepper. "Both of these foods provide a great source of antioxidants, which helps [support] the immune system and protect against oxidative stress," Mathis says.

"Chana Dal, also known as split chickpeas, is a staple in Indian and South Asian cuisine," Mathis says. "It's highly nutritious and contains a good source of protein, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals." This meal-prep idea is also ideal for vegetarians or those looking to limit their meat intake.

The salmon and avocado in this sushi bowl not only provide healthy fats, but also boost fiber — both of which help fill you up, Mathis says.

These nourishing bowls are great for those on a vegan or gluten-free diet. "Kale and sweet potatoes are both highly nutritious foods," Mathis says. "Kale is rich in vitamin K, calcium, potassium and manganese, and sweet potatoes are abundant in vitamins A, C, B6 and E."

Thanks to the eggs, this vegetable-filled soup is protein-rich. To make this recipe more meal prep-friendly, consider using hard-boiled eggs instead of poached.

Although this sub is a great source of vitamin A and calcium, Mathis suggests cutting back on some of the salt by "using a low-sodium marinara sauce and reducing the amount of vegan mozzarella cheese." You can also freeze these after prepping them.

Lentils are a superstar food that can be a great part of any diet, especially plant-based. "Lentils are a great source of dietary fiber, offering approximately 16 grams per cup," Mathis says. "That helps support digestive health."

"This tuna pasta salad is an excellent source of high-quality protein, thanks to the tuna," Mathis says. "Tuna contains up to 20 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving." Consider using a whole-grain or legume-based pasta to lower the calorie and carb content of this dish.