We are into 3/4 of the way through the 12 Week Meal Prep Series! I hope you have tried to incorporate some new foods and ideas into your meal prep schedule.
Week 10 is all about a healthy lunch! I’ve covered preparing a healthy breakfast for the week in week 4 and also preparing healthy snacks in week 7.
A ton of people go out to eat for lunch during the week. I have never been the type to do that, unless I have a lunch meeting or didn’t have time to prepare anything. Honestly, I think it is a combination of saving money and trying to eat healthy. I choose to pack my own lunch most days so that I know what ingredients are going into my body and I am also a cheap ass! I’d rather save my money for other things than to spend it eating out every single day for lunch.
When I first started packing my lunch I would use leftovers from the dinner I made the night before. I lived alone, so I would cook dinner for 2 and eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. I slowly got more and more into meal prep on Sunday and would then make lunch for the entire week and use any leftovers for dinner! Funny how things evolve, right?!
People say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but honestly all meals are important. You want to get a good balance of healthy foods all day long.
There are a ton of different meal prep ideas for you to pack a lunch. If you’ve followed Eat. Lift. Play. Repeat. for a while then you know that I like to change things up for lunch, but I also tend to eat some of the same foods throughout the month. I prefer a combination of lean meat, whole grains and vegetables.
Try to make a healthy lunch that combines a lean protein such as chicken breasts or thighs, pork tenderloin, beef tenderloin, ground turkey, lean ground beef, etc. Combine that with a healthy carbohydrate such as fruit or brown rice, quinoa, a whole wheat tortilla or whole wheat bread. Last but not least, add some vegetables such as a chopped salad, roasted vegetables or grilled vegetables. Keep things simple without making the meal boring!
I try to keep my lunches between 300-450 calories. If I pack a heavier lunch, then I keep my afternoon snack a bit smaller and vice versa. If you are only able to eat three meals per day or three meals and a small snack then keep lunch between 400-500 calories so that you aren’t starving by dinner time!
Here are some of my favorite healthy lunch ideas:
- chicken burrito bowl with chicken, brown rice, beans, veggies, salsa, black olive, etc.
- bunless lean hamburger topped with mashed avocado and a side salad or grilled veggies
- chicken wrap using a whole wheat tortilla, chicken, mustard, mashed avocado and lettuce
- chicken salad with chopped raw veggies, avocado, a light dressing and a side of fruit
- pork tenderloin with quinoa and roasted or grilled vegetables
- chili or soup with a side salad
When I meal prep I like to prepare a few different lunch options for the week. Occasionally I’ll make the same lunch for all five days, but that can get boring. I prefer to make 2-3 different lunch options so that I don’t get tired of eating healthy foods.
My task for you this week is to make lunch for the entire week. Use tips from the previous 9 weeks including cooking chicken, beef or pork and also incorporating vegetables and whole grains. Even if you have a lunch commitment 1 or 2 days this week, then at least prepare lunch for the other days!
Honestly, packing your lunch will be better for your wallet and for your waistline!
If you have any questions about making a healthy lunch then please ask! Email me at eatliftplayrepeat@gmail.com. You can also comment below with questions! Don’t forget to check out the previous 9 weeks in the 12 Week Meal Prep Series.
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