I’ve gotten a lot of requests for suggestions on what to eat for easy work lunches. So below are my top tips along with some suggested make-ahead recipes!

1. Leftovers are your best friend!

This is my favorite strategy for easy lunches because it pretty much requires no extra work. Make enough portions for dinner so that you have leftovers to eat for lunch the next day (or the day after that). 

The key for reviving leftovers is with toppings – a squeeze of lemon, fresh herbs, toasted nuts, pickled red onions, cheese, and extra sprinkling of salt. 

I know that a lot of people hate eating leftovers, but my theory is that it’s largely because they don’t know how to properly reheat and revive them. 

2. Do a little extra meal prep

If leftovers aren’t an option for you, you can put in a little extra prep for work lunches, below are my suggestions.

Prep components for bowls, salads, etc…

Cook a grain, roast a veggie, cook a protein, make a sauce/dressing, and don’t forget the toppings (nuts, cheese, pickled red onions, herbs, avo, etc…) – then you have all the components you need for an easy bowl, salad, or to throw into a tortilla or wrap. 

• Sheet Pan Nourish Bowls with Green Miso Sauce
• Salmon Fajita Bowls with Chipotle Garlic Yogurt

Make a grain salad

Another go-to is grain salads. You can basically take the bowl prep above and just toss it all together as a salad. Boil some eggs or cook a protein to put on top. 

• Dill Pickle Broccoli Crunch Salad
• Crunchy Broccoli and Lentil Salad with Dates
• Thai Crunch Rice Salad with Sesame Peanut Dressing
• Sheet Pan Tahini Chicken Caesar Salad
• Winter Cobb Salad
• Best Ever Lentil Salad
• Crunchy Bean Salad with Spiced Tomato Dressing
• Roasted Broccoli Fennel Quinoa Salad with Raisins and Almonds

Make a soup

This is one of the best things you can do (especially this time of year) because it’s a one pot situation and it often tastes better the next day. 

• Creamy Sausage Lentil Veggie Soup
• Spiced Chicken Greens and Rice Soup
• Chicken Pot Pie Soup
• Farro White Bean Minestrone
• Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
• Spiced Lentil Dal with Salted Yogurt
• Instant Pot White Chicken Quinoa Chili 

Throw together a frittata

Make a frittata for the week to have for lunches. It’s a great way to use up any odds and ends in the fridge. Pack a couple of slices along with half of an avocado to mash onto a piece of toast.

• Butternut Squash Mushroom and Thyme Frittata with Goat Cheese
• Leftovers Sheet Pan Frittata
• Cheesy Chard Frittata
• Cheesy Frozen Veggie Egg Bake
• Mighty Mushroom Frittata with Cilantro Lime Rice

Sandwiches, burritos, quesadillas

You can turn pretty much anything into a quesadilla (insert protein + cheese). Cook some ground meat, add spices if you want, then pile it into tortillas with cheese (and anything else you have lying around). Bake the quesadillas in the oven and then just reheat for lunches. 

You could also batch prep burritos or have sandwich ingredients on hand. 

• Zucchini Corn Quesadillas with Cilantro Lime Yogurt 
• Spinach Artichoke Quesadillas with Marinara
• Turkey Pesto Quesadillas
• Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos with Taco Sauce
• Easiest Ever Breakfast Burritos 
• Turkey Arugula Sandwich with Artichoke Pepper Spread
• Mojo Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
• Avocado Mozzarella Sandwich with Balsamic Basil Spread

3. Take the easy route and just buy some extra pre-made items!

All you need is a starch (like bread or tortillas) + protein (hummus, boiled eggs, canned fish, rotisserie chicken) + veggies (pre-chopped carrots, bell peppers, salad greens) + extras (store bought dressing or dip, cheese slices, nuts/seeds). Throw it all into a container and you’re good to go. 

4. Things on toast

Put any protein on top of toast (or a tortilla/wrap) and call it a day. All of these things could also be served over a bed of rice or grains.

• Canned tuna on top of avo toast drizzled with oil, salt, pepper + squeeze of lemon.
• Cottage cheese + boiled egg + salt and pepper.
• Warm beans (tossed in salt, vinegar, and oil) on toast + cheese + pickled onions.
• Eggs on toast with kimchi.
• Garlic and Herb Salmon Avocado Melt – make the salmon salad and put it on toast
• Favorite Tuna Melt – same as above, but make it a tuna salad on toast.
• Spicy Tuna Scallion Nori Tacos  – these are such a great easy lunch!
• Crunchy Bean Salad with Spiced Tomato Dressing – bean salad on toast!
• Tomato Egg and Cheese Toasts with Chili Oil
• Ham and Cheese Toasties
• Whipped Lemon Ricotta Avocado Toast – but just sub cottage cheese for the whipped ricotta.

Comment below with your favorite recipes or ways to prep for work lunches!