Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

Are you the go-to chef for your family and yourself? If so, you’re probably familiar with the routine of recycling the same few lunches over and over. Of course, you want variety in your lunches, but the reality is that you just don’t know what to make. 

Here are three tips to take the pain out of lunch prep with new and quick meal ideas!

1. Cook once, eat twice.

I love to make double portions of dinner, especially the protein and vegetables that take a while to cook. I put half in a container to be used for the next day’s lunch and add in different seasonings and sauces. Adding a little variety keeps us all from feeling like we’re eating the same things over and over, and I still get the benefit of spending less time in the kitchen for lunch prep!

2. Try out a mason jar recipe. 

You’ve probably seen the concept for mason jar salads, and I think they’re brilliant! Using mason jars is a great way to have salads fresh and ready to go. Of course, if you know me, you know that I always say life is too short to eat grilled chicken salads every day, and that’s true. Even if you’re not a salad lover, mason jars can still be for you! Check out Pinterest, and you’ll find so many ideas for other recipes that are made and stored in mason jars for fresh keeping and easy transportation. 

My tip for using mason jars for quick lunches is to add your heaviest ingredient first. Whether it’s chopped chicken, steak, or tofu, put your heaviest ingredient on the bottom and continue to layer your ingredients from heaviest to lightest. This will keep your mason jar salad from becoming squished and soggy. I personally prefer to keep my dressing on the side so they don’t sit and soak in. You can just add the dressing when you’re ready to eat, give it a shake, and it’s good to go!

3. Don’t give up on take out. 

You probably equate takeout with high sodium and guilty feelings, but it shouldn’t be that way! There are so many takeout options that are both fast and healthy. I personally love to take a trip to my local deli and get a wrap. Wraps are great options because there’s less bread, so the flavor of the filling really gets a chance to shine through. Now that the weather is warming up, light, bright, and flavorful food is on my mind, and a wrap perfectly fits the description. If you’re not a fan of the tortilla style wraps, there are tons of other options - cheese wraps, egg white wraps, etc.

A wrap with turkey breast, vegetables, and spices is a great option to wrap up in aluminum foil and keep ready to go. Create new combos each time to add more flavor and keep lunch interesting, like combining ham and turkey or adding in hot peppers for extra flavor.

Step outside your comfort zone, and you might just find new flavors that you love!

If you have food sensitivities that need a little extra attention, you can always reach out to me, and I would love to brainstorm new lunch ideas with you!

I recently launched my e-book that is full of creative ideas for healthy living, so if you haven’t already, be sure to check it out! It covers everything from setting goals if you’re just getting started to healthy travel hacks for those that need some tips to help them out. Click here to download it now!

I also have a special offer available that you will NOT want to miss out on: sign up for our September Perfect Pairings event before July and save 25% with code SEPT21. If you’re like me and love wine and delicious food, you’ll definitely want to be a part of this great event, so get your ticket here and invite a friend to join you!

What’s your go-to lunch to whip up? Let me know in the comments!