Quick Lunch Ideas For Work – Make Ahead

Prep once, eat multiple times

We have a stash of quick lunch ideas for work that we come back to time and time again so that we set ourselves up for success during the week. Up until COVID hit, we were both working full-time in offices that aren’t exactly in bustling urban areas. While my husband still works at the same place which is in a fairly industrial area, I now work for myself but meal prep is still equally important. Having meals prepped in advance helps keep me from wasting time making lunch every day when I could just pop something in the oven or microwave.

We don’t always have our life together, so sometimes we do have to wing it and it just throws the whole week off. The key to keeping up with prepping meals in advance? Have a list of your favourite easy lunch ideas and rotate through. Sometimes you’ll have a meal like a chilli that you are more than likely only going to make in the cooler months, or a go-to salad that you’re not bound to make in the middle of January when it’s freezing outside.

Our favourite quick lunch ideas for work

Or just cause. No judgement one way or the other!

Chilli

It’s December out, so chilli seemed like a great way to start. You can make this with ground beef, bison, turkey, or vegetarian. This can help you feel like you’re not eating the same thing over and over again when you switch up the protein. And really, is there anything easier than throwing a bunch of food in that basically just sits and simmers all of its delicious flavours? Not that I am aware of 🙂

Honey beer bread is optional but should be included.

Egg Noodle Casserole

We make ours with either chicken or tuna and is hearty, but a lighter type of meal. A tuna casserole used to be something that we would make growing up, as it is a cost-effective meal to make. So by taking the base of what we ate growing up, and adding a dash of influence from A Spicy Perspectives one-pot chicken noodle casserole we had something quick and easy to make, especially when we’re a little shorter on time for prepping.

And yes, you should always try and include a breaded topping. That crunch is just perfect!

Shepherds Pie

Are you sensing a theme? I’m telling you, quick and easy lunch ideas are KEY!

Jason loves to put a shepherd’s pie together, but instead of just a potato topping, we mix it up (pun intended). We love to have a yam topping as the yams are fairly nutrient-dense. Again, we will mix up our proteins between turkey, beef, bison and beyond meat. Another way to mix up your topping? Mashed cauliflower. You’re welcome.

Cajun Chicken Casserole

This is one of my husband’s favourite recipes by far and comes from The Girl On Bloor’s blog. I love this recipe as well, I just can tire of reheating chicken as I find chicken dries out. We’re going to shred the chicken next time and see if that helps. I’m just weird about chicken in general. OK, totally sidetracked here. I also want to try this recipe with prawns but we haven’t done that yet.

The cajun chicken casserole is full of flavour and is definitely delicious and comforting.

Taco or Burrito Bowl

There really isn’t much to say other than this is quick, easy, & delicious and can be made to suit whatever flavour you’re digging. We just throw a bunch of stuff together – this will always be a trend in our world.

So an example would be:

• cut up flank steak with a taco seasoning, cilantro rice (don’t come at me, it’s delicious IMO)
• jalapenos
• peppers (yellow, orange, red – whatever)
• corn
• black beans
• Mexican cheese
• avocado
• put some sour cream and salsa on top once ready to eat

Super quick lunch idea for work that is great to make when you are really short on time.

Lasagna / Baked Spaghetti

There is nothing more classic than lasagna or baked spaghetti prepped in advance. Delicious, filling, and good for the soul – what more can you ask for. Super easy to prep in advance & throw portions in the freezer to have on hand for those days when meal prepping gets …ignored?

Heck, even just regular spaghetti is good to have on hand for quick meals.

Bonus

There is always tuna in this household. Whenever we get around to putting our emergency kit together, tuna will be in that as well. And when there is tuna on hand, there is always a possibility I throw caution to the wind and make myself a tuna melt. I used to make these when Jason would have a hockey game and we wouldn’t be eating dinner together.

Tuna salad can be prepped in advance and put into an airtight container for use throughout the week. Also great to just eat with some mixed greens in the summer when the days are warmer.

So there you have it; our favourite easily made ahead quick lunch ideas for work. What are some of your favourites to make in preparation for the week?