We're always telling ourselves that we're going to be better about packing lunch. In fact, we starting to sound like broken records. We seek out hacks, cheap ideas, easy recipes, and still, we just can't get our shit together. So we wind up getting takeout over and over again.
But this time is different. With the help of recipe developer Yasmina Jacobs, we came up with a monthlong meal plan to get us to bring lunch to work every single day this month. Yes, you heard us.
To make things easier, we've got weekly shopping and pantry lists — one shopping trip will get you everything you need for five lunches, Monday through Friday. And each will only set you back $30 or less, so no one lunch will end up costing more than $6. That is definitely better than our average lunch order.
This is it. Come October, we're going to be lunch-packing pros. Let's do this!
Note: If you're following along with the lunch plan exactly, don't throw anything away until the end of each week! Almost everything from each shopping list ends up being used completely, so if one recipe calls for half a cucumber, chances are you'll use up the rest of it in a later meal.
Week 1 Menu:
Monday
Turkey Meatballs Over Greens & Fruit Crumble In A Jar
Tuesday
Cauliflower & Cheese & Veggies & Berries
Wednesday
Stuffed Peppers & Stone Fruit
Thursday
Farro Bowl & Pretzels
Friday
All-Week Salad & Berries & Pretzels
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
You can buy all of these items for less than £20, which means lunches for the week will average less than £4 each.
Designed by Mallory Heyer
We're assuming you already have these pantry items at home, but if you're missing something, be sure to add it to your grocery list!
Designed by Mallory Heyer
1. Grocery Shop!
2. Make the turkey meatballs and roasted tomatoes. (Save and refrigerate the extra ground turkey for stuffed peppers later in the week.)
3. Make the fruit crumble.
4. Make the cauliflower and cheese.
Designed by Mallory Heyer
Monday Recipes:
Turkey Meatballs, Roasted Tomato, & Arugula Salad
Fruit Crumble In A Jar (fruit crumble was pre-prepped on Sunday)
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Tuesday Recipe:
Cauliflower & Cheese (this recipe was pre-pepped on Sunday)
Pack With:
Carrot sticks
Berries
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
1. Make the farro.
Designed by Mallory Heyer
Wednesday Recipe:
Pack With:
Stone Fruit
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Thursday Recipe:
Pack With:
Pretzels
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Friday Recipe:
Pack With:
Berries
Pretzels
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Week 2 Menu:
Monday
Sweet Potato Frittata & Zucchini Salad
Tuesday
Sweet Potato Toast & Salad & Berries
Wednesday
Avocado & Shrimp Bowl
Thursday
Gazpacho & Grilled Shrimp & Berries
Friday
Breakfast-For-Lunch Bowl & Mango & Berries
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
You can buy all of these items for less than £20, which means lunches for the week will average less than £4 each.
Designed by Mallory Heyer
We're assuming you already have these pantry items at home, but if you're missing something, be sure to add it to your grocery list!
Designed by Mallory Heyer
1. Grocery shop!
2. Prep sweet potatoes. Slice a sweet potato on a slight diagonal (to get a larger surface area). You will need 4 slices that are roughly 1/2-inch thick. Dice or grate the rest of the sweet potato and save for the frittata. Wrap the slices in cling wrap or place in a plastic food-storage bag and refrigerate.
Designed by Mallory Heyer
Monday Recipe:
Sweet Potato Frittata With Zucchini Salad
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Tuesday Recipes:
Pack With:
Berries
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Wednesday Recipe:
Pack With:
Berries
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Thursday Recipes:
Pack With:
Berries
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Friday Recipe:
Pack With:
Mango & Berries
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Week 3 Menu:
Monday
Coconut Chicken Bowl & Blueberries
Tuesday
Fried Rice & Watermelon Salad
Wednesday
Egg Wrap & Watermelon Fruit Salad
Thursday
Bibimbap & Blueberries
Friday
Chickpea Bowl & Zucchini "Toast" & Blueberries
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
You can buy all of these items for less than £20, which means lunches for the week will average less than £4 each.
Designed by Mallory Heyer
We're assuming you already have these pantry items at home, but if you're missing something, be sure to add it to your grocery list!
Designed by Mallory Heyer
1. Grocery shop!
2. Make coconut rice.
3. Cook the chicken breast and slice into strips: Pat the chicken dry and sauté the slices in a pan over medium heat with a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Allow the chicken to cool and refrigerate until ready to use.
Designed by Mallory Heyer
Monday Recipe:
Pack With:
Blueberries
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Tuesday Recipes:
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
1. Make rice: cook 3/4 cup of rice to package’s instructions. This is for the Bibimbap.
Designed by Mallory Heyer
Wednesday Recipe:
Egg Wrap & Watermelon Fruit Salad
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Thursday Recipe:
Pack With:
Blueberries
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Friday Recipe:
Chickpea Bowl & Zucchini "Toast"
Pack With:
Blueberries
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Week 4 Menu:
Monday
Avocado Soup & Pita Nachos & Strawberry Shortcake
Tuesday
Biscuit Sandwich & Kale With Tzatziki Dip & Berries
Wednesday
Chicken Pita & Strawberries & Toasted Chickpeas
Thursday
Greek Salad Bowl & Pita Chips
Friday
Pita Pizza & Small Salad
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
You can buy all of these items for less than £20, which means lunches for the week will average less than £4 each.
Designed by Mallory Heyer
We're assuming you already have these pantry items at home, but if you're missing something, be sure to add it to your grocery list!
Designed by Mallory Heyer
1. Grocery shop!
2. Make pita chips.
3. Make tzatziki dip.
4. Make coconut cream.
5. Make roasted chickpeas.
6. Make biscuits.
Designed by Mallory Heyer.
Monday Recipes:
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Tuesday Recipe:
Biscuit Sandwich & Kale With Tzatziki Dip
Pack With:
Berries
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Wednesday Recipe:
Pack With:
Strawberries
Roasted Chickpeas (chickpeas were pre-prepped on Sunday)
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Thursday Recipes:
Pita Chips (chips were pre-prepped on Sunday)
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.
Friday Recipe:
Photographed by Paul Sirisalee; Food styling by Victoria Granof at Cornelia Adams; Prop Styling by Marissa Herrmann.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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