Little to No Meal-Prep Time
busseybl
Posts: 32 Member
Hello everyone,
I want to eat low-calorie, balanced meals, but I have no time to meal prep. I have been eating Lean Cuisine's for lunch, which are good, but not very filling and higher in sodium than I'd prefer. I work full-time Monday-Friday and I'm working on my Master's degree by going to night classes every night and for most of the day on Saturday's. My "free-time" (so to speak) has been going to gym-time.
I guess my question is, what is a good alternative to meal-prep for lunches? I like the Lean Cuisines a lot, but was wondering if any other people have a good option for lunches at the office?
Also, sandwiches and wraps I make at work get really old, really fast... plus, I hate lunch meat for the most part.
I want to eat low-calorie, balanced meals, but I have no time to meal prep. I have been eating Lean Cuisine's for lunch, which are good, but not very filling and higher in sodium than I'd prefer. I work full-time Monday-Friday and I'm working on my Master's degree by going to night classes every night and for most of the day on Saturday's. My "free-time" (so to speak) has been going to gym-time.
I guess my question is, what is a good alternative to meal-prep for lunches? I like the Lean Cuisines a lot, but was wondering if any other people have a good option for lunches at the office?
Also, sandwiches and wraps I make at work get really old, really fast... plus, I hate lunch meat for the most part.
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Replies
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Any time on Sunday's to prep for the coming week? That is key for me.0
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Why do you have no time?
What about the weekend? Before bed? When you first get up?
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Steamable steam in bag broccoli or vegetables that you just pop in the microwave. Add tuna or some sort of meat if you want and you have lunch. Usually the bag of broccoli is pretty big and filling.0
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Honestly, when its a priority...it becomes a priority. You could get up early. You could go to bed later. You could skip one gym session to prep food. You could take some weekend time. If none of these are something you're willing to consider, then maybe begin to consider that you may not be ready yet. Which is ok! Be realistic, is all.0
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I have to prep on Sundays.
I commute a total of two hours M-F for work. I go to the gym Tue, Thu, and Sat. On Wed, Fri, and Sun I do some workouts at home or go for a run. So, after working out I basically have time to go home, prepare a quick dinner, shower, go to bed. I almost never do prepackaged meals. On Sunday, I package up lunch for M-F, and enter in all my meals for M-F. That's the only way I can get done what I need to during the week. I pretty much stick to the same things for the week, as well, so I have a good idea of what to prep.0 -
Why do you have no time?
What about the weekend? Before bed? When you first get up?
Be a full-time Project Manager and a full-time Master's student at the same time while trying to plan a wedding and you will see what I mean. My days are jam-packed.
I'm not asking for time to meal-prep, I'm asking for alternatives. Thanks!0 -
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My boyfriend and I try to use Sunday evenings to cook a large meal and then we portion it out for lunches for the week. We've done stir fry, burrito bowls, pasta bakes, the possibilities are pretty endless.
Pick a day that you have free time and allocate it for meal prep. It's hard, but it's worth it. It gives you control over your food and it's cheaper than buying pre-packaged meals, too.0 -
I have to prep on Sundays.
I commute a total of two hours M-F for work. I go to the gym Tue, Thu, and Sat. On Wed, Fri, and Sun I do some workouts at home or go for a run. So, after working out I basically have time to go home, prepare a quick dinner, shower, go to bed. I almost never do prepackaged meals. On Sunday, I package up lunch for M-F, and enter in all my meals for M-F. That's the only way I can get done what I need to during the week. I pretty much stick to the same things for the week, as well, so I have a good idea of what to prep.
I feel your pain with the commute! I live in Houston and traffic is THE WORST.0 -
Is it just lunch you are worried about? If so, then I'd suggest leftovers from dinner. Nothing quicker and easier than that if you are already preparing a dinner.
If not, then some no-prep meals are:
-Frozen fish and vegetables. Both can be cooked straight from the freezer.
-Lentils/split peas and frozen vegetables can make a nice soup and the only prep time is rinsing the peas and opening bags.
-Frozen boneless skinless chicken breast can be put in a slow cooker with frozen vegetables and broth, add some instant rice about 15 min before serving if you'd like.
-Canned soups with added frozen veggies and canned beans can be very filling
-Rotisserie chickens can be to make several meals.0 -
I make big pots of food at the weekend, it takes an hour and most of that is just simmering ..
I then keep it in Tupperware or freeze it
Recent big cook jobs which give me lunches across the week and some dinners all around 3-400 calories
Salmon fish cakes (I have about 30 frozen) - eat with a salad or in a sandwich
big veggie stew, precook rice and grate cheese .. 100g rice, 500g stew, 10g cheddar
Squash risotto with bagged salad greens
Chicken cacciatore (again with the rice and salad)
Spinach, squash and feta, potato topped pie and salad
Etc
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I make big pots of food at the weekend, it takes an hour and most of that is just simmering ..
I then keep it in Tupperware or freeze it
Recent big cook jobs which give me lunches across the week and some dinners all around 3-400 calories
Salmon fish cakes (I have about 30 frozen) - eat with a salad or in a sandwich
big veggie stew, precook rice and grate cheese .. 100g rice, 500g stew, 10g cheddar
Squash risotto with bagged salad greens
Chicken cacciatore (again with the rice and salad)
Spinach, squash and feta, potato topped pie and salad
Etc
Squash Risotto sounds amazing... *drool*
Maybe I'll start using my crockpot more frequently... I saw a Pinterest Board with crockpot recipes.0 -
If you have everything you need, prepping for the week shouldn't take more than an hour or so, start to finish. Cook multiple things simultaneously - put the meat and/or potatoes in the oven first, they will take the longest. Put your rice on, while those are going, cut up your veggies and roast or steam them. Then as each thing gets done, portion it out into your containers. Once you've gone through it a few times, you'll get faster at it.0
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Hi there- Can you cook on the weekends? What do you do for dinner once you're home? I work full time also and have a supportive husband and two minions. We are often on the go, but if you can figure out a strong, organized plan that works for you, you'll be golden. I plan out a monthly calendar of dinners. This can take a while, especially the first couple of times, but it gets easier. It also allows me to go shopping just once per week. I just look at my calendar and go get the groceries for what I need to make it through that one week. This encourages a) some basic meal prep from me over the weekend or the night before (thawing chicken breast, preparing any staples like pasta or rice beforehand, etc.), but it's nothing that I can't do in the background while I'm doing other things. Bear in mind: I am not actually cooking a homemade meal each night of the month; sometimes it's something as simple as grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, especially on nights we need to be somewhere in a hurry. This also makes for some decent leftovers for me to pack for my lunches throughout the week. I keep enough things like fresh fruit, almonds, Greek yogurt, and popcorn on hand to pack for snacks throughout my day. Some good fall-backs for me are: a salad in a jar (these are all over Pinterest, if you need ideas); a bowl of cereal with almond milk and a piece of fruit; English muffin topped with two eggs, a side of turkey bacon, and a piece of fruit; a hot dog with a can of baked beans and a little ketchup, plus a piece of fruit; a bowl of oatmeal with PB2, almond milk, and raspberries; a fruit smoothie (I freeze ziplock bags of banana, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries) with almond milk, spinach, and whey protein or PB2; a tortilla topped with marinara sauce, shredded cheese, and veggies (like a mini pizza). Don't be afraid to just try new things with basic ingredients you might already have on hand or to eat different things for different times. It's okay to eat oatmeal for dinner or a baked sweet potato with coconut oil and brown sugar for breakfast. Good luck!
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Between gym, work, and commute time, I'm also not home M-F for 13+ hours a day
Sundays (like most others) I do alot of meal prep / make a big meal and package it for leftovers. Since my husband refuses to eat the healthy food I make, I'm basically cooking healthy food for one (and non-healthy food for one too because I still also cook & prepare lunches & suppers for him too!).
Lots of times, because I can't eat all the leftovers, I'll freeze them immediately and then pull them back out on a busy week when I didn't have meal prep time on Sundays (like when went away for a weekend to do wedding stuff too!
).
Salads, if you cut your veggies on Sundays, can be quick to make on weekdays for lunch.
And steamed fish or chicken are also quick to make for supper in the oven.0 -
Frozen bags of vegetables that you can literally microwave in the bag! Super quick and easy.
Also look for the small cups of rice you can Microwave!
Maybe eat protein bars and protein powder in order to get enough protein (if you don't have time to cook meat)0 -
Im doing a meal plan (TheFresh20) now, and though its a full plan of shopping, meal prep and cooking, Im learning some interesting things.
On Sunday I did about an hours meal prep, which included baking 2 chickens and in the meantime chopping up the veggies for the week. One hour. Not bad.
Since then, preparing my meals have taken no more than 15-20 minutes to prepare. Considering Im making stuff like roast chicken with glazed sweet potatoes, and enchiladas, fairly complex but homemade, nutritious, non packaged foods...15-20 minutes from "Im hungry" to eating is not bad *at all!* And it takes the stress out of meal times too.
Also, I second the idea of making enough so that you have leftovers for lunch. My lunch times were pretty lame before I started doing that. Some days, Id miss lunch altogether cause I just didnt have time for it or couldnt be bothered to figure out what to even eat.0 -
I make big pots of food at the weekend, it takes an hour and most of that is just simmering ..
I then keep it in Tupperware or freeze it
Recent big cook jobs which give me lunches across the week and some dinners all around 3-400 calories
Salmon fish cakes (I have about 30 frozen) - eat with a salad or in a sandwich
big veggie stew, precook rice and grate cheese .. 100g rice, 500g stew, 10g cheddar
Squash risotto with bagged salad greens
Chicken cacciatore (again with the rice and salad)
Spinach, squash and feta, potato topped pie and salad
Etc
Squash Risotto sounds amazing... *drool*
Maybe I'll start using my crockpot more frequently... I saw a Pinterest Board with crockpot recipes.
1 butternut squash
2 tsp light olive oil
1200ml stock
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 celery stick, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
2 tsp dried thyme
250g risotto rice (we like carnaroli)
fry light
Salt and pepper
I adapted this http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/13012/simple-squash-risotto
Use fry light on the roast squash and salt and pepper
Add 2tsp oil to nonstick pan after softening onion and celery in a bit of the stock before throwing in the rice
It really doesn't need the wine, extra butter or extra oil or even cheese cos it's yummy
Makes 16 lots of 100g (90 cals per 100g) 350g is a decent lunch and about 300 calories -keeps a week in Tupperware in fridge0 -
I make big pots of food at the weekend, it takes an hour and most of that is just simmering ..
I then keep it in Tupperware or freeze it
Recent big cook jobs which give me lunches across the week and some dinners all around 3-400 calories
Salmon fish cakes (I have about 30 frozen) - eat with a salad or in a sandwich
big veggie stew, precook rice and grate cheese .. 100g rice, 500g stew, 10g cheddar
Squash risotto with bagged salad greens
Chicken cacciatore (again with the rice and salad)
Spinach, squash and feta, potato topped pie and salad
Etc
Squash Risotto sounds amazing... *drool*
Maybe I'll start using my crockpot more frequently... I saw a Pinterest Board with crockpot recipes.
1 butternut squash
2 tsp light olive oil
1200ml stock
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 celery stick, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
2 tsp dried thyme
250g risotto rice (we like carnaroli)
fry light
Salt and pepper
I adapted this http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/13012/simple-squash-risotto
.
Use fry light on the roast squash and salt and pepper
Add 2tsp oil to nonstick pan after softening onion and celery in a bit of the stock before throwing in the rice
It really doesn't need the wine, extra butter or extra oil or even cheese cos it's yummy
Makes 16 lots of 100g (90 cals per 100g) 350g is a decent lunch and about 300 calories -keeps a week in Tupperware in fridge
Ahh thank you!! I will be trying this tonight!0 -
You dont have to eat lean Cusines just bc you don't want to or cant cook. Just eat prepackaged food that is more delicious and filling than the frozen entrees if you do not enjoy them. I don't have regular lunch meals and instead fill up on snacks through out the day until I get to dinner. I bring cheese, yogurt, beef Jerkey, nuts, etc to work to eat when hungry. The amount of prep is only shopping for them and physically bringing them into work. I do buy big packages of nuts and jerky and weigh into one serving portions but I'm sure you can find single serving packages to buy....
If you want a more traditional meal lunch then just look around the grocery store and see what is no cook and will satisfy you better (progresso soup, premade salads etc). No one else knows what you will like to eat- look at all the premade stuff and see what will fit in our calories.... there are other things in the frozen section that you can eat besides lean cuisines.... If normal premade salads are too high in calories, buy a box of spring mix and some low cal dressing and have at it....0 -
Crockpots are great for this. Make a full pot of something tasty, portion it out when done, and freeze what you're not going to eat for the week. If you keep doing that, you'll build up a nice variety in your freezer that you can take with you to work. They should keep ok at room temp until lunch, when they'll be thawed enough to microwave.
I still eat out, but I took the time to canvas restaurants in my area and figure out what meals I can eat where that fit within my lunch calorie limit. Took me a while and a lot of measuring and configuring, but it's worth it to be able to just go grab lunch and know I won't be over-eating.0 -
Why do you have no time?
What about the weekend? Before bed? When you first get up?
Be a full-time Project Manager and a full-time Master's student at the same time while trying to plan a wedding and you will see what I mean. My days are jam-packed.
I'm not asking for time to meal-prep, I'm asking for alternatives. Thanks!
Oh Christ. As a former Project Manager with an MBA, who is a newlywed. I feel for you.
The crockpot tip above is my go-to during the winter. During the summer, I just marinate a shitload of chicken breasts at a time, cook them all up at once, and then slice them up to eat on top of salad greens or with a side of veggies.
Things you don't have to cook are your friend: Yogurt, smoothies, fruits and veggies, hard-boiled eggs (well, you have to cook these but you can boil a dozen at a time and you don't have to watch them), string cheese, natural peanut butter, lean cuts of beef.
It's hard, I know it is. But I think if you give it a shot, you'll find that you can easily prep a week's worth of lunches in 30 minutes (I do, every Sunday night before bed).0 -
I cook lots of food on Sunday and portion it in containers for the week, like chicken breasts, sweet potatoes, rice, etc. I also use my Crockpot a lot. Allrecipes.com has some really good recipes that take very few ingredients and are really good!0
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Crockpots are your best friend right now. Make up things like chili, meat sauce, breakfast casserole, pulled pork. I absolutely love a microwaved sweet potato topped with pulled pork and cheddar cheese. Russet potatoes microwaved aka baked topped with chili is another great lunch meal.
I also make up black beans in the crockpot, with your schedule you could soak them while away from home all day, get home at night, rinse and then add fresh water and cook overnight, they'll be all ready to roll in the morning for you to pack into containers.0 -
Crockpots, cooking 2 or 3 dinners on Sunday and portioning them out for the week, and I do a lot of chicken for on top of salads, or in a caesar salad style wrap (I don't like lunch meat either).
I love my crockpot though... and I do a lot of soups and then freeze them so I can thaw them when I need a quick meal0 -
Check out blogs about backpacking foods. Ignore the crazy people who try to be Chef in the Woods. Make your own "trail mix" substituting in your favorites. Dried fruit. Jerky. Energy bars. I have done the working/grad school thing. Its really hard to eat healthy when you are crazy busy. Kudos for trying.0
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I rely on healthy snack food for lunches during the work week -- fresh veggies and hummus, fresh fruit, beef jerky, Kind bars, nuts, cheese and sliced turkey on crackers, greek yogurt, etc.0
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Do you have a slow cooker? There are hundreds of recipes for the slow cooker where you put the ingredients in the cooker in the morning and you have a hot meal that night. There is usually enough for more than one meal. Make a big salad, without the dressing and take that for your lunch. Add some meat and/or cheese and the dressing just before you eat it. Make "sandwiches" without bread, use lettuce leaves or sliced cucumber. Ham, turkey, and chicken make good sandwiches and aren't as processed as lunch meats.0
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I pack food for my very busy dh for lunch most days. He gets leftovers or a sandwich/wrap most of the time with some fruit, granola bar or trail mix, sometimes yogurt. He likes to have some of his food be stuff he can save for later or the next day
Raw vegetables and fruits
Salads
Cheese
Yogurt
Hard boiled eggs, omelet
Nuts, dried fruit, trail mix, granola
Popcorn
Hummus
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slow cooker.
Add meat, some veggies and some sort of sauce for flavouring. This is usually 4 very large meals for me.
If you want to turn it into more meals do that first and then cook a batch of rice to go with it. Double the volume.
Can put in fridge or freeze if you won't get to them in time.0
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