bulk cooking- easy weekly lunches/meals?

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JoMoMOMx3
JoMoMOMx3 Posts: 77
in Recipes
I need some ideas of things we can do. My husband wants to grill up a big batch of chicken (or other meats) and portion out to have for lunches through out the week. but I need ideas on what to do with them other than throwing it on some salad. Dinner ideas with the same concept is also welcome!

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  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
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    I just eat meats/protein/fish as-is with a side of whatever. I don't actually have salads all that often.

    rice, raw veggies, frozen veggies (obviously cooked before eating), pasta, sauces, uh... cottage cheese on fish is nice. Fajitas, spaghetti, macaroni casserole, lasagna, chili, butter chicken....
  • NaurielR
    NaurielR Posts: 429 Member
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    Stir fry some veggies and add some chopped meat

    Shred some of the meat, add taco seasoning and/or salsa for taco night

    Chop/shred the meat for soups
  • forgivensins
    forgivensins Posts: 90 Member
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    So far I've stripped them for salads. Used them whole or sliced up for stir frys (use a random assortment of veggies and liquid amino to kick up the flavor and it's been YUM). I've got tons of chicken left from my last bulk meal prep and am thinking of using them for sandwiches (with whole wheat sandwich thins or pita pockets) or tossing some bits into my already made veggie soup. I like to mix up the sauces and salads and pretend its a new meal--so mustard, bbq, lite ranch, hot sauce (can reheat it in the oven with the hot sauce over it and it pretty much becomes hot wings). I've also used them in wraps (but instead of the usual salad fixings I'll do like watercress or hummus to mix it up).
  • DistantJ
    DistantJ Posts: 155 Member
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    I low-carb, so I like lean lunch meat wrapped around a string cheese, chopped veggies (like a salad, but only veggies I like and NOOOOO lettuce, because if I eat another SALAD-salad, I'm gonna go postal. argh!!!), atkins bars (sparingly), protein powder, lean sliced ham with cream cheese wrapped around a picked asparagus spear, cottage cheese, sandwiches of any lean meat/veggie variety with big pieces of lettuce instead of bread (even BLT with turkey bacon is good this way), nuts, celery with natural (peanuts and salt only in the ingredients) on celery), apples, a square of 90% cocao bar, etc. I guess these aren't really 'cook ahead' options, but hey. This is what I would do if I didn't work from home. And it's what I do even though I work from home. When I'm being good, anyway. O:)
  • KingstonJack3
    KingstonJack3 Posts: 26 Member
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    I used to make the "fat flush soup" that was more like chilli. Ground turkey (since you have chicken do that), vegetable juice (low sodium), two cans of whatever beans, onion, cilantro, rotel chopped tomatoes and chilies, and if you like it hot chopped jalepenos. the recipe is floating around here in the food search.

    Chicken with mixed veggies in curry sauce.

    whole wheat spaghetti, shredded chicken, peanut butter, siriacha, soy sauce, broccoli (mix it all up really good)

    WRAPS basically throw it in a tortilla with just about anything! pesto, hummus, whatever you have in the fridge that sounds good.

    I'd throw a little in a bunch of containers and freeze em. Quick easy and cheap on calories if you portion right.
  • DistantJ
    DistantJ Posts: 155 Member
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    A good chicken salad might be shredded/chopped chicken, fresh cabbage, green onion, grated carrot and Asian spices/dressing. Mmmmmm! Because like I said: SALAD-salad is just not happening here for awhile.

    Oh, If you like sugar snap peas, they sell bags of them at Costco and they are crunchy and were my crack for a long time (ate too many so I'm taking a breather). They also have other cool veggies from time to time. Take a look around the veggie room next time you're there, if you go there. :)

    Also, don't forget to pack a piece of fruit.
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    I can't help you much with meats in particular, but with something on the bland side (like chicken), you could just add it to any "salad" like these, which are some of my lunch staples.

    I know you said "not salad" but I was assuming you meant not green salad, like lettuce salad. Salad in our house means any combined, mostly fresh food.

    quinoa & lentils with onions, feta, garlic, tomatoes & parsley

    black bean & corn with cilantro, tomato, onion, and peppers

    tomato salad with olives feta, spinach & basil

    watermelon, feta & mint salad (i can't imagine this with meat); further, a nice fruit salad for lunch with pineapple, mango and melon sprinkled with cayenne pepper

    apple, onion & herbs of your choice, minced and tossed with your meat choice.. though, I would prefer this with mushrooms.

    morrocan carrot salad

    spicy cold thai peanut noodles

    nime chow

    avocado & egg salad (no mayo) with onion

    these are my go-to lunches.. many of them can be made for dinner and take leftovers the next day.
  • myrtille87
    myrtille87 Posts: 122 Member
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    I roasted a whole chicken the other day and stripped it down. My boyfriend is verging on underweight, so he gets all the leg and wing meat which has more fat!

    This week I've had chicken + avocado + tomato + salad in tortilla wraps, and also chicken + leftover roast veg (squash and courgette + pesto). Previously I've mixed roast butternut squash with harissa pasta and whole almonds and put that in a salad with shredded chicken breast too, which was tasty.

    I've still got loads of chicken (extra large chickens were half price on special offer) so as it's the weekend and I don't need a cold, portable lunch I might try and do some kind of quesadilla with chicken in the filling.

    Tomorrow I'm going to use the remaining chicken in a biryani, with veggie curry on the side.

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