Little to No Meal-Prep Time

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.
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Replies

  • wreckzrainer131
    wreckzrainer131 Posts: 33 Member
    Any time on Sunday's to prep for the coming week? That is key for me.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Why do you have no time?

    What about the weekend? Before bed? When you first get up?

  • betuel75
    betuel75 Posts: 776 Member
    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.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    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.
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    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.
  • busseybl
    busseybl Posts: 32 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    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!
  • busseybl
    busseybl Posts: 32 Member
    betuel75 wrote: »
    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.

    Good idea! Sounds much healthier than frozen meals as well. I appreciate it! :)
  • kandell
    kandell Posts: 473 Member
    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.
  • busseybl
    busseybl Posts: 32 Member
    veganbaum wrote: »
    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.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    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.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    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
  • busseybl
    busseybl Posts: 32 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    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.
  • allie_00p
    allie_00p Posts: 280 Member
    edited March 2015
    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.
  • katsmo
    katsmo Posts: 219 Member
    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!
    -
  • ngagne
    ngagne Posts: 57 Member
    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.
  • soccerkon26
    soccerkon26 Posts: 596 Member
    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)
  • Dragn77
    Dragn77 Posts: 810 Member
    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.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited March 2015
    busseybl wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    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
  • busseybl
    busseybl Posts: 32 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    busseybl wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    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!
  • LazyFoodie
    LazyFoodie Posts: 217 Member
    edited March 2015
    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....