The Ultimate Lunch Prepping Guide for Beginners

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Since we’ve already talked about dinner and breakfast, that just leaves us with lunch prepping (and snacks… don’t forget snacks!). I really think that planning ahead saves me a lot of time and stress (and calories), but I understand that you may find it cumbersome at first.

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The goal is to establish something that works for you, lowers your stress, and helps you stick to your budget. My hope is that these posts will serve as guides that inspire you to optimize your menu.

Introduction to Lunch Prepping

To start, what are you usually doing for lunch, and is it working for you? Maybe you’re already packing your lunch in the morning. That is fantastic! You’re pretty much there already. Or maybe you’re a “buy your lunch” kind of person.

That’s cool, too. But we’re here to talk about how to optimize your lunch planning for a tight budget. That’s not to shame you for loving your favorite lunch spot. I want you to keep loving your place, but I also want to empower you to stick to your budget.

The best way I know to save your budget is to bring your own lunch every day. That does, of course, come with its own set of issues, though. Like, how to have time to make lunch? How do you make healthy choices? What can you do to keep from getting sick of your prepped meals? And what do you do about your standing lunch dates?

Don’t worry. This whole post is dedicated to answering all your lunch meal prepping questions so you can start off on a confident foot. Let’s get started!

Sunday Lunch Prepping

We’re just going to dive into this topic. Packing your lunch is so great. But you might also recognize that there’s still room for you to optimize. Have you ever run out of lunch meat or bread on a Wednesday and didn’t have time to go shopping?

This was a factor for us when we decided to start making our lunches on Sundays. It was becoming commonplace for someone to end up whining about not knowing what to do for lunch by Friday.

I sure did try to make enough food at dinner for leftovers, but no matter how much I made, I couldn’t convince my husband there was enough there for 4 meals.

Start with Prep Containers

We use pint-sized Ball Jars for most of our lunches, but we also have quart-sized jars for great salads. There are also legit meal planning containers out there. You have options, so research what you want to use. Consider using glass over plastic, though.

Set Your Baseline

Set a formula for your lunches. For example, our basic jar lunch is 1/2 cup lean protein, 1/2 cup starch, 1 cup veggies, and 2 Tbsp sauce.

If I’m making salads instead, the formula is 2 cups mixed greens, 1/4 cup each of 4 colorful veggies, 1/2 cup lean protein, 1/2 cup beans, and 2 Tbsp dressing. Find a combo you get excited about!

Switch It Up Frequently

Now, this is important or you’ll get bored. You have to switch up your lunches or the temptation to go out for lunch will come creeping. Maybe you pick up 5 jars of sauce at the store and switch up the sauce based on the day of the week. Another option is to make soup or chili one week, salads the next, and just alternate weeks for variety.

What About My Lunch Group?

Do you have a lunch group that goes to a special place at lunch to chat and catch up? I get that. Because socializing with your coworkers and colleagues is important to your work, sometimes eating out is a job requirement. Here’s how you can still make empowered choices:

Make a Meal Out of an Appetizer

If you’re tied to the specific lunch menu, find an inexpensive menu item on the lunch or appetizer menu. Maybe there’s even a tasty side salad that you could add a chicken breast to. Set aside the cash for your lunches at the beginning of the week. By doing this, you’re committing to your budget and still getting to stay on your schedule.

Suggest a Change in Venue or Activity

Is your lunch group amenable to change? That opens up a couple of options. First, you could suggest a less expensive location for your lunch meet-ups. You may find that others are glad to spend less on lunch, too.

Second, ask if instead of chatting over a meal, you could put on your walking shoes and do a couple of laps around the parking lot or a nearby park.

A nice walk in the middle of the day is also a great way to shake out the sleepies and relieve stress. In that case, your group will head back into the office refreshed and more productive.

Start a BYOL Challenge

Could you maybe get your group to join you in meal planning? If you call it a Bring Your Own Lunch Challenge, you’re more likely to get more people on board with it.

I don’t know about your workplace, but as lovely as my coworkers have always been, there’s still a competitive streak amongst us. So, ask everyone to commit to packing a meal and eating together (maybe even getting that walk in, too).

This is a good way to encourage healthy behavior in your department. It’s also a great way to maintain the usual lunchtime fun of your group.

So, that’s Lunch Prepping for Beginners! You now have the tools to plan out or prep your three main meals of the day. Trust me when I say that this will help you stick to a tighter budget.

Comment below with your thoughts on lunch prep. What do you take to work with you? Would your usual lunch crew be willing to try something new with you? Don’t forget! You can subscribe to get a free weekly menu planner with a place to note what you’re prepping for lunch!

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