These meal prep lunches are designed to have around 30g of protein per serving for most people and with a little organization can be prepped in under 1 hour.
Think: 1 sheet pan + 1 oven + 1 pot of grains + your fridge stocked with grab-and-go prepped veggies. You don’t have to track every gram. Portion the protein generously and the meals will keep you full.
Roasted or baked in the oven
Several roast a vegetable or side on the same pan while the protein cooks.
Sheet Pan Chicken
This covers both meal prep and a busy weeknight lunch. Roast a batch of chicken thighs and broccoli on one sheet pan while rice cooks on the stove. 3.5 to 4 ounces of cooked chicken gives you around 30g of protein. Pack some lemon wedges or a little salsa to change up the flavor through the week.
Salmon Meal Prep
Meal prepping with salmon is simple: season, bake, and it’s done. While your salmon bakes, you can cube and roast sweet potatoes, then add green beans (however you want to prep those, just steam or roast them). Cooking one portion of salmon, which is around 5-6 ounces, can give you around 30g of protein. And if you don’t like reheating fish, this can also be eaten cold, just add a bit more lemon.
Chicken Shawarma Bowls
Chicken shawarma bowls have little cleanup. Place either chicken breast or thighs into a cooker/roaster and season with shawarma style spices like cumin, paprika, and garlic. Cinnamon is another option to add, if you want, as well. Roughly 5 ounces of cooked chicken should hit approx. 30g of protein for most people. Finish it with a quick yogurt sauce.
Turkey Meatballs
I like meatballs for lunch prep because they portion out cleanly. While your sauce is warming, bake a tray of turkey meatballs, then serve with zoodles or pasta. The amount of protein varies with the size of the meatballs, but 5 to 6 medium meatballs should get most people to around 30g. If you want to add a little extra protein, add some parmesan.
BBQ Chicken Meal Prep
This lunch is a practical one. While you cook your roast potatoes, warm up some shredded chicken with barbecue sauce, then throw in some quick slaw (bagged slaw mix works). Portion the chicken generously and most people will hit 30g. If you’re meal-prepping for a family, set up an assembly line so each person can build their own box.
Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin is often overlooked for meal prep, but it cooks quickly and slices into even portions. You can roast the tenderloin alongside some veggies on the same tray, and then add some quick sautéed apples to the mixture for a sweet and savory combination.
A solid portion of pork (around 4 ounces cooked) will give most people 30g of protein. It takes little cooking time.
Chicken Enchilada Bake
This is the kind of casserole that you can make once for several lunches. Combine cooked rice, enchilada sauce, black beans, and shredded chicken, and then bake until the mixture is hot and bubbly. Protein is straightforward: use chicken and you’ll hit around 30 grams for most people per portion. If you want to keep it spicy you can add jalapeños, however you should leave them out for picky eaters.
Chili Lime Chicken Bowl
This dish has enough variety in flavor to eat through the week. Roast or pan-cook the chili-lime chicken and add the roasted peppers while you cook the quinoa. About 3.5 ounces of cooked chicken is roughly 30g of protein for most people, plus the quinoa will add some more. It is straightforward and repeatable.
Cooked on the stovetop
Skillet, wok, and pot dishes, including stir fries, fried rice, and stew.
Turkey Taco Bowl
This is a filling lunch. Brown ground turkey (the leaner the better) with some taco seasoning, then portion it out over some rice with black beans and corn. With about 4 ounces of cooked turkey, most people will hit 30g of protein, and the beans help with staying power. If you want a creamy finish that also adds protein, add some Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Egg Wraps
These wraps reheat in thirty seconds. Once scrambled, add eggs and cottage cheese for even creamier texture and extra protein. Two wraps made with 2-3 eggs total plus cottage cheese can get most people to 30g depending on amounts and tortilla size. Cover with foil to prepare for grab-and-go, and then heat for thirty seconds.
Shrimp Stir Fry
Shrimp cooks quickly. For this recipe, you can stir-fry a bag of frozen veggies with garlic and ginger, and add shrimp for the last couple minutes until cooked. For most people, 4 to 5 ounces of cooked shrimp gives about 30g of protein. Add soy sauce and a squeeze of lime. It still tastes fresh on the third day.
Beef and Broccoli
This beef and broccoli dish reheats well. Use flank steak, sirloin, or any other quick cooking/stir frying beef cut sliced thin, and do a hot and fast cook with broccoli. Most people reach 30g of protein with 5-6 ounces of cooked beef. A three-ingredient sauce (soy, garlic, a little cornstarch slurry) makes it taste like takeout, but cheaper.
Lentil Sausage Stew
If your kitchen is cold, or your week is jam packed, stew is a classic option. Simmer lentils, diced carrots, onions, and slices of chicken sausage until the soup reaches the desired thickness. And because of the lentils, sausage, and a lot of people can reach 30g of protein with a good portion and a decently sized bowl.
Most people will hit 30g of protein with a decent portion and the right sized bowl. This lunch tastes better the next day.
Chicken Fried Rice
This uses up leftover cold rice. Combine cooked rice, scrambled eggs, assorted vegetables, and diced cooked chicken, and season with soy sauce and sesame oil. Use enough chicken and you’ll hit 30g.
Cook it over high heat and fast to keep it fluffy, not soggy.
Greek Chicken Orzo
This lunch is light but keeps you full through the afternoon. Cook orzo, toss with spinach (it wilts from the heat), lemon, and feta, then add sliced chicken. 3.5 to 4 ounces of cooked chicken gives the average person 30 grams of protein. It works as a desk lunch because the smell is mild.
Turkey Burger Meal Prep
Form lean turkey patties, season and cook in a skillet, or bake while the fries cook. Depending on how you size the patties, most individuals should be able to hit 30g protein with one large patty or two small ones. To keep lunch from getting soggy, pack sauces separately.
Chicken Tofu Stir Fry
Using two proteins in the stir fry helps with big appetites. Sear the tofu cubes, then add some sliced grilled chicken and a bag of stir fry veggies with a quick sauce.
Even with moderate portions, most people will exceed 30g. The tofu adds a second protein to the meal.
Protein estimates for these lunches draw on USDA FoodData Central entries for cooked chicken breast, cooked 93% lean ground turkey and cooked farmed Atlantic salmon. Our method is laid out in how we calculate nutrition.
Tossed together from cooked ingredients
Cooked chicken, canned tuna, or cottage cheese mixed with other ingredients and packed.
Tuna Bean Salad
This one is for days you don’t want to cook. Combine canned tuna with rinsed white beans, lemon, olive oil, and a little onion or celery for crunch. Depending on the brand and portion sizes, two standard cans of tuna which are divided into two lunches typically hit the 30g target per serving. You can pair it with some crackers or pita, or even toss it on top of a salad.
Pesto Chicken Pasta
Rotisserie chicken saves time. Toss shredded chicken with cooked pasta, peas, and a spoon or two of pesto. If you want a good source of protein, you should add more chicken to your portion.
Most people will be able to achieve 30g of protein if they include a good scoop of chicken for each meal prep container. This meal can be eaten cold or warm.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Pasta with chicken and romaine mixed with yogurt dressing made with lemon, garlic, and parmesan makes a high-protein lunch. If chicken is the main ingredient, most will hit 30g, assuming about 5 ounces cooked per serving. Pack the romaine separately if you want it to stay crunchy.
Chickpea Chicken Salad
This is a change for people who get tired of plain chicken salad later in the week. For this, mash chickpeas and combine with some mustard, lemon and chopped celery. Then, fold in some diced cooked chicken. The chickpeas add fiber while the chicken keeps the protein solid; with a generous portion of chicken, most people can reach 30g. If you are feeding different appetites at home, this is a good option.
Cottage Cheese Bowls
Cottage cheese adds protein to this lunch. Combine cottage cheese with diced chicken, tomatoes, diced cucumber and pepper to taste. For those looking to eat around 30g of protein, cottage cheese and chicken is likely to reach that target.
Snack Plate Lunchbox
This is an option for people who get bored of sandwiches. Pack sliced chicken with hummus, crunchy veggies, and pita wedges for dipping.
Chicken and hummus covers protein, carbs and fat in one meal. A generous chicken portion gets you to 30g of protein. It is simple to eat between meetings.
Sushi Bowls
This is a sushi-style bowl without raw fish. Build bowls with rice, edamame, cucumber, avocado, and cooked chicken, then drizzle with soy sauce and a little sriracha-mayo if you like.
By using chicken as the primary source of protein and edamame as the secondary source, the average consumer will reach 30 grams of protein. It is fresh and filling enough for a complete meal.
Chicken Noodle Bowls
Noodle bowls pack well for meal prep. A sesame-ginger sauce and sliced chicken mixed with cooked noodles and shredded carrots go together in this bowl. The average person will hit 30g of protein by portioning enough chicken. If you want the crunch from the carrots and scallions to be maintained, pack them separately and add them right before eating.
Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
This version skips the mayo. Mix Greek yogurt, diced cooked chicken with some mustard, then add diced celery and sprinkle a little salt and pepper to taste. If you like, toss in some grapes or pecans. It’s a cold lunch option when you’re tired of reheating. Use a generous portion of yogurt and chicken and most people hit 30g.
