It's half ten and the same question as yesterday is going round your head: what to make for lunch? People ask themselves this a thousand times a day, and most answers end in a takeaway or a bread roll eaten in a rush. You're probably in one of these situations right now: you're in a hurry, you haven't been shopping, or you want lunches sorted for the whole week ahead. Here's an answer for each of them.
We cooked all the recipes below at home, and for each one you can see the calories, protein and time. No "a pinch of love and an extra hour".
When you've got 30 minutes or less
The most common situation: you need lunch fast and don't want to eat just anything. These are lunches from our weekly plans, all under 30 minutes:
| Recipe | kcal | Protein | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mozzarella with tomato and pesto | 471 | 34 g P | 10 min |
| Bruschetta with tomatoes and mozzarella | 416 | 24 g P | 15 min |
| The best avocado spread with bread, egg and mozzarella | 314 | 22 g P | 15 min |
| Beef taco wraps with avocado and lime | 571 | 41 g P | 18 min |
| Chicken breast with fried rice and vegetables | 448 | 39 g P | 20 min |
| Quick tomato soup with mozzarella, parmesan and sourdough bread | 477 | 37 g P | 20 min |
| Chinese-style fried rice | 412 | 33 g P | 20 min |
| "Miso" peanut noodles with tofu | 595 | 28 g P | 20 min |
You'll find the full list of twenty lunches in Quick lunch: 20 recipes under 30 minutes.
When you never want to think about it again
The "what to make for lunch" question also has a system-level solution: not having it at all. In a weekly meal plan, lunch is sorted 7 days ahead, shopping list included. You cook in four short sessions and during the week you just open the fridge. That's exactly how the sample weight-loss meal plan works, which hundreds of our members have cooked.
Our experience after years of meal-prep boxes (yes, going back to the days when we were called Zdravo do krabičky): deciding is a bigger burden than cooking. Anyone can cook; nobody can make decisions three times a day.
The Thursday email that plans your next week
Every Thursday we'll send you a sample meal plan for the week ahead, one recipe under the microscope and a tip on which foods are on offer right now.
When tomorrow's lunch is already a problem tonight
A little trick from our prep notes: when you cook in the evening, make two extra portions straight away and tomorrow's lunch is sorted in zero minutes. A box in the fridge keeps for 2 to 3 days, so Monday's dinner can easily cover Wednesday's lunch.
What to have for lunch on weekdays vs. at the weekend
On weekdays, speed wins: one-pan meals, salads with protein, fried rice. The weekend can handle a Sunday lunch that takes longer and also kicks off meal prep for the new week. In autumn, pumpkin wins among lunches, from soup to risotto: see Hokkaido recipes. If dinner is more of a problem than lunch, see what to make for dinner.
Frequently asked questions
What should I make for lunch when I haven't been shopping?
Look at what you actually have at home: eggs, rice, pasta, a tin of tuna or beans. That's lunch in 15 minutes (scrambled eggs with veg, pasta with tuna, bean salad). A tin also gives you tuna spread with 30 g of protein in a quarter of an hour. Leave the shopping for next week, ideally from the list that comes with the plan.
What is a healthy lunch?
A simple framework: protein (meat, fish, tofu, pulses) + a side (rice, potatoes, pasta) + vegetables. If a meal has 400 to 600 kcal and at least 25 g of protein, it's an excellent lunch for a normal day.
How long does a cooked lunch keep in the fridge?
The sessions in our plans are built for 2 days, and some meals keep for 3. That's why meals repeat in pairs in our meal plans: cook once, eat twice.
Is it worth taking lunch to work?
A takeaway usually costs 8 to 12 euros. Lunch from a box costs a fraction of that and you know exactly what's in it. Over five working days, that's a difference you'll actually see in your bank account by the end of the month.
Get time and taste back in your week
You get your meal plan, recipes and shopping list ready-made. All that's left for you is the cooking.
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