4 Lunch Meal Prep Tips for Working at the Office
Most office spaces are equipped with a few kitchen appliances to make a cup of coffee or warm food but not to make a proper meal. Therefore, if you are keen on consistently eating healthy, filling, and nutritious meals while at work, the best option is to bring your own food to the office.
Below are 4 lunch meal prep tips for working at the office.
1. Create a Menu
A menu serves as a guideline for the meals to prepare and, ultimately, your shopping list. When choosing which recipes to incorporate in your meals, think about ease of preparation, the shelf life of the food, ingredient accessibility, and portability.
Creating a menu can be a lot of work upfront but once done, you reuse it over and over. To prevent boredom with your meals, create a meal plan for 2-3 weeks that you use in rotation. If you come across a new recipe that would be suitable for your lunch meal prep, take a screenshot and incorporate it in your menu either as an addition or a substitute.
2. Meal Prep in Bulk
Prepping in bulk helps you to plan your week better, and you save up on grocery shopping—stock up on your meal prep staples. Pick a day for your meal prep, preferably on the weekend or an off day.
Depending on how fresh you like your meals, you may need to prep two or three times a week. Or, you might consider prepping the ingredients and cooking fresh meals each day before going to work. Either way, the idea of meal prepping is to save up on cooking time while ensuring you have a constant supply of healthy foods.
3. Prepare Easy-to-Carry Foods
Sometimes, you may want an elaborate dining experience with 3-5 course meals, a well-laid table, and a great ambiance. That works when you are dining at home or your favorite restaurant.
On the contrary, you want to keep your lunch meal at the office simple. Ideally, it should fit in your carry-on lunch box for convenience when carrying or eating. Therefore, food options such as salads, sandwiches, roast meat work best.
4. Invest in the Right Containers
You need proper food storage containers to store food at home and bring food to your workplace. If you have to re-heat your food in a microwave, ensure to pack your food in a microwaveable container. If some of the food has soup or is liquid, ensure to invest in containers that seal air tightly to prevent the food from pouring during your commute.
You will need zip lock bags for storing dry snacks or fresh vegetables in the refrigerator. Canning jars and mason jars work well for storing salads, soups, smoothies, and oatmeal. They should also be dishwasher safe and microwave safe.
Conclusion
Meal prepping saves you time, energy, and money. It takes away everyday decision-making fatigue when it comes to choosing what to eat and ensures all your lunchtimes are sorted when at work.
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