Let's get this challenge started!
Week 1 is here!
Are you ready to get started on the Lunch Prep Challenge? Here’s your very first set of recipes and a shopping list, so you have plenty of time to get to the grocery store and get all of the ingredients you need!
Just in case you aren’t a fan of the recipes as written, I’ve included a number of substitutions you can make to end up with your perfect lunch!
On Sunday (January 3), I’ll be prepping my first week of lunches, so I’ll have my lunches ready to go first thing on Monday, January 4. I encourage you to do the same!
- Stay tuned for an email with a video prep tutorial going up on Friday Jan 1!
- Don’t forget to join the Facebook group. We are giving away prizes...to enter, post a picture of your completed meal prep!
Thai Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
We are enjoying these meal prep bowls from Monday- Thursday. Plan for leftovers for your lunch on Friday!
INGREDIENTS:
- ¾ cup uncooked brown or white basmati rice
- 2 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts (roughly 1 lb)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari/coconut aminos)
- 4 cups of mixed vegetables (such as broccoli, carrots & cauliflower), cut into small pieces
Peanut Sauce
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter (see below for nut-free option)
- 1 ½ tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons water (more if needed to thin out sauce)
Optional:
- ¼ cup peanuts (1 tablespoon per bowl; best added fresh)
- Lime wedges
DIRECTIONS:
- Cook rice according to package directions; set aside to cool while you prepare other ingredients.
- Pre heat oven to 425°F.
- Place the chicken in a small baking pan and cover with olive oil and soy sauce. Turn to coat.
- Toss the vegetables in the olive oil and arrange on a large baking sheet. Bake with the chicken for 20-25 or so minutes, stirring vegetables and flipping the chicken once half-way through.
- Shake together the peanut sauce ingredients. Portion out into small containers if you wish to keep separate until serving.
- Once chicken and vegetables are cooked through, allow to cool before dividing with the rice between four meal prep containers.
- Store peanut sauce separately for best results, or drizzle over top if you do not have enough containers.
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS:
- For best flavor, keep the peanut sauce separate until just prior to serving. (It’s also fine to drizzle in the sauce before storing the meal prep bowls if you don’t have condiment containers)
- Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
TO SERVE:
- Heat meal prep bowls up in the microwave. Drizzle with peanut sauce and enjoy!
VARIATIONS:
- gluten-free: make sure to use tamari or coconut aminos.
- vegetarian & vegan: swap the chicken for a can of chickpeas (you can roast them for 15 minutes or add them after the veggies have roasted),
- nut free: swap the peanut sauce for the tahini dressing in this post
- low carb: swap the rice for cauliflower rice
- Swap soy sauce for liquid aminos and sugar in peanut sauce for monk fruit sweetener (use ½ the amount)
Click here for nutritional information
No Bake Energy Bars
This recipe can be made gluten-free and vegan (look under ‘variations’ for tips).
These energy bars are a riff off these popular energy bites with the bonus that no rolling is necessary! Since this serves 8, freeze 3 for an easy snack on the go.
*TIP- this recipe can be doubled and made in a 8x8 inch pan. Freeze leftovers (or if you have family, share with them!)
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ⅓ cup natural peanut butter (see important * note below)
- ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup old fashioned (rolled) oats– not quick oats
- ½ cup Rice Krispies
- ¼ cup ground flax
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds (optional and not pictured)
DIRECTIONS:
- Melt coconut oil in a large bowl.
- Stir in the peanut butter, maple syrup and cinnamon until smooth.
- Stir in the oats, Rice Krispies, flax and chocolate chips.
- Line a 9 x 5″ loaf pan with parchment or foil. Press the mixture into the pan until smooth across the top.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, then cut into bars and portion out for the week.
NOTE
- * This recipe does not work with non-natural nut butters (like Kraft or Jif), as the bars won’t set.
- You can use almond or any other natural nut butter
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS:
- store in a sealed container in the fridge
- these bars are also freezer-friendly
VARIATIONS
- gluten-free: make sure to use GF oats, swap Rice Krispies for crispy brown rice cereal
- vegan: use vegan chocolate chips
- no nut: I haven’t tested this particular recipe, however readers have successfully used sun butter or no nut butter in the energy bites
- low carb: swap this snack for an egg muffin or other low carb option.
- check out this post with 7 Homemade Granola Bars for an alternate recipe and ideas of how to mix this recipe up
- swaps:
- Rice Krispies for other crispy cereal (Corn Flakes etc)
- almond butter for any other natural nut butter
Click here for nutritional information
Veggies + Feta Dill Dip
Prepping your veggies ahead and adding in a tasty dip encourages you to eat more veggies during the week!
Serves: 5
INGREDIENTS:
Feta Dill Yogurt Dip
- ¾ cup plain greek yogurt (regular yogurt also works)
- ⅓ cup avocado mayo
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 5 cups veggies of choice
DIRECTIONS:
- Stir together all dip ingredients.
- Divide amongst 5 small containers.
- Wash and portion out 5 servings of veggies (1-1.5 cups each).
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS:
- store in sealed containers in the fridge.
VARIATIONS
vegan: try this recipe
short cut: purchase pre-made dip and pre-washed veggies
click here for nutritional information
Produce
- 1 lime (optional)
- 5-7.5 cups veggies for dipping
- 4 cups of mixed veggies (broccoli, carrots & cauliflower)
Dairy/Meat
- 2 large chicken breasts (1 lb)
- Feta Cheese (⅓ cup)
- Plain Greek Yogurt (or regular) (¾ cup)
Pantry
- Lemon juice
- Lime juice
- olive oil
- rice (¾ cup)
- natural peanut or almond butter (just over ½ cup)
- rice vinegar
- sesame oil
- coconut oil
- Soy sauce (or Tamari/Coconut Aminos)
- maple syrup or honey
- Rice Krispies or brown rice cereal
- ground flax
- Regular or avocado mayonnaise
- chia seeds (optional)
- Peanuts (¼ cup- optional)
Spices & Baking
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- Dried dill
- rolled oats (old fashioned or large flake; not instant or quick)
- chocolate chips
That’s it for this week. GOOD LUCK in your first meal prep! Don’t forget to check in with the Facebook group, where I will be sharing a video meal prep tutorial, and for your chance to win a prize!
Cheers!
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