Meal prepping for breakfast, lunch, and dinner can be a total pain. And frankly, it’s not always possible for those with jam-packed schedules. But forgoing a healthy, muscle-fueling diet isn’t an option when you want to make gains. That’s why we love the idea of using leftovers to make protein-rich lunches for the week; it means there’s one less meal to stress about.
If you’re already cooking up basics like veggies, whole grains, and meat, the midday dishes you can create are truly endless—all it takes is a bit of imagination. From tacos to pizza, and everything in between, we’ve got the answers your lunchbox has been looking for. All of our ideas have about 25 to 30 grams of protein so you can stay on track with our beginner bodybuilder’s meal plan. And of course, feel free to add more veggies and protein to these dishes if you don’t think the portions will keep you satisfied ‘til your afternoon snack.
“When making fish or other proteins, cook extra so you can use it the next day to make tacos. Add the meat to two soft corn tortilla and top with some salsa, avocado, beans, and lettuce. The meat and beans will provide about 36 grams of protein, and the avocados will provide satiating, healthy fats. It’s delicious and nutritious all in one meal.”
To ensure you don’t wind up with a soggy lunch, combine the meat and beans in a container that you can reheat at work and pack up everything else separately. This way, when you assemble your taco, it tastes nice and fresh.
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Mediterranean Mix
Have a bunch of random things in your fridge?
“Think outside the box and create a multiple course meal to meet your nutritional needs,” suggests Heather Mangieri, M.S., R.D.N. “For example, a small plate of six olives, 1-ounce of cheese, six whole grain crackers, and 1 cup of raw veggies provides a nice balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. To round out your meal, have a 5-ounce container of Greek yogurt with some fresh berries for dessert.”
Not only does this meal have a wide array of nutrients, but it also serves up about 26 grams of protein.
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Protein Quinoa Bowl
If you follow a clean diet, you likely make giant batches of various veggies, proteins, and whole grains at the beginning of the week.
While you may typically enjoy each dish side-by-side on your dinner plate, why not use them to create a something a bit different for your midday meal?
To pull together a protein-packed quinoa bowl layer ¾ cup of quinoa or brown rice in a Tupperware container, along with ¾ cup of leafy greens, ½ cup of raw or roasted veggies, and ½ cup of chopped organic chicken, grass-fed steak, shrimp, ham, or beans.
The resulting dish will have about 31 grams of protein and at least 6 grams of satiating fiber.
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Green Meal Replacement Smoothie
“If it’s ripe fruit that you need to use up, consider making a balanced smoothie,” suggests Mangieri. This is a great go-to lunch when you’re at home and too busy to whip together a meal.
Blend 1 serving leftover fruit (1 cup or 1 piece) and a handful of greens, with 1½ cups milk, 3/4 scoop of unsweetened protein powder, and a drizzle of honey to create an on-the-go meal for hectic days.
“This blend provides about 28 grams of protein and 30 to 40 grams of carbohydrates, making it a well-rounded meal,” Mangieri notes.
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Leftover Soup
Transform culinary odds and ends into a muscle-fueling meal with the help of chicken or veggie stock. Simply toss low-sodium stock into a storage container along with leftover chopped and cooked veggies, grains, beans, and meat, and zap it in the office break room when you’re ready to manga.
“Half a cup of beans has about 8 grams of protein, 2.5-ounces of meat has about 18 grams of protein, and depending on the grain and veggie, you can get some extra protein source in the mix. With this meal, you’re guaranteed more than 26 grams of protein,” Koszyk says.
“Use a leftover pepper to make a fiber– and vegetarian protein-filled lunch by stuffing it with a blend of ⅓ cup quinoa, ⅓ cup beans, 3-ounces of leftover chicken, and vegetables,” Mangieri suggests.
This delicious combo will serve up an impressive 33 grams of protein. If you feel like the stuffed pepper needs some additional flavor, try adding some balsamic vinegar with some spices or a bit of salad dressing.
“One bell pepper provides almost 100 percent of your vitamin C needs for the day, and that’s important to support any type of serious training,” Mangieri adds.
If you have leftover ground beef from a meal earlier in the week, you could stuff that in the pepper as well. A 4-ounce serving provides 32 grams of muscle-building protein.
This idea requires you to think ahead a bit, but as you likely already know, meal prep is almost always worth the time and effort. It’s one of the best ways to ensure you have healthy grub in the house and ready to go!
To make this brunch-inspired dish, combine 8 whisked eggs, 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1/2 cup leftover cooked veggies, 1/2 cup leftover cooked meat, 1/2 cup cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Then, pour the mixture into a 9×9 greased baking dish.
Bake at 375ºF for approximately 45 minutes or until center is set.
Toss a quarter of the finished frittata into a plastic container along with a side salad for a meal that has about 26 grams of protein.
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Odds and Ends Salad
If veggies and proteins are mainstays in your diet, you likely have the makings of a lunch salad stashed in your kitchen.
Start with a bed of greens and then mix in leftover veggies (roasted or raw), leftover beans or whole grains (like brown rice), and 4-ounces of a leftover cooked protein (like chicken, steak, turkey, or fish).
Consider this your go-to meal for those busy days when you don’t have time to spare to fix a fancy lunch. Believe it or not, this combo packs about 30 grams of protein.
Come Friday you may feel like there’s hardly anything left in the house to make lunch. But as long as you have some odds and ends hanging around, you’ll likely be able to pull together a power plate.
The mix-and-match dish comes together by combining a serving of cooked protein with a cup leftover veggies and a serving of leftover whole grains.
“A 4-ounce serving of protein will provide you about 28 grams of the muscle-building nutrient. And if you serve it with a ½ cup of quinoa you can get an additional 4 grams of protein,” Koszyk notes, adding, “This major protein punch is perfect for a hearty recovery meal. Including the vegetables will make a complete, well-balanced plate full of vitamins and nutrients.”
Adding salt-free seasons or even a few dashes of hot sauce can make leftovers taste fresh and different than the first time you had them.
Instead, try Mangieri’s healthy twist on the Italian favorite. It serves up 30 grams of protein.
“Stuff a whole wheat pita with sauce, 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella cheese, and 3-ounces of chopped leftover chicken or steak to make a protein-packed pizza. Add leftover vegetables to boost the vitamins and minerals and fiber for a balanced meal,” Mangieri instructs.
When you’re ready to eat toss it into the break room microwave or toaster oven to melt the cheese. Alternatively, put the ingredients on top if you want something a little more traditional.
