September is synonymous with heading back to school, getting back into the routine and, of course, making packed lunches. For some, this period may also be the continuation of working remotely from home. But just because you are working from home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the time to eat well.
Here are some tips and ideas to help you prepare weekly lunches without having to rack your brain every day.
1 Foods to always have on hand
Here are some basic foods to stock your pantry and freezer with. They will be a life saver when you have nothing planned or are short on time.
- Canned legumes: Chickpeas, red or black beans and lentils will add flavour and colour to your salad or soup.
- Canned fish: Great for adding to sandwiches, topping salads or making fish cakes. Try this recipe by replacing the basa with canned salmon or tuna. https://www.rachellebery.ca/en/recipes/basa-fish-cakes-with-yogurt-sauce/
- Couscous and pasta: Couscous is the go-to grain when time is short since it can be prepared in a flash. You can also make a little extra to add to your next main-course salad. Pasta is my favourite when I’m short on time and ideas.
- Frozen vegetables: Don’t have time to stop by the grocery store for dinner? No problem! Sauté frozen vegetables and add some meat or tofu to make an Asian stir-fry.
- Canned tomatoes: Canned tomatoes, whole or diced, make it easy to whip up pasta sauce in minutes. Add a little cream to make a rosé sauce.
2 Back from the grocery store
To save time during the week, get into the habit of preparing your vegetables as soon as you return from the grocery store, before putting them away in the fridge. Wash and store them in airtight containers to make sure they stay fresh longer. You’ve already planned your meals for the week? Prepare the vegetables for the recipes you have planned. That way, they’ll be ready to use when it’s time to prepare the meal. For lunches, I like to put together a bag of mixed raw vegetables. Eaten with hummus, they make an ideal snack for when you get the munchies.
3 Make big batches
The quickest solution is to make a little extra when you are cooking dinner so that you can reheat the leftovers the next day for supper. But since many of us don’t want to eat the same thing two days in a row, another option is to make a big batch of some part of the meal to use in your lunches during the week. Here are some ideas to help you make delicious lunches faster.
Pasta: Planning to have pasta for supper? Simply to cook more than you need and use the leftovers to make a pasta salad for lunch. All you’ll have left to do is add some vegetables, legumes, cheese and your favourite dressing.
Chicken: Cooked chicken can be added to a multitude of dishes. Use it to make quick and easy sandwiches or to garnish a pizza or quesadilla.
Tofu: As with the vegetables, dice the tofu when you get home from the store and marinate it for added flavour. For an Asian twist, marinate with vegetable or sesame oil, soy sauce and honey or, for a more classic version, mix olive oil, lemon juice and nutritional yeast. You can use your marinated tofu in a baked dish, stir-fry or to garnish a salad.
Whether for lunches or suppers, meal planning saves time and avoids a lot hassle.
