You want to prepare delicious and healthy lunches, but you’re on a tight budget and short on time. You can simplify lunch preparation in several ways. Instead of preparing hot lunches daily, you can buy cold cuts on sale and prep sandwiches in bulk for serving throughout the week. Select a handful of lunch recipes that everyone likes and rotate these every week. This reduces food waste, and everyone is happy. Salads are easy to make, and they’re a good substitute for hot lunches. Here are some simple lunches that save time and money.
Tuna and Pasta Salad
Stores usually have sales on canned tuna, and you can stock up on these to make quick lunches. Pasta is also a cheap staple to have. In a medium bowl, stir:
- Four cans of drained tuna
- Three teaspoons of salt
- Three teaspoons of black pepper
- Three teaspoons of granulated garlic
- Two teaspoons of crushed red pepper
- Two cups of chopped red bell peppers
- Small can of sliced black olives
- Crushed basil leaves
- One pound of cooked pasta
- A fourth cup of Italian salad dressing
You can store the salad in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Ham Lettuce Wraps
If you have ham and lettuce in your pantry, skip the bread and make ham lettuce wraps instead. To make the ham filling, combine two cups of diced ham, a half cup of diced celery, a fourth cup of chopped red onion, a cup of plain yogurt, salt, black pepper, a third cup of diced green onions, and three teaspoons of garlic powder. Fill four to eight lettuce leaves with the mixture and fold the leaves into wraps.
Chickpea and Quinoa Veggie Bowl
In a medium bowl, combine a cup of cooked quinoa, a half cup of chickpeas, a fourth cup of diced zucchini, one diced red onion, a third cup of diced tomatoes, a third cup of diced celery, salt, black pepper, and a third cup of green peas. Mix well and serve.
Turkey Spinach Salad
If you have leftover turkey breasts and spinach, this is a quick and healthy lunch to make. In a bowl, mix two cups of diced cooked turkey breasts, three cups of fresh spinach, a third cup of diced tomatoes, a fourth cup of diced jalapeno peppers, a half cup of diced cucumbers, your favorite spices, and a third cup of lemon vinaigrette. To make the vinaigrette, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
Savory Pancakes
Pancakes aren’t just for breakfast. You can make savory pancakes for an inexpensive and delicious lunch. Some ingredients you can mix in the pancakes are:
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Vegetables
- Herbs
- Chopped ham or smoked sausage
- Spinach
- Shredded cabbage
- Bacon pieces
If you’re doing meal prep, prepare a few batches of savory pancakes and place them on sheets of parchment paper. Wrap the pancakes in the parchment paper and place them in large storage bags before freezing.
Fried Eggplant Slices
Simple lunches don’t always have to involve meat and bread. Vegetables make great main courses too. One example is fried eggplant slices. My late grandmother had a garden she loved, and grew eggplant occasionally. I remember when she harvested the eggplant and gave my mother a few to fry. The eggplant slices were delicious and tasted great with cheese sauce and cocktail sauce. Cut two eggplant into medium slices and sprinkle them with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder on both sides. Dredge the eggplant slices in flour and then dredge them in an egg mixture. Finally, dredge the slices in breadcrumbs. In a skillet with hot oil, fry a few slices at a time for five minutes per side. Serve with cocktail sauce.
Salmon Burgers
Fresh salmon can be expensive, but canned salmon costs less. If the store has sales on canned salmon, stock up and make salmon burgers for lunch. Salmon is also a solid source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. In a medium bowl, combine:
- Two cans of drained salmon (bones and extra skin removed)
- 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 3 teaspoons of mayonnaise
- Salt
- Crushed red pepper
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Onion powder
- A few dashes of hot sauce
Shape the mixture into patties and refrigerate for an hour. Let the patties sit at room temperature while heating oil in a large skillet. Place a few patties in the skillet at a time and cook for five minutes on both sides. Serve with a salad or on toasted buns.
Veggie Nachos
Instead of tortilla chips, substitute your favorite vegetables as the base for your nachos. Cut red or yellow bell peppers into medium slices. Other vegetables you can use are zucchini, roasted squash, sweet potato slices, or baked cauliflower chips. In a medium skillet with oil, saute a half cup of diced onions, a third cup of celery, a fourth cup of diced garlic, and spices. Add a cup of drained pinto beans and mix well. Pour the mixture over the vegetable slices and top with cheddar cheese. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes, then serve.
Sloppy Joes
The kids will enjoy this tasty (and messy) dish! In a medium skillet with oil, saute:
- One pound of ground beef
- A half cup of diced carrots
- A third cup of green peas
- One cup of diced onions
- Three crushed garlic cloves
Add a can of tomato sauce, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Put the mixture on the bottom buns and top with the remaining buns.
Burrito in a Jar
At the bottom of the mason jar, layer refried beans. Then layer cooked brown rice, black beans, cooked ground beef, and shredded cheese. If you’re not freezing the burrito for later use, top the layers with sour cream for extra flavor.
Whether you’re looking for a healthier lunch or tired of eating the same meals, these simple lunches are tasty, affordable, and good for your body, too. Rotate these recipes all summer long and make your own variations of them.