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How-To: Make Easy At-Home Lunches the Whole Family Will Like
Skinnytaste‘s Gina Homolka wants to help make lunchtime easier.
For some, working from home opened up a whole new world of gourmet, at-home lunches instead of sad desk salads. For others, it became one more thing to deal with in between Zoom calls and online classes. And if you have picky eaters refusing last night’s leftovers? Forget it. Skinnytaste’s Gina Homolka feels your pain. She understands that, for most of us, meal prep and time spent cooking has more than doubled, and her new book, Skinnytaste Meal Prep, is full of tips on getting through the week with ease. Here, she shares her tips for making your midday meal a breeze.
If you’re dealing with cooking burnout, yet you still want to eat healthy and not subsist solely on frozen pizza, the key is thinking (and working) ahead. Meal prep is essential to making your life easier and by prepping a few meals ahead or partially ahead on days you’re in a cooking groove, you’ll be so happy to find a healthy, home cooked meal that’s ready to warm up or pop in the oven, instant pot, or stove.
One of the ways I like to prep both lunches and dinners ahead is by cooking in bulk: roasting two chickens, cooking a batch of grains, and boiling a dozen eggs are all easy ways to simplify the work week. I love doubling down if I’m making taco meat or roasting veggies. It takes the same amount of time, and the extras get repurposed into salads and new dishes. And if you have the time during the weekends, prepping one or more recipes completely ahead is a great way to save time on those busy weeknights. Need some easy lunch ideas? Check out a few of my favorites from Skinnytaste Meal Prep, all of which are easy to make ahead.
Gina Homolka’s Tips for Effortless Lunches
- Try “Planned-Overs”: A meal you can make in bulk that can be re-utilized a different way for lunch or dinner so you (or your kids) don’t get tired of leftovers.
- Utilize Your Freezer!: I like to make freezer kits with my ingredients all prepped and ready to add to the stove, slow cooker, or instant pot. I also love to prep casseroles and dishes ahead to freeze, then pop in the oven on those crazy nights when there’s a lot going on.
- My Favorite Quick Lunch: I use what I usually have on hand, like some hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, and avocado. I season with some salt, crushed red pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil—it’s simple and delicious.
- Kids Are In Charge of Snacks: Let kids help themselves to snacks without needing to interrupt you. My daughter will pop some popcorn in the microwave and spritz it with olive oil and sea salt, or I’ll leave some grazing boards out with fruit, nuts, and veggies for all of us to snack on.
Some of Gina’s Favorite Recipes
Excerpted from Skinnytaste Meal Prep by Gina Homolka
Taco Salad
I’m not surprised this taco salad is a fan favorite on my blog—it’s easy and versatile, and literally everyone in our house loves it. The dressing is just jarred salsa mixed with olive oil and lime, making it super simple to assemble, but extra delish! This salad is fabulous for dinner or lunch, and if you’re packing it as a grab-and-go meal in the morning, just be sure to keep the greens and other salad components separate from the meat. That way, you can heat up the turkey before adding it to the salad.
SERVES 4
MEAT
- Olive oil spray
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder*
- 1⁄2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1⁄2 small onion, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
- 4 ounces canned tomato sauce
DRESSING
- 1⁄2 cup jarred mild salsa
- 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1⁄2 lime
SALAD
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- Greek yogurt or sour cream, for serving (optional)
- 1⁄2 cup shredded cheddar cheese*
- 4 lime wedges, for serving
*Read the label to be sure this product is gluten-free.
FRIDGE: UP TO 4 DAYS
Spray a large nonstick skillet with oil and set it over medium-high heat. Brown the turkey using a wooden spoon to break it into smaller pieces as it cooks. When no longer pink, add the garlic powder, cumin, salt, chili powder, paprika, and oregano and mix well. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, tomato sauce, and 1⁄2 cup water. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
While the meat is cooking, make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the salsa, olive oil, and lime juice.
SERVE NOW: Divide the lettuce among 4 plates. Top with the meat, then the pico de gallo, yogurt (if using), and cheese. Drizzle with the dressing and serve with the lime wedges alongside.
MEAL PREP: Divide the meat equally among 4 meal prep containers; the dressing among 4 small containers; the lettuce in 4 zip-top plastic bags; and the pico de gallo, yogurt (if using), and cheese in small containers. To serve, reheat the meat in the microwave or on the stovetop, then assemble the salad.
SKINNY SCOOP: For more protein and nutrition, add black or pinto beans to the turkey meat during cooking. You can also add crushed tortilla chips on top for texture, or swap the cheese for avocado to make it dairy-free.
Per Serving (1 salad) Calories 322 Fat 19.5 g Saturated Fat 6 g Cholesterol 99 mg Carbohydrate 12 g Fiber 3.5 g Protein 27 g Sugars 5 g Sodium 907 mg
Shrimp Salad with Dill
This creamy shrimp salad is one of my favorite dishes to keep on hand for the week. It’s so delicious, the biggest problem is that it takes all my willpower not to stand in front of the fridge and graze on it all day long! It’s even easier to make than egg salad; just be sure to cook the shrimp yourself with lemon—it only takes 2 to 3 minutes and is worth it for the best flavor. To keep it creamy yet light, I do a combo of mayo and yogurt mixed with celery for crunch and lots of fresh dill for flavor. In the summer I like to serve this lobster roll–style on top of a toasted split-top bun, or if I’m watching carbs, in lettuce wraps. You can even double the recipe to bring this to a potluck—trust me, everyone will thank you!
SERVES 4
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 1⁄4 pounds peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp
- 1⁄4 cup light mayonnaise
- 1⁄4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1⁄2 cup chopped celery
- 1⁄4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
- Pinch of kosher salt
FRIDGE: UP TO 4 DAYS
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1⁄2 of the lemon. When boiling, add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until just opaque and cooked through. Don’t overcook or they will become rubbery. Transfer to an ice bath to stop the shrimp from cooking.
Chop the shrimp and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the mayo, yogurt, celery, dill, onion, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and salt and mix well. Divide among 4 airtight containers and chill in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
SKINNY SCOOP: To turn this salad into shrimp rolls, place 4 hot dog buns on a platter, top each with 1⁄4 cup shredded lettuce and some sliced tomato, and top with the shrimp salad.
Per Serving (scant 1 cup) Calories 193 Fat 5.5 g Saturated Fat 1 g Cholesterol 175 mg Carbohydrate 6 g Fiber 1 g Protein 27 g Sugars 2 g Sodium 486 mg
Greek Chickpea Salad
I’m obsessed with chickpeas and with Greek salad, so this combo is one that I could eat every day! When I visited Greece, I ate traditional Greek salad every chance I got. Since they never use lettuce in the salad—just cucumbers, olives, red onion, bell pepper, and feta cheese—it’s perfect for meal prep because you don’t have to worry about the greens wilting. Fiber- and protein-packed canned chickpeas keep you feeling satiated longer, and it can’t get easier because there’s nothing to cook!
SERVES 4
SALAD
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas,* rinsed and drained
- 2 cups diced Persian cucumber
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 1⁄3 cups halved grape tomatoes
- 20 pitted Kalamata or Gaeta olives
- 1⁄4 cup sliced red onion (sliced lengthwise)
- 4 ounces fresh feta cheese, cut into 4 thick slices
DRESSING
- Juice of 2 fresh lemons
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
- 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
*Read the label to be sure this product is gluten-free.
FRIDGE: UP TO 5 DAYS
Prepare the salad: In each of four 4-cup containers or bowls, arrange 1⁄3 cup chickpeas, 1⁄2 cup cucumber, 1⁄4 bell pepper, 1⁄3 cup tomatoes, 5 olives, and 1 tablespoon red onion. Top each with 1 ounce feta.
Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste.
Serve about 1 1⁄2 tablespoons dressing on the side with each salad.
Per Serving (1 salad) Calories 335 Fat 17.5 g Saturated Fat 5.5 g Cholesterol 25 mg Carbohydrate 35 g Fiber 7 g Protein 13 g Sugars 5 g Sodium 793 mg
