Happy New Year! Can you believe it’s already 2026? Somehow 2025 flew by faster than ever. One of my most popular blog posts has always been my “Let’s Do Lunch” post, where I shared all of my go-to meal prep recipes and I honestly can’t believe I first wrote it back in 2023. That alone felt like the perfect sign it was time for a little refresh.

The past few years we’ve had an exceptionally long holiday break from school, and we’re heading back tomorrow after two full weeks off. It was such a much-needed reset, and I’m going back feeling refreshed. Over the break, I received a Garmin Vivoactive watch for Christmas and have been having so much fun tracking workouts, stress, and one of my favorites — sleep. Let’s just say my body clearly needed the rest… I had a few nights where I slept a full ten hours, which basically never happens.

With a new year, I know so many of us are setting (or resetting) goals around movement, balance, and what we’re eating. These are the meal prep recipes I truly keep coming back to and the ones that make busy weeks feel manageable. As someone who works a lot, I’m always looking for meals that are simple to make, don’t require a ton of ingredients, and actually save me time throughout the week. They’re easy, realistic, and most importantly, make weekday lunches something to look forward to — which is always the goal. I’m going to share a few of my go-to recipes and snacks below, as well as a ‘shop’ with all of my favorite meal prep products that I’ve acquired throughout the last few years. I hope you enjoy and are able to make some delicious lunches for yourself!

LUNCH RECIPES 

CHICKEN MEATBALLS

I included the recipe for these in my 2023 post and still make these so often. I also have gotten my family, Jax’s family, friends, etc. hooked. It’s such an easy and affordable recipe with great flavor and so many ways to pair them. Here is the recipe for the meatballs, and I’m also going to share a few of my favorite ways to serve these!

• 2 lbs ground chicken, 2 eggs (beat them first), 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1 cup finely grated parm, and a few minced garlic cloves!
• Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes and then brush them with oil ( I like to use basting oil for added flavor) and broil for another 5 minutes until golden brown.
• Note: I personally like to keep the meatballs unseasoned when I bake them, which gives me more freedom to use them across a variety of recipes.

WAYS TO SERVE:

1. Greek Bowls: I’m making these for lunch this week! Simply serve 2-3 chicken meatballs over brown rice (or rice pilaf for a bit more flavor) with cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and greek yogurt tzatziki sauce. I bought this tzatziki seasoning blend at a local farmers market and simply mix this with plain greek yogurt. You can also add feta cheese, side pita, more veggies, etc. to customize it for your personal preferences.
2. Arugula Salad Bowl: This recipe is SO easy and delicious. Start off by making a small arugula salad with fresh parmesan cheese. I serve this with 2-3 chicken meatballs and add a lemon vinaigrette when I’m ready to eat! If you live near a Wegmans this is my go-to dressing- I’m sure they have something similar at your grocery store too! I love this one because it is very light and refreshing. Note: I do remove the meatballs from the bowl and warm them up a bit at work.
3. Pesto Pasta: Another super simple way to serve chicken meatballs is with a side of pesto pasta, I find pesto reheats a bit better than red sauce but if you are someone who works from home red sauce is another great option. I usually make chickpea pasta or rigatoni with a generous amount of pesto and add a little fresh parm. I’ll serve this with 2-3 chicken meatballs.
4. Harvest Bowls: You’ve probably had some form of these before, but another easy way to serve chicken meatballs is with roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, kale, apples, etc! You can really add so much to these- they are packed with flavor.
5. Honey Garlic Chicken Meatballs: The hardest part about this recipe is the sauce! For this recipe all you need is white rice, broccoli, and your chicken meatballs tossed in honey garlic sauce. Sharing the recipe for the sauce below, this is a smaller amount of sauce which I find to be perfect for meal prep. You can top this recipe with sesame seeds and green onion!

Heat olive oil in a pan and add garlic until fragrant, and add your honey, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar. Let all of this summer until it begins to simmer and thicken a bit. Toss your meatballs in the sauce and add to your bowl with rice + broccoli. 

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

TURKEY TACO BOWLS

I personally have been enjoying ground turkey recently because not only do I still love the flavor, but it typically is lower in fat/ calories and I find it reheats very well! For these bowls I usually use Siete Taco seasoning to prepare my ground turkey. I serve this over brown rice and add things like black beans, peppers, red onion, and fresh cilantro. You can top with a little cheese too when reheating!

LEMON CHICKEN, BROCCOLI & RICE

This is nothing groundbreaking, but a go-to recipe if I don’t have a lot of time to shop and prep. I will marinate a few chicken breasts in a lemon garlic marinate and then cook these in a pan. Once they are cooked I will serve with rice and broccoli, simple and easy!

APPLE & WALNUT SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE

My mom makes this often and it’s always a crowd favorite! It’s packed with flavor and is so simple to put together. Recipe here.

SWEET POTATO TACOS

These have been a go-to for me for both lunches & dinners! Delicious and simple ingredients.

GO-TO SNACKS 

1. Fruit / Fruit Salad (THIS ONE is so delicious and I find keeps very well)
2. Beef Sticks (I typically buy Chomps or
3. Apple Slices with Almond or Peanut Butter
4. Almond Butter Stuffed Pretzels (I find mine at Aldi)
5. Healthy Snickers  (great to make ahead and keep in the freezer)
6. Masa Chips + Pico or Guacamole
7. That’s It Fruit Bars
8. String Cheese (so easy for me to grab and snack on at work)
9. Hummus with Crackers / Veggies (I LOVE these crackers)
10. Rice Cakes (can be served sweet or savory- I personally like to add nut butter, banana, and cinnamon)

SHOP MY MEAL PREP FAVORITES

Thanks for reading!