Meal Prepping Just Got Easier with These Easy Breakfast and Lunch Recipes

Steel-cut oats have a wonderful chewy texture but can take a long time to cook. By soaking them overnight, all you have to do is heat them in the morning or you can eat them chilled. Chia seeds help to thicken the mixture and add creaminess. You can switch up these oats daily with different toppings of fruits, nuts, and jams.

Inspired by French financiers, these small cakes are dense with the warm flavors of almond, orange zest, and butter. The grapes become a little jammy after baking, which complements the cakes’ richness. One batch makes nine cakes, which means you can pack them into grab-and-go containers for a sweet treat to go with your morning coffee or tea.

This oatmeal recipe is perfect to replace sugar-filled packs of instant oatmeal; when stored airtight, it will keep for up to a month. You can portion your servings into plastic bags or containers to avoid measuring later; then all you have to do is add hot water to enjoy.

These elegant little toasts are an upgrade from avocado toast and make for easy preparation in advance. You can make the mashed fava mixture, boil and peel the eggs, and fill small sauce containers with the spiced mayo ahead; then all you have to do is assemble when you need a protein-packed snack.

Granola is an easy way to pack a handful of flavors into one simple dish. This recipe combines sesame seeds, almonds, and tart dried cherries, and it’s sweetened with honey instead of sugar. Whether you like to eat a handful of granola as a midday snack or by the spoonful with milk, this big batch is sure to last you the entire week and then some.

Lightly sweetened berries take the place of sugary jam or jelly in these quick breakfast sandwiches. If you’re eating them on the go, just wrap them in waxed paper for an easy handheld meal.

Congee and its variants are a staple throughout Asia, including Vietnam, where you’ll most commonly find people eating the comforting, soupy rice porridge at breakfast. Most of the work for the congee can be done ahead, like making the porridge base. Add water or broth to the base when you’re ready to eat it and top it with whatever you have on hand, like soft boiled eggs, green onions, and soy sauce.

These turnovers are sure to give you a pick-me-up as you make your way through your morning routine. The flakey crust combines cold butter with cream cheese to add richness while the filling takes advantage of zestiness from fresh lemon juice to balance the natural sweetness of fresh blackberries. Wrap these handheld pies in plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container so they stay fresh and crisp.

Smoothies are a great way to drink your breakfast if you don’t have the time to sit down for a full meal (or want to take something with you in the car). To make smoothie prep easier, pack the contents of each smoothie into a plastic bag or deli container, so all you have to do is dump it in the blender without shuffling ingredients in and out of the freezer or fridge.

The cream cheese and salmon in these wraps make for decadent breakfast burritos. If you’re in the mood for meat, you could easily substitute bacon or sausage for the fish. Prep as many burritos as you’ll want to eat at the beginning of the week and label them for each day of the week before sticking them in the freezer. To warm them up, pop one burrito in the microwave until the tortilla is soft and warm to the touch.

Welcome to our easy version of this Sichuan street-food classic, with ground chicken instead of pork, and fresh vegetables rather than preserved. These noodles lend themselves to a super easy big batch. If you want to skip the meat, you can leave out the ground chicken completely. Prep a few other proteins to add on top just before serving, like a tofu steak, seared salmon filet, or chicken breast.

This salad is packed with all of the good things you want in a hearty lunch entrée. Plus, the recipe makes enough for four servings, so you can easily pack it into multiple containers to enjoy throughout the week. The addition of fingerling potatoes, fennel, and fava beans adds filling and fresh flavors to the salad’s arugula base.

Making homemade chicken soup can take hours if you do it all from scratch. This recipe shortcuts time without forfeiting flavor. Start by removing the meat from a rotisserie chicken before using the remaining bones and carcass to make a rich and flavorful broth.

These rice bowls are another recipe that takes advantage of rotisserie chicken, though you can add whatever protein you like. The sweet and citrusy sauce lends well to tofu, pâté, chicken, or just plain noodles tossed with tons of fresh veggies.

Sheet pan recipes are a great option for prepping a handful of meals at once and this one can be made with a handful of different meats and vegetables. Swap chicken sausages for chicken thighs or Brussels sprouts for baby potatoes since they’re always a bit easier to find in the grocery store.

Kasha, or roasted buckwheat, is a hearty grain perfect for standing up to the kale and pancetta in this recipe. While the dish is great with a poached egg, it doesn’t make for the most meal prep-friendly offering. In this case, a soft boiled egg can take its place; it can be peeled while the kasha cooks.

Not all sauces taste good at room temperature. That is, except pesto. It is one of the few sauces that tastes as good warm as it does cold or at room temp. This recipe cooks zucchini with pasta in the same pot, so all you have to do is toss them with the fresh pesto and separate the mixture into single-serve containers.

Forget prepping a big batch of hot soup. This gazpacho recipe is even easier to eat on the go because it doesn’t need to be warmed up. Store it in a thermos that works for hot and cold so that it remains chilled as you go about your day. This recipe makes enough for 75 servings, so chances are you’ll want to cut it in half to make soups for a week or more. If you have extra, freeze it in individual servings so you can just defrost them as the craving strikes.

The most important part of prepping these flavor-packed noodles is the sauce. Do that ahead, then shortcut the noodles by buying packs of instant udon noodles. Toss them with the sauce just before serving to ensure they don’t get soggy or oversaturated.

You can basically meal prep your entire week’s worth of lunches with a few rotisserie chickens, and this recipe is another one to add to the list. This chicken salad isn’t a heavy one that relies on mayonnaise. Instead it focuses on fresh flavors like celery and herbs, tossed in a dressing of red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, and honey.