March 10 is National Pack Your Lunch Day!
Is there anything more frustrating than realizing you don’t have a lunch prepared in the morning when you are rushing to get out the door? Today is National Pack Your Lunch Day, and I am sharing four easy recipes that you can make for the week. This will make bringing your lunch easier. Prep these ahead of time on Sunday afternoons to make packing your lunch that week a breeze! Each recipe will make at least 3-4 days worth of lunch. You can find our downloadable recipe cards under each recipe! Be sure to tag @stlouis_mom and me, @abbykristine16,in your meal prep. Happy lunch packing!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of chopped or pulled chicken (this could be canned, rotisserie, roasted, smoked, whatever works for you)
- 3/4 cup of mayo (homemade mayo recipe found on my profile)
- 4 tsp of ranch seasoning
- 8 slices of bacon (cooked and chopped)
- 1 cup of cheddar cheese (I did Mexican)
Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix up! Serve with crackers, put onto a sandwich, either way, it’s a delicious easy meal!
This makes enough for about 3 meals.
Chicken Burrito Bowls
Ingredients:
- 1 or more chicken breasts, diced
- 1 cup of long-grain white rice (Not minute rice)
- 2 cups chicken stock or bone broth
- 1 can of corn
- 1 can of Rotel
- 1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 packet of taco seasoning
- Mexican shredded cheese
Chop chicken and add it to the instant pot, top with broth, rice, corn, Rotel, taco seasoning, and black beans. Mix together making sure the rice is fully submerged.
Cook for 10 minutes on rice setting in the instant pot. Immediately quick pressure release.
Pull out chicken and shred, then add back in to rice mixture. Fluff rice with a fork and top with cheese. Add other toppings to your bowl, like avocado or sour cream!
This makes enough for 4-5 meals.
Grilled Steak Bowls
Ingredients:
- 1-2 cooked steaks (marinade in balsamic and garlic) or grass-fed sirloin steak slices from Costco
- 2 boxes of Cilantro Lime Rice
- 3 bell peppers (+ any other veggies that sound good)
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt + Pepper
Cook rice per box instructions
Preheat oven to 400.
Chop veggies and toss in balsamic, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake for 15 minutes or until desired texture.
Cook steak and slice.
Assemble your bowls- rice first, then veggies, then steak!
Makes 5-6 bowls.
Big Mac Mason Jar Salad
Recipe adapted from @cleanmondaymeals
Ingredients:
- 1 lb cooked ground beef
- 4 tbsp mustard
- 1/4 cup pickle brine
- salt + pepper
- 2 tsp garlic
- 2 tsp season salt
- Shredded lettuce
- 1 tomato (diced)
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup relish
- 2 tsp onion powder
Cook ground beef to temperature, drain grease, then add in mustard, pickle brine, salt and pepper, garlic, and season salt- stir to combine.
Once combined, allow ground beef to cool.
In a separate bowl, mix the ingredients for dressing.
Grab 4 1-quart wide mouth mason jars, place equal amounts of dressing in the bottom of all 4 jars.
Then add in the cooled ground beef.
Next top with onion and tomato.
Finally add the lettuce on top and add on a reusable lid!
When you are ready to eat, either shake and mix the jar or pour into a bowl and stir.
Makes 4 1-quart wide mouth mason jars.
Happy Lunch Packing!
