The Secret to Prepping Lunch You’ll Actually Eat

Making three meals a day, every day, for the rest of our lives feels like an impossible task. How can we keep it healthy, delicious, and exciting while also working and taking care of our families? The answer, for many, is meal prepping, AKA preparing food in advance, be it cooking rice, freezing large portions, or chopping fruits and veggies, so you can grab and go without fuss or frustration.  You can prep any dish, of course, but lunch is a great meal to start with. If you work, it’s a meal you may not have a ton of time to prepare, and if you’re in an office, it’s tempting to order out with the rest of your coworkers when you don’t have something tasty waiting in your lunchbox. 

The dishes are up to you, but to meal prep effectively, you need the right mindset and functional containers to hold your go-to ingredients. And if you’re staring into an abyss of beat-up, stained Tupperware or a sea of single-use plastic, it’s time to upgrade your food-storage solutions! 

_{Prices are accurate as of March 16, 2026. Subject to change.}

You Can’t Meal Prep Everything

Certain foods don’t hold up once they’ve been chopped or combined with other ingredients. So if you love avocados and cucumbers in your salads, wait until the morning of to toss them in. If you’ve already prepped everything else, you’ve saved yourself a ton of time by doing most of the legwork in advance. 

Plan Ahead, But Don’t Go Too Far

It’s easy to make five servings of chicken and rice on Sunday for the week ahead, but by Thursday, you might be ordering takeout instead out of pure boredom. Make smaller portions and different dish varieties to keep life easy and efficient without wasting money or food along the way! 

Or, instead of prepping entire meals in advance, pick a few foods that work in several dishes and prep by each ingredient instead. You can then put them together as you feel like each day. 

Still afraid you’ll be sick of your pre-planned daily options? Start slow! Vow to meal prep two or three days a week at first. Eventually, you’ll find your groove and enjoy all the delicious pre-planned provisions all week long!

Don’t Stress It

We should all probably be making healthier food choices, and meal prepping makes it possible to do that without thinking about it every single day. But don’t get stuck on the idea of constant variety and healthy-only options! If you have leftover spaghetti and meatballs from the night before, throw them in a container and take that for lunch the next day. It doesn’t always have to be protein-heavy meals with a side of veggies.

Save Your Takeout Containers

Whether you’ve received a quart of soup in a plastic jar or takeout in sectioned black containers, save them for future use! These nifty containers make the perfect vessel for salads and sides.

Our Favorite Meal Prep Containers

If you don’t get takeout as much as we do, we’ve compiled some of our favorite containers for different needs and preferences, from glass containers to smart storage systems, making it easier to find the perfect fit for you and your kitchen.

8-Piece Anyday Glass Food Storage Set

Anyday has received a ton of buzz for its sleek glass storage solutions that are free of harmful microplastics and coatings. Source exactly what you need, whether that’s the whole expansive set or single deep-dish sizes. The do-everything pieces are microwave, freezer, oven, and dishwasher-safe with secure airtight, leakproof lids, so you can go wild in the kitchen prepping, serving, and saving all your delicious cuisine!

OmieBox Bento Box

If you prefer one hard shell bento box to call your own, don’t pass up the OmieBox. This durable and fan-favorite food storage system is great for kids and grown-ups alike, with a built-in thermos insert, a removable ice pack, and a removable divider so you can customize meals exactly to your preference. I utilize this easy-to-organize container when I’m packing soups, pastas, breakfasts, or any meal that requires keeping food hot or cold for long periods of time. The versatility and functionality of the OmieBox make it a great option for work, school, or on-the-go meals, and the colorful hues bring a playful touch to mealtime prep. 

Silicone Freezer Trays

These freezer trays are a game-changer for meal prepping and food storage in general. They pop out individual portion sizes, so you don’t have to reheat the whole meal. If you’re saving leftovers or want to freeze things like pasta, soups, proteins, and sauces, these oven and dishwasher-safe containers are the perfect convenient solution. My favorite feature is how well they stack in my freezer, making it easy to knock out a ton of meal prep without compromising space. 

BeneLabel Stackable Jars

I recently upgraded to these twist-locking containers that make reaching for snacks on the go super convenient and organized. The leak-proof, air-tight containers come packaged with 7, 9, and 12-ounce sizes, so you can portion out exactly what you need. And while they’re meant for snacks, they work for keeping meal-prepped ingredients separate until you’re ready to combine them. The best part? The containers fit easily into a tote, beach bag, purse, or baby bag, so you can keep one with you wherever you venture. 

Featured Image Credit: Monika Grabkowska/ Unsplash+