The High-Protein, High-Fiber Lunch I Meal-Prep on Repeat

I am hard-core when it comes to meal planning. Seriously. I even have a spreadsheet. Since I usually go grocery shopping on Sundays, I’ll try to plot out meals for the week on the Friday or Saturday before. I’ll plug in breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas and assess what things will have leftovers for the next day or so, which helps ensure that I don’t plan to cook more meals than I need. With everything plotted out in the spreadsheet, I can see what the week’s meals look like at a glance and then make a shopping list.

I have found meal planning like this helpful for several reasons: 

• Knowing what’s on the menu all week helps me make a detailed grocery list, ensuring that I get everything I need and—besides the occasional impulse-buy—nothing that I don’t. 
• Making use of everything I buy at the grocery store, along with whatever pantry items I need, helps me cut back on food waste. 
• Any time I see a recipe I want to make, I can add it to the spreadsheet for upcoming meal inspiration.
• Planning out my meals helps me ensure that I’m getting necessary nutrients, like plenty of protein and fiber, every day. 

I will say that even though I love meal planning, I don’t love meal prepping. I can usually make it through three or four days of eating the same thing, but then I want to mix it up. And I’m also picky about what sorts of things I will make ahead and store. (You won’t find me refrigerating tomatoes!) But I also don’t have time in the middle of the workday to stare blankly into the fridge and try to will a meal to come together, so sometimes a little meal prepping is necessary.

That’s why I was happy to find our recipe for Spinach & Feta Turkey Meatballs with Herbed Quinoa. It makes four servings and keeps for four days in the fridge. It’s the perfect thing to prep on a Sunday and enjoy for lunch over the next few days.

The combination of turkey meatballs and quinoa packs each serving with 32 grams of protein. Plus the veggies and quinoa provide 6 grams of fiber. Protein is super-important to me, as someone who runs and strength-trains regularly. If you’re trying to build muscle or just maintain muscle mass, protein is critical. And both protein and fiber help you feel full and satisfied after meals.

To make these delicious lunches for the week ahead, you’ll start by cooking some quinoa. First, rinse the quinoa if it is not prewashed to eliminate saponins, naturally occurring chemicals that taste bitter. Then you can simply simmer the quinoa in water or broth until it is tender. To help it cool quickly, I spread it on a rimmed baking sheet. (If you make more quinoa than the recipe calls for, you can freeze the rest and get ahead for the next time you make this dish.)

Then, while the quinoa is cooling, you can work on the meatballs. I am a big fan of ground turkey. I feel like it’s an easy way to add protein to meals, whether you just sauté it or turn it into meatballs or burgers. Here, meatballs are just right for portioning out into meals for the week. 

You’ll mix the turkey with some thawed frozen spinach (be sure to squeeze it dry to get rid of any excess moisture), crumbled feta cheese and a little garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. (Notice I didn’t say breadcrumbs? That’s right; this recipe is gluten-free.) Then simply divide the mixture into 12 portions and roll them into balls. I like to divide the mixture into quarters and then divide each quarter into thirds to get similar-size meatballs.

The meatballs get cooked in a pan right on the stove, and since the pan is just coated with cooking spray, there’s no splatter to worry about. You’ll want to make sure the meatballs get good and browned all over and that they register 165°F inside. My stove tends to run a bit hot, so if I find that the meatballs are browning deeply before they’re cooked through, I’ll lower the heat and throw a lid on the pan for a few minutes. Just be careful not to overcook them, as the lean turkey can dry out. 

Then it’s time to finish the quinoa. Transfer it to a bowl and stir in some lemon juice, olive oil, chopped parsley and mint and a little salt and pepper. I love the freshness the herbs add.

If you’re fully into meal prepping, you can divide the quinoa and meatballs among individual containers and add sliced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes to each. Remember how I said I’m picky about what I prep ahead? I like to refrigerate the meatballs and quinoa separately, and then each day when I’m ready to have them for lunch, I’ll portion them into my bowl and then slice the cucumbers and add them, along with the tomatoes. It’s really up to you how you want to do it.

The meatballs are supposed to be served with tzatziki, which you can make or buy. I love tzatziki, but to switch it up sometimes, I also like to serve the meatballs with Whole Foods’ 365 Organic Avocado Greek Yogurt Dressing. I always have a bottle in the fridge, and it’s easy to just drizzle some in my bowl. The tanginess of the dressing is perfect here.

You can reheat the meatballs before serving if you like, but I think they’re great cold as well. So if you’re in a rush or don’t have access to a microwave, you always have that option. The bowls are incredibly filling but don’t leave you feeling like you just ate a big meal. For me, they take care of my afternoon hunger and give me energy to make it through the rest of the day. Next time you need a make-ahead lunch idea that’s packed with protein and fiber, I hope you’ll try this recipe.