You know those prep-ahead clean eating lunch videos – often from Tasty? Well, I decided to give one a whirl.
Here’s the basic concept: pick 1 protein for 3-oz servings, 2 vegetables, and 1 gluten free carbohydrate (rice, potatoes, quinoa).
Mine: chicken breast with ginger aioli, brussels sprouts, asparagus and mushrooms, and creamer potatoes.
I took some help from my local Harris Teeter produce: cut and salt/pepper/garlicked brussels sprouts and asparagus pack ($3.99 each) and a ready-to-bake-in-pan package of creamer potatoes (also $3.99). The potatoes came with a seasoning packet, which I chose to use because the sodium was really, really low.
The only thing I made was garlic aioli. How? Peel some garlic – about 2 inches worth – and pour 1/4 cup of your good oil (olive, grapeseed, coconut) and a pinch of salt into your bullet blender and let it go. Then I brushed it directly onto my chicken breasts. I drizzled the little bit left over onto the brussels sprouts, just because.
Into a 450°F fully preheated oven for 30 minutes. That’s all it takes.
Let it cool and divvy it up into four microwave safe food storage containers. Voila. Lunch for the week – for me, at least, since I have only four days with a fixed lunch hour.
Cost Analysis
- $2.90 – Chicken Breast – one giant one from a 6-pack, cut into 4 pieces
- $3.99 – pre-cut asparagus with sliced mushrooms and minced garlic
- $3.99 – pre-cut brussels sprouts seasoned with salt and pepper
- $3.99 – creamer potatoes already in a baking pan and including seasonings
Total = $14.87
Cost per lunch = $3.72
