This single-serving weeklong lunch system is perfect for teachers, office jobs, busy parents, and anyone who is short on time. Prep a little on Sunday, remix what you make into single-serving lunches all week with a couple minutes each morning.
It’s really still summer—it was 100º here yesterday!—but the kids are also really going back to school. At least I think they are… my youngest has his first day of kindergarten next week, and by the looks of my calendar, you’d think I was a teacher at one (or both?) of the schools myself.
It’s just pure chaos, all the time. I blame myself, I guess; I get involved in all the school things and end up with all the school things clogging my calendar. But I feel that the ability to give my time and talents back to the [really amazing] community is a privilege in and of itself, so I do it.
And I love it.
BUT I’m gonna complain about it right now.
It’s really throwing a wrench into my meals, too, which, if you know me… are like my main priorities in life. I’m not a meal skipper. I never “forget” to eat. I plan my entire day around when I’m stopping for lunch, which I eat cross-legged on the couch in front of an episode of Gilmore Girls.
But right now? I actually forgot to stop and eat yesterday. So the last thing I have time for is spending much time to make anything each day, which is why I created this
Lunch remix system.
Here’s the basic concept: you do a little prep work on Sunday, then remix your prepped ingredients all week into single-serving meals. Each week has a theme, of course, but we mix and match ingredients into different meals each day, with just a minute or two of effort.
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Here’s what we’re making throughout the week:
Loaded Taco Chicken Burrito Bowl
Walking Taco
Single-Serve Chicken Tortilla Soup (made in my beloved tiny Crockpot)
Crispy Southwest Chicken Burrito
Crunchy Taco Chicken Salad
Bonus: Loaded Taco Chicken Nachos
And here’s what we’re prepping on Sunday:
Salsa taco chicken (in the Crockpot or Instant Pot!)
Cilantro-lime rice
Super quickly seasoned black beans
Corn
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Chopped cilantro
This is solving at least one of my problems right now, and I’ll take all the help I can get. No more sad store-bought wraps, no more diarrhea lettuce salad kits, no more overpriced delivery… Just flavorful lunches I actually look forward to.
Taco Chicken Week Shopping List
Serves: 4-5 dinners (or 5 single-serving dinners for one person with a little extra)
Protein
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Pantry
1 packet taco seasoning (or about 2 tablespoons homemade)
1 (16-ounce) jar salsa
2 cups jasmine rice (dry)
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans
1 (15-ounce) can sweet corn, drained
1 (32-ounce) carton chicken broth
Tortilla strips or tortilla chips
