It is a great idea to have quick and easy meal options on hand in your cabinet or fridge that you can take with you on the go.
This can help save you both time and effort when you are busy or just not feeling like cooking!
It also ensures that you are eating consistently throughout the day. This can help regulate your blood sugar levels and make sure you are getting the right amounts of nutrients that your body needs.
For more information on the importance of regulating blood sugar levels and preventing insulin resistance, check out our latest blog post on four tips that can help!
In this article, I will be giving you five quick and easy grab n’ go meal ideas that you can try. Make sure to save this for later when you are in a pinch or need meal inspiration!
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1. Make-Ahead Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are a great, quick option. You can meal prep them ahead of time and store them in your fridge for 2-3 days at a time!
One of the best parts about overnight oats is that you can personalize them to your liking by adding your favorite toppings and ingredients inside.
Here are the basics of how to make them:
- Add ½ cup rolled oats to a mason jar
- Top with ½ cup of your milk of choice
- 1 tbsp sweetener of choice (honey, agave, brown sugar!)
- 1 tbsp chia seeds (optional but makes them thick + adds fiber)
- Shake well!
Now it is time to add in your choice of toppings:
- Diced fruit
- Strawberries, bananas, blueberries, peaches, apples
- Cinnamon
- Sliced nuts or trail mix
- Peanut or nut butter of choice
- Coconut flakes
- Dried fruits
- Raisins, cranberries
And whatever else you’d like! Put the jars in the fridge + store them at least overnight.
You can eat them cold right out of the jar or heat them up on the stove.
Bonus tip: Add in protein powder for an added protein boost! Just make sure to shake well.
As you can see there are tons of different ingredients you can add to overnight oats! One of our personal favorites is peanut butter, banana, and cinnamon with vanilla protein powder.
2. Sandwiches and Wraps
Sandwiches and wraps are both good grab n’ go meal ideas! They are very versatile and easy to make.
My best tip is to start by having ingredients that you like for sandwiches or wrap on hand. This makes it simple for you to quickly assemble your sandwich or wrap before heading out the door!
Include a mix of protein, fats, and carbs with each sandwich or wrap to make a complete and balanced meal. You can also choose to layer on the vegetables such as lettuce, tomato, onion, and cucumbers.
Here are a few sandwich and wrap ideas that you can try:
- Chicken Caesar wrap (chicken, Caesar dressing, parmesan cheese, romaine lettuce, tortilla)
- Turkey and cranberry sandwich (turkey, dried cranberries, diced apples, spinach, white cheddar cheese, bread of choice)
- Breakfast burritos (eggs, bacon or meatless sausage, diced potatoes, peppers, tortilla)
- Tuna fish sandwich (canned tuna, mayo, celery, salt + pepper, lettuce, bread of choice)
Wraps such as breakfast burritos can be meal prepped ahead of time and frozen to eat later! This is a great hack to make the process quicker when you are busy or traveling.
3. Snack Boxes
Snack boxes are similar to lunch plates and bento boxes. They are a combination of different snacks/ingredients into a container with separate compartments.
They can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to three days. This makes them a quick and easy option when you are on the go.
Ideas for what to combine in your snack boxes:
- Protein options: hard-boiled eggs, roasted chickpeas, lunch meats, black beans, hummus
- Cubed cheese and crackers
- Pre-cut vegetables and hummus
- Whole fruits: grapes, peaches, kiwi
- Tortilla chips and guacamole
- Dark chocolate or candy pieces
- Trail mix with dried fruit
- Beef jerky + Babybel cheese + crackers
- Nut butter + apple slices
- Snap peas, olives, popcorn, tortilla wraps
These are just a few ideas- feel free to get creative with what is inside your own box!
Traveling or not able to prep these ahead of time? Many markets and coffee shops like Starbucks sell snack boxes that are a great choice as well.
4. Grain/Salad Jars
Grain or salad jars are pretty much how they sound- jars full of salad and grain ingredients!
Here’s how it works: you fill up a few mason jars with your favorite ingredients. We recommend including at least one grain, protein, and vegetable source to make it a balanced meal.
If you make 1-3 of them at once, then you can store them in your fridge to have prepped for later. Since they are in a jar you can just grab and bring them with you on the go- don’t forget silverware!
The step by step instructions go as follows:
- Fill the bottom of the jar with salad dressing
- Add your favorite toppings
- Protein: grilled chicken strips, canned tuna or salmon, turkey or black bean burgers, chickpeas, etc.
- Vegetables: cucumbers, carrots, beets, celery
- Extras: dried fruit, nuts, seeds, croutons, wonton strips
- Add your grain of choice: quinoa, rice, pasta noodles
- Top with greens: spinach, romaine, mixed greens, iceberg, etc.
A few of our favorite examples include:
- Taco bowl w/ Spanish rice (tortilla chips, grilled chicken, greens, tomatoes, black beans, Spanish rice, avocado dressing)
- Cobb salad w/ couscous (greens, bacon, egg, couscous, carrots, corn, cucumber, tomato, honey mustard dressing)
- Apple-feta w/ quinoa (sunflower seeds, greens, quinoa, feta cheese, apples, and vinaigrette)
5. Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits
Yogurt and fruit parfaits are a delicious and quick way to get some tasty foods into your day! They also can be prepped ahead of time and stored in your fridge.
Grab a few small containers or jars and fill them up as directed:
- Start with a base yogurt of your choice
- We love greek yogurt because it is high in protein! You can use cottage cheese for a more savory option
- Add your cut-up fruit of choice: berries, peaches, apples, mango
- Add granola or oats on top
- Use granola that has nuts in it for an extra boost of nutrients + protein
- Top with 1 tbsp of sweetener of choice if desired: honey, agave, maple syrup, etc.
& that’s it! You have a simple snack or breakfast option when you are on the go.
The Takeaway
These are just a few different grab n’ go meal ideas to give you a bit of food inspiration! The best part is you can tailor them to fit what foods you like the most and what you have access to.
As we go into Summer and any busy times of your life, keep this list on hand!
Looking for an extra set of support with your nutrition and meal planning? Please reach out to my team and me about our nutrition coaching services.