Healthy Lunch Planning for Busy Christian Women

Lunch often shows up like the forgotten middle child of meals. It doesn’t get the planning that dinner does, and it doesn’t have the urgency of breakfast. Before you know it, you’re standing in the kitchen, hungry, staring at random ingredients and wondering what to eat.

If you’ve been stuck in that cycle, I want you to know there’s a better way. You don’t need a new diet. You need a lunch rhythm that fits your life—and supports your calling.

Let’s walk through four simple steps to take the stress out of lunch planning while still getting in your protein, hitting your macros, and feeding your body with purpose.

Step 1: Evaluate What Lunch Actually Looks Like for You

Before you write a meal plan or scroll Pinterest, take a few minutes to get honest about what your real lunch rhythm looks like.

• Do you work from home or are you on the go?
• Do you have time to prep lunch in the moment?
• Do you like leftovers? Do you have access to them?

Shaela shares from her own experience:

“When we made leftover night a regular part of our dinner plan, suddenly my husband and I didn’t have anything to eat for lunch—and I hadn’t planned for that.”

The lesson? Leftovers only work for lunch if you’re planning enough extra food at dinner to cover it. If you’re not? That’s okay. Just acknowledge it and move to Step 2.

Step 2: Make a List of 7–15 Easy, High-Protein Lunches

Once you’ve evaluated your routine, it’s time to write a quick list of simple, protein-packed lunches that actually work for your schedule.

“The less you have to think every day or week, the more likely you’ll be able to eat well consistently.”

Shaela recommends at least 7 ideas—up to 15 if you like variety. Here are a few favorites from her kitchen:

• Rotisserie chicken with rice or a wrap
• Turkey and cheese wraps with hummus + veggies
• Cottage cheese with ranch seasoning + chips/veggies
• Greek yogurt with fruit, granola, peanut butter
• Protein shake + avocado toast
• Tuna salad (classic or paleo version with apples, almonds, cucumbers)
• Applegate turkey hot dogs with fruit
• Meal replacement smoothie (protein powder + fruit + nut butter)
• Fairlife shake with banana and peanut butter
• Sunday leftovers to clear out the fridge

Use these as inspiration—or build your own from scratch.

Step 3: Build a Rotating Monthly Lunch Menu

Now that you have your list of ideas, create a simple 5-week rotating menu. You can do this in a Word doc, Canva template, or binder page—whatever fits your style.

“This one decision took the thinking out of lunch for the rest of the month.”

Start by labeling Sunday–Saturday across 5 weeks. Then plug in your lunch ideas based on your schedule. Maybe Fridays are always smoothies, Sundays are leftovers, and Tuesdays are for tuna salad. Do what works for your rhythm.

Keep this menu visible—Shaela uses a binder, but you can go digital if that fits your lifestyle better. Either way, the key is to remove decision fatigue by following a repeatable plan.

Step 4: Decide When You’ll Prep Lunch

Last step—but it’s a big one. Don’t just plan the food. Plan when you’ll actually prep it.

“If you wait until you're hungry to make your lunch, you're going to get hangry—and then it’s game over.”

Consider:

• Can you prep the night before while making kids’ lunches?
• Will you prep in the morning after breakfast?
• Do you need to batch-prep on Sunday?
• Or are you prepping in real time during your lunch break?

It may vary based on your schedule (especially if you work part-time, are home some days, or homeschool), and that’s okay. What matters most is choosing a prep rhythm that supports your consistency and your peace.

Lunch doesn’t have to be an afterthought. With a little evaluation, some practical meal ideas, a rotating menu, and a clear prep rhythm, you can fuel your body with peace—not panic.

These four steps help you stay consistent with your nutrition goals without micromanaging every bite. Best of all? They support your energy and focus for the rest of the day—so you can keep showing up for your family, your work, and your walk with Christ.