Whether you have the luxury of a sit-down dinner every night or enjoy a desk dinner at work, this meal plan will save you time and help you eat well all month long.

Make the most of your precious time and get with the plan! Also be advised that some of these advertising partners may use cookies and web beacons on our site when you click through. You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices.

To better serve my readers, I have implemented Google Analytics cookies in order to better know visitor demographics. For opt outs, go here. Building a successful grab-and-go menu requires careful consideration of your customers' needs, careful food and packaging selection, and diligent marketing.

However, the potential benefits —increased customer satisfaction, higher sales, and a wider customer base — make it a worthwhile endeavor for any food business.

The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. How To Build A Grab and Go Menu. How To Build A Grab and Go Menu Last updated on: Aug 09, What To Keep In Mind When Building A Grab And Go Menu Before you start planning out your grab-and-go menu, there are several steps to take to ensure that you're putting out products customers will love while cutting food waste and costs when possible.

Keep in mind the demands of your customers: High-quality, fresh ingredients A multitude of options Easy carry-out process Helpful Tips For Grab And Go Menus Monitor food trends: A great way of expanding your grab-and-go menu's variety is by keeping up with new trends in food and beverage.

Customers these days pay extra attention to what goes into their foods, and organic or locally sourced options are usually bestsellers at most foodservice establishments. Accommodate dietary restrictions: By providing vegan, gluten-free or kosher options in your grab-and-go foods, your customers will appreciate the inclusivity to their needs and the variety provided!

Packaging is key: Grab-and-go crowds are attracted to the best quality foods they can find, and maintaining clear visibility in your packaging allows customers to see exactly what they're getting.

Go green: Ditch the traditional styrofoam carry out containers and opt for clear PLA plastic salad bowls, deli containers, and to go boxes with clear lids. Get creative with your food presentation: Carefully place colorful, bright ingredients at the top of your containers to show off your high-quality meals.

Your customers will appreciate the eye-catching displays and will reach for foods they already deem tasty just by looking at them. Plan out your weekly menus: Keep track of what's on your shelves by creating weekly menus in advance to maintain the highest quality in your grab-and-go meals.

Mark the "best if sold by" dates: To ensure your sandwiches, salads, and soup containers are fresh before putting them out on shelves, be sure to clearly label how long they're good for.

Your customers will appreciate being able to know the quality of their foods, which adds credibility to your business. Pro-tip: Figure out the buying patterns of your customers and accommodate prep days to make larger quantities of items that sell out the fastest. Choosing The Right Food Items The items you include in your grab-and-go menu should be a balance between what your customers want and what is practical for your business.

Consider the following factors when selecting food items: Portability: The food items should be easy to carry and eat on the go. This typically includes sandwiches, wraps, salads, pastries, and handheld snacks. Shelf Life: Ideally, you want items that can hold well for a few hours without losing their quality.

Easy and Quick Preparation: Given the nature of grab-and-go, the items should be quick to prepare and easy to package. Health Factor: Many customers prefer healthier options for quick meals, so consider including options with whole grains, lean proteins, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Building A Grab And Go Menu When you start building your first grab-and-go food concept, keep in mind your customers are already coming in for your delicious dishes, so your job is to meet their demand and find a way to make the same high-quality, fresh meals you serve portable.

Packaging Proper packaging is crucial for grab-and-go items. Types Of Packaging Plastic: Plastic containers are often chosen for their durability and versatility. With the help of our sheet-pan meal-prep chicken see associated recipe and some cooked whole grains, you can make these meal-prep bowls in just a few minutes!

Keep them in the fridge for an easy dinner on a busy weeknight or for healthy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week. Avocado makes an exceptionally creamy and healthful dressing for this chicken salad.

A bit of ranch dressing with pickled jalapeño adds a tangy spin to the lunchtime classic. Serve it on a slice of whole-wheat toast for an open-face sandwich or in a lettuce cup for a low-carb lunch. This wrap is stuffed with chicken tenders and couscous with a hit of lemon and a healthy dose of fresh herbs.

Save any leftovers to wrap up for an easy lunch. Serve with: Mixed green salad and a glass of crisp white wine. Take canned tuna to new heights by adding cannellini beans, red onion and dill, tossing it in a lemon-pepper-Dijon dressing and serving it over a spinach salad with canned beets.

Make your own cup of instant soup at home with this vegetarian ramen recipe. Pack several jars at once to take to work for easy lunches throughout the week.

Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. This copycat version of store-bought frozen burritos is perfect for meal prepping. Make a big batch to store in the freezer for healthy packable lunches or a quick campsite meal.

This flavorful burrito bowl features grilled chicken coated in a spicy chipotle glaze. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthier dinner. This single-serving recipe for Cobb salad swaps chicken in for bacon, which makes it a great source of protein for lunch.

If you prefer another salad dressing, feel free to use that instead of our honey-mustard vinaigrette. The ingredients in this vegan grain bowl recipe can be prepped ahead for an easy lunch to pack for work.

The tangy citrus dressing is a refreshing flavor with the sweet caramel of the roasted sheet-pan veggies. Enjoy this refreshing bento box idea over your lunch break that combines cucumber salad, hummus, pita and more for a satisfying work lunch. A Mexican-style torta is just like a burrito, except the "wrapper" is a hollowed-out roll instead of a tortilla.

Here it's filled with mashed spiced black beans and a quick guacamole. Take this vegetarian version to another level and add calcium by melting Monterey Jack cheese onto the bean side of the sandwich. Serve with: Grilled corn on the cob or Spanish rice.

In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.

Go light and fresh when you're craving pizza: these easy lettuce wraps have all the taste with fewer carbs and calories. This sweet twist on a classic tuna-salad sandwich is a healthy high-protein lunch that even your kids will love.

Skip the hassle of making sushi rolls at home and just go for this grain bowl. Start with a base of brown rice and add veggies, dressing and creamy avocado for a delicious and easy meal.

This cold noodle salad with peanut butter, snow pea pods, chicken, and bell pepper is easy to make ahead and pack for lunch. Looking for a clean, packable lunch for work? This healthy homemade chicken salad served inside an avocado instead of with bread is just the ticket.

Plus, this recipe makes enough for ready-made lunches for the week! Who says bento boxes are just for kids? This healthy bento-style lunch--loaded with clean, satisfying foods--is perfect to pack for work. Crunchy carrot, cucumber and scallions are a colorful addition to this vegetarian egg salad recipe.

Pack it with some crunchy crackers and tomatoes for a healthy, light lunch. In this healthy chicken sandwich recipe, the avocado is mashed to create a healthy creamy spread.

Toss leftover cooked chicken with barbecue sauce and crunchy carrots for a quick and healthy lunch.

4Moroccan salad in a jar 5Greek-style chicken quesadillas 6Vietnamese meatball lettuce wraps

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Affordable grab-and-go meals - 3Lamb with green pea hummus and white beans 4Moroccan salad in a jar 5Greek-style chicken quesadillas 6Vietnamese meatball lettuce wraps

You will be thrilled to have a stash of frozen burritos on hand that you can microwave for an instant healthy lunch or on-the-go dinner for a busy night. If you're a fan of the classic dipping duo of toasty grilled cheese and tomato soup, then you'll want to try this combo.

Cheese-filled pasta floating in an earthy tomato base gives you that same creamy and delicious mashup without all the crumbs. This family-friendly tomato tortellini soup is popular with kids, but adults will love it too, for both its flavor and less than 30 minutes of active cook time.

These quick couscous bowls come together in 20 minutes thanks to healthy convenience items like frozen falafel and steam-in-bag fresh green beans. Whisk together the simple tahini sauce while the other ingredients cook. This wrap is stuffed with chicken tenders and couscous with a hit of lemon and a healthy dose of fresh herbs.

Save any leftovers to wrap up for an easy lunch. Serve with: Mixed green salad and a glass of crisp white wine. Fresh or frozen ravioli cook in minutes and turn this light vegetable soup into a main course. Look for whole-wheat or whole-grain ravioli in the refrigerated or frozen section of the supermarket.

Tortellini can be used instead of ravioli as well. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell. These egg, bean and cheese burritos are designed to be made ahead and frozen.

They are perfect for busy days and make a satisfying breakfast or lunch. Protein-packed quinoa pairs with creamy avocado in this refreshing grain salad. It's the perfect make-ahead side dish to bring on a picnic or take to a potluck. Or pack it for lunch or enjoy it as a light dinner.

This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don't need to massage or cook it to make it tender.

Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Use profiles to select personalised content. These are designed to cater to customers who want to enjoy their meals without the typical sit-down experience, either due to time constraints or personal preference.

If you're running a restaurant, café, food truck, or any food-related business, developing a well-curated grab-and-go menu can be an excellent opportunity for growth.

Here's how to create a successful grab-and-go menu for your business. Grab-and-go foods are premade and prepackaged meals and snacks offered as an alternative way of dining in cafés, bakeries, grocery stores, colleges, hotels, and other establishments.

However, customers aren't looking for boring options like the average ham and cheese sandwich. Customers most attracted to grab-and-go foods want their meals to be as high-quality, diverse, and delicious as they would be in a restaurant. If you're looking to keep customers satisfied outside of your establishment, consider adding grab-and-go healthy breakfast options or grab-and-go lunches to your weekly menu.

Set up a small station where customers can easily come in and choose their upcoming meal, and provide a mouthwatering selection customers can't wait to get their hands on.

Before you start planning out your grab-and-go menu, there are several steps to take to ensure that you're putting out products customers will love while cutting food waste and costs when possible.

The items you include in your grab-and-go menu should be a balance between what your customers want and what is practical for your business. Consider the following factors when selecting food items:. When you start building your first grab-and-go food concept, keep in mind your customers are already coming in for your delicious dishes, so your job is to meet their demand and find a way to make the same high-quality, fresh meals you serve portable.

Above all, customers who tend to reach for grab-and-go foods usually want breakfast, lunch, and snack options. It's important to create an extensive menu filled with a variety of classic dishes, customer favorites, and more.

Once your menu is ready, it's time to let your customers know. Use all your marketing channels — your website, social media, email newsletters, in-store signage — to advertise your new offerings.

Consider offering deals or specials initially to entice customers to try your new menu. Proper packaging is crucial for grab-and-go items. Not only does it need to maintain the quality and temperature of the food, but it also needs to be easy to handle.

Use sturdy, leak-proof containers, and make sure the packaging is eco-friendly, as this is an important consideration for many consumers. The primary function of packaging is to protect the food, maintaining its quality and preventing any leaks or spills.

However, modern consumers also value convenience. Therefore, consider packaging features that enhance usability. For instance:. Remember, the goal of excellent packaging is twofold: to ensure the food remains delicious and appealing and to offer a convenient and pleasant customer experience.

Making informed choices about your packaging materials, design, and functionality can significantly contribute to the success of your grab-and-go offerings.

On her blog, she shares simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, workouts and snapshots of her life. Follow her on Twitter LeanGrnBeanBlog and Instagram TheLeanGreenBean and be sure to subscribe via RSS or email so you never miss a post!

think you can come make these for me today? And bring squish! I love these. Great roundup 🙂. OMG I need these! Thank you for all these great ideas! This is awesome!

Plus, they all look incredible! These are so great.. I just pinned for meal planning soon. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar shares. Hi Friends! Breakfast Blueberry Baked Oatmeal Singles via Emily Bites Customize with your favorite fruit. Toss them in the microwave for a few seconds before you head out the door or eat them cold!

Breakfast Banana Pops via Chocolate Covered Katie A fun, yet nutritious breakfast for those busy mornings with the kids. Try it in place of oatmeal for a quick breakfast.

Grab and Go Omelette In A Bag via Lovely Bits Let this cook while you get ready, wrap in foil and eat it during your commute. Grab and Go Breakfast Cakes via Wholehearted Eats Nutritious and super portable!

Lunch Strawberry Spinach Mason Jar Salad via Eating Bird Food Easy to make several ahead of time and throw in your lunchbox all week.