Dinner One Day, Lunch the Next

Since my son’s still a preschooler, my family’s calendar has not yet reached the busy-schedule trifecta of soccer practice, endless homework and piano lessons. Yet we still find ourselves rushing at both the end of the day and the start of the next. Whether it comes down to getting dinner on the table quickly or remembering how to pack a lunch in the pre-coffee daze of the morning, we can all use a few tricks to make life easier.

That’s why I often turn to dinner recipes that make plenty of leftovers. By packaging single servings into reusable containers, I can be sure everyone has a nourishing, homemade meal at lunchtime.

Fortunately, it only requires a little extra work to make twice as much food. I’ve compiled some of my favorite dinner-to-lunch recipes that can be easily doubled to help you make it through another hectic week.

• Cold pasta salads are a snap to prepare and package for the next day. Try this Penne Primavera with Salmon opens in a new tab. (Not a crème fraîche fan? Swap it out with sour cream or Greek yogurt!)

• Curries make for excellent leftovers, as the spices only become more pronounced the next day. Our Tempeh Curry with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans opens in a new tab will hit the spot for a meatless meal. 

• For the ultimate in convenience, use your slow cooker! Slow Cooker Chickpea and Lentil Stew opens in a new tab and Slow Cooker Classic Pot Roast opens in a new tab are slow-simmered delights.

• Roast chicken is a meal that keeps on giving. Use the leftovers from Easy Marinated Roasted Chicken opens in a new tab to create our popular Sonoma Chicken Salad opens in a new tab.

• This Quick and Easy Veggie Chili opens in a new tab can be easily doubled for plenty of extra meals.

• Extend the special occasion of serving lamb with our Gyro-Style Lamb with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce over Quinoa opens in a new tab.

• Soups are simply perfect for multiple meals. Go vegetarian with our Coconut, Carrot and Chickpea Soup opens in a new tab or Pasta and Bean Soup with Kale opens in a new tab, or embrace your inner carnivore with Mini-Meatball Noodle Soup opens in a new tab.

• Quiche makes for excellent leftovers and can be customized endless ways. Pair with a salad for a complete meal. My favorites include Spinach, Mushroom and Swiss Crustless Quiche Squares opens in a new tab, Crustless Broccoli and Onion Quiche opens in a new tab, and Turkey and Roasted Vegetable Quiche opens in a new tab.