27 Quick Dinners That Make Great Lunches the Next Day

Dinner recipes that do double duty as both a weeknight meal one night and lunch(es) the next are my ace in the hole! Here are some of my favorite dinners-turned-lunches to carry you through more than one meal.

Dinners that turn into tomorrow’s lunches are kinda like a superhero, if you think about it.

Remember how Clark Kent ducked into a telephone booth and emerged as Superman?

Now, compare that to dinner that makes banging leftovers.

Both save lives.

Both lead double lives.

Both are kinda dreamboat-ish.

And there is nothing I love more during a busy week than knowing my efforts aren’t going to waste.

Because while technically every dinner can turn into leftovers, we all know that not all dinner recipes are created equal in the next-day’s-meal department.

Not everything tastes good the day after it’s made.

Not every dinner recipe travels well to work or school.

So I set about to create a list of dinners turned lunches that worked.

These are dinners turned lunch that taste good the next day, held up well in a lunchbox, and didn’t involve fifty million steps to get us there.

Here’s what I consider a great dinner turned lunch recipe:

-The dinner part has to be relatively simple

-It can’t get soggy or mushy before it’s eaten again

-No heavy cheese or cream sauces that mask boring flavors.

-Kids have to enjoy it.

-You can pull it from the fridge, reheat, and eat as is: no adding wraps or buns or anything extra on the side.

-Healthy-ish.

Ok, ready for the list of AMAZING easy dinners that make great lunches the next day?

But first! I’ve got a FREE pack of my favorite tried-and-true meal planning shortcuts, dinner ideas, plans and outlines- just for you! Click the image below to download your copy.

Vegetarian

Roasted Carrot Soup from Well Plated

Spicy Brazilian Burrito Bowls from Pinch of Yum

Spicy Spaghetti Squash Noodles from Paleo Gluten Free

General Tso’s Chickpeas from Yup It’s Vegan

Weeknight Kimchi Fried Rice with Vegetables from Percolate Kitchen

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells from Love and Lemons

Curried Chickpea Bowls from Eating Bird Food

Mediterranean Vegan Bowl from Culinary Hill

Beef/Pork

Salami, Jalapeno and Olive Pizza  from the Modern Proper

Butter Garlic Herb Steak Foil Packets from the Recipe Critic

Honey Sriracha Glazed Meatballs from Eat Yourself Skinny

Pork Carnitas Meal Prep Bowls from Eazy Peazy Mealz

Korean Beef Bowls from The Whole Kitchen Sink

Beef and Broccoli from Life Made Sweeter

Smoked Kielbasa, Beer, and Vegetable Chowder  from Percolate Kitchen

20-Minute Beef Lo Mein with Bok Choy from Percolate Kitchen

Chicken

One Pan Honey Lemon Chicken and Asparagus from Cafe Delites

Creamy Salsa Verde Chicken and Veggies Foil Pack from Chelsea’s Messy Apron

Cashew Chicken Sheet Pan Meal form Life Made Sweeter

Italian Chicken Sheet Pan Meal from Eazy Peazy Mealz

Hawaiian Chicken Noodle Bowls from Fit Foodie Finds

Buffalo Chicken Burrito Bowls from Averie Cooks

Peanut Noodles with Chicken from Foodie Crush

Sticky Soy Glazed Chicken Bowls from Budget Bytes

Green Thai Quick Chicken Curry from Percolate Kitchen

Seafood

Shrimp and Asparagus Foil Packs with Lemon Garlic Butter from Cooking Classy

Shrimp Boil Foil Packs from Crumb de la Crumb

Thai Salmon Foil Packet from Damn Delicious

That’s it! Now, go forth and meal plan 🙂

If you want more easy simple dinner ideas, click the banner below to download your meal planning bundle- packed full of my tried-and-true simple dinner ideas, meal planning cheatsheets and outlines, and more.