In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleTips for Building Lunches to Lose Belly FatHow to Meal-Prep Flat-Belly Lunches for the Week AheadSpinach & Artichoke Salad with Parmesan VinaigretteSweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut DressingLemon-Roasted Vegetable Hummus Bowls

In This ArticleView All

View All

In This Article

Tips for Building Lunches to Lose Belly Fat

How to Meal-Prep Flat-Belly Lunches for the Week Ahead

Spinach & Artichoke Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette

Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

Lemon-Roasted Vegetable Hummus Bowls

Close

flat belly meal plan - healthy food in containers

Whilebelly fatmay make it feel like your favorite jeans are a little tight, the bigger concern is the link between excess visceral fat (the fat stored in the abdomen that surrounds your vital organs) and a higher risk for certain diseases, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. While there is no cure-all diet that targets belly fat specifically,there are a number of foodsthat have been shown to help trim your midsection, like avocados, eggs and chickpeas.

Read More:7-Day Flat-Belly Meal Plan

Meal-prepping your meals in advance, like meal-prepping a week of healthy lunches you can take on the go, can seriously help you get in more of those belly-fat-burning foods consistently throughout the week. Not to mention, planning and preparing meals in advance saves you time and guarantees you’ll have a healthy meal at the ready when hunger strikes. Here are our best tips for building flat-belly lunches, plus three delicious flat-belly meal-prep lunch recipes to make on your own for the busy workweeks.

Don’t Miss!Breakfast Recipes for a Flat Belly

roasted sweet potatoes on a pan, peanuts, chicken, salad dressing, greens, food containers all ready for prep

1. Incorporate belly-fat-burning foods

There are a number of foods that have beenshown to help reduce belly fat, including eggs, artichokes, avocado, peanuts and chickpeas. Try to include at least one or a combination of these foods at lunchtime. We’ve incorporated a number of these foods into our three meal-prep recipes below.

2. Fill up with fiber-rich foods

Consuming more fiber-rich foods has a number ofhealth benefits. In addition to keeping blood sugar stable throughout the afternoon, incorporating more fiber into your lunch bowl can prevent the absorption of some calories from the foods you eat, which can result in weight loss. Best sources include beans and lentils, avocado, artichokes and unpeeled sweet potatoes.

3. Include one or two sources of lean protein

Including enoughhigh-quality protein throughout the dayhas been shown to support muscle growth, which in turn boosts metabolism to help you stay lean. Like fiber, protein also helps to stabilize blood sugar and keeps us feeling satisfied in the hours after a meal. Good options include eggs, chicken, salmon, quinoa and tofu.

4. Be mindful of salt and processed carbohydrates

Looking for More?See our30-Day Flat-Belly Diet Plan

quinoa, lemon, roasted veggies, food containers all ready for prep

Let us help take the guesswork out of what to eat for lunch this week. Each of these meal-prep plans walks you through how to prep and assemble a week’s worth of satisfying lunches, each incorporating variousfoods shown to help reduce belly fat. These recipes make 4 lunch servings, so you can bring leftovers or grab lunch out one day during the week.

Store these healthy lunches in an air-tight meal-prep container to keep fresh. Store any dressings or dips separately in a leak-proof container and wait to add till ready to eat to prevent wilting.

Get the Recipe

spinach, pistachios, boiled eggs, food containers and dressing ready for food prep

Step 1: Drain artichokes

Line a sheet pan with paper towels or a clean dish towel. Drain one 15-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts in a mesh strainer and rinse well under cold water; drain again. Arrange the artichokes in a single layer on the sheet pan to remove moisture; set aside.

Step 2: Prepare Parmesan Vinaigrette

Make theParmesan Vinaigrette. Transfer one-fourth of the vinaigrette into each of 4 small lidded containers; refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Step 3: Assemble lunch containers

flat belly sweet potato, chicken and kale salads

Step 1: Roast sweet potatoes

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil; lightly coat with cooking spray. Cube 2 medium unpeeled sweet potatoes and toss with 1½ teaspoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer on the prepared pan. Roast, turning once, until lightly browned and crispy on cut sides and tender inside, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool before assembling bowls.

Step 2: Make Peanut Dressing

You’ll need ½ cup ofPeanut Dressingfor this week’s lunches. Prepare what you need, or make the entire recipe and refrigerate the leftovers for up to 4 days to use throughout the week. Transfer 2 tablespoons dressing into each of 4 small lidded containers; refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Divide 6 cups chopped curly kale among 4 single-serving containers (about 1½ cups each). Top each with one-fourth of the roasted sweet potatoes and ½ cup shredded cooked chicken breast. Seal the containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Just before serving, drizzle with 1 portion ofPeanut Dressingand toss well to coat. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped unsalted peanuts.

meal prep veggie and quinoa bowls

Brimming with colorful roasted vegetables, these high-fiber plant-based meal-prep bowls are topped with hummus and avocado, two foods shown to help reduce belly fat. Feel free to use your favorite store-bought hummus to cut down on prep time, ormake a batch of your own. You can also sub in an 8-ounce microwaveable quinoa pouch to minimize cooking.

Step 1: Roast vegetables

Add ¾ cup chopped bell pepper and ¾ cup chopped zucchini to the vegetables in the pan; stir to combine. Roast until the vegetables are crisp-tender and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes more. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons lemon zest over the vegetables; set aside to cool before assembling bowls.

Step 2: Cook quinoa

Cook a batch ofBasic Quinoausing a tri-color quinoa blend. You’ll need 2 cups for this week’s lunches, or ½ cup for each serving. Spread the quinoa on a sheet pan to cool before assembling containers.

WATCH:How to Make a Flat-Belly Salad

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!OtherSubmit

Tell us why!