The healthy ‘no cook’ meal prep that’s perfect for quick and delicious office lunches

A teacher has shared her favourite ‘no cook’ dish that’s ready in seconds and perfectly sized to bring to the office.

‘Meal prepping queen’ Katie Lolas, who is based in Sydney, likes to prepare her lunchtime snacks ahead of time to ensure she sticks to her health goals, and lunch wraps are her go-to.

‘Lunch wraps are my favourite no-cook prep. These roll-up lunches work for office lunches, school lunchboxes or anytime you need to pack up some food for on the go,’ the 33-year-old wrote on Instagram.

The photo she shared alongside it showed how Katie takes plenty of fruit – bananas, blueberries and protein balls made out of dates – as well as a protein shake.

But the easiest item to make is the healthy take on a sandwich, which uses tomato, hummus, capsicum, shaved turkey breast, feta and baby spinach to concoct a wrap.

‘I almost always use wholemeal wrap, but regular white wraps work just as well. Your local supermarket should also have a range of gluten-free wraps, so use those if needed,’ she said.

Katie cautioned against including too many ‘wet’ ingredients because it will only serve to make the wrap soggy. 

‘Make sure your spinach leaves are washed but then dried very well, go easy on any drizzles of honey and be careful with toppings like salsa,’ she said.

She separates each individual ingredient and makes it fresh on the day but assures her followers they can put it together the night before if they’re lacking in time.  

‘Be sure to use a ice packs for any wraps that have ingredients that should be kept cold,’ she said.

Previously, Katie told FEMAIL how to shop for your weekly meals and make best use of the supermarket aisles available to you.

Tip one: Start with fresh produce 

If you want a nutritious and well-balanced lunch, Katie said you should always start your supermarket shop in the fruit and veg section.

‘Chances are, the fruit and veg section of your local supermarket is rammed full of pre-prepped options, such as mixed salads, chopped veggies in a roasting tin prepped and ready for the oven, zucchini noodles, microwavable greens and much more,’ Katie posted on Instagram.

If you invest in just a few of these, you shouldn’t have to do too much in the way of prep once you get home.

Katie recommends you shop seasonally to get the best deals – and keep an eye out for sales and promotions where you might score a good deal.

Right now, you want to be looking out for apples, bananas, berries, passionfruit, peaches, pears, avocados, capsicum, celery, onions, peas and lettuce – all of which should be reasonable in price at the moment.

Tip two: Remember the deli is your friend

Secondly in your shop, Katie said you should hit up the deli section – where you can find cheap roast chickens that go a long way towards helping you to prepare a decent meal.

‘The humble roast chook has been a staple at every Aussie gathering since the dawn of time, but not only that, it is a godsend when it comes to getting bang for your buck and minimising your meal prep time,’ Katie said.

A barbecue chicken will typically set you back between $8 and $12 in the supermarket – and Katie said this can generate between three and five cups of chicken for you to use in soups, sandwiches, salads, tacos and wraps. 

Tip three: Head to the butcher

Katie also recommends the butcher section of the supermarket – where you can find all sorts of deals if you know how.

‘It can be tempting to head straight to the refrigerated section for the pre-packed meats and proteins,’ Katie said.

‘But what seems like ease and efficiency can in fact set you back time and money in the long run.

‘Visiting the butcher counter for your meat means that you can purchase the precise amount of meat that you need.

‘This eliminates the need to purchase additional pre-packs to cover any shortfall, or conversely, having excess that you don’t need, thus saving you money!’ 

Katie reminded people that many butchers are happy to assist you with slicing, de-boning, tenderising and mincing while you’re in the supermarket – meaning less time in the kitchen later on.

Tip four: Invest in grains

Last but not least, you need some sort of grain that will make sure your lunch keeps you full up until 7pm or whenever you eat dinner.

‘I purchase the majority of my staples like brown rice, quinoa, black beans and chickpeas from Aldi or opt for a Homebrand Woolies or Coles version,’ Katie told FEMAIL.

‘The quality, taste and nutritional value is always on par with the more expensive brands, so why not grab the less expensive option? 

‘Keeping your pantry stocked at all times is great too because you can create quick and easy meals using ingredients that you already have.’

Katie says things like hummus, casseroles and soups are easy to make out of long-life ingredients – and it also saves you a lot of money.

Katie has been preparing her meals to take to work with her for several years ago now:

‘I cook up my weekly batch of fresh food on a Sunday morning, to ensure I have everything ready for work on Monday,’ Katie said.    

‘It takes between 1.5 to two hours depending on what I make. I always have my groceries ready though, so I can start cooking on Sunday morning.

‘I prepare five breakfasts and between four and five lunches each week. To change things up, I usually have morning tea at work on Friday and I grab something different from the shops for lunch.’

To find out more from Katie, please visit her website here.