How to Meal-Prep a Week of High-Fiber Lunches from Trader Joe's

Whether you're stopping in to pick up everything you need for dinner tonight or to snag that trending new product, a regular Trader Joe's run has become a must-do for those of us lucky to live near one. The convenience, affordability and overall cleverness of TJ's products continues to inspire us, especially when it comes to quick and easy meal prep. With their wide assortment of unique salad kits, prechopped vegetables and ready-to-eat proteins, Trader Joe's makes it super simple (and fun!) to stick with weekly meal prep.

Read More: The Best (& Worst) Deals at Trader Joe's

Whatever your eating style or food philosophy, we can all agree that including more plants at mealtimes comes with major perks. Eating more plants means we're eating more fiber, and fiber can play a starring role in our health when it comes to managing our weight, preventing heart disease, improving gut health and much more. If you're looking to bulk up your meals and increase your daily fiber intake, try these three high-fiber meal-prep lunch plans using just four or five ingredients from Trader Joe's. The best part? These plans involve very little cooking and require as few as 10 minutes.

Tips for Building High-Fiber Lunches from Trader Joe's

Layer in the vegetables

When it comes to meal-prep shortcuts, Trader Joe's assorted bagged salad mixes and precut fresh vegetables are second to none. And because vegetables are a great way to add fiber, we suggest you start here. Use one of TJ's famous prewashed greens, like their nutritious Power to the Greens mix, as a base for your bowl, or sauté up a prechopped vegetable medley in mere minutes. We use the Asian Stir Fry Vegetables from the produce section in our Teriyaki Tofu Rice Bowls.

Pick a high-fiber carb

Trader Joe's carries a few unique high-fiber products that are perfect for bulking up your lunch bowl. In addition to par-cooked brown rice, frozen quinoa and quick-cooking farro, check out the pasta aisle for some fun gluten-free alternatives to traditional pasta. We love the Organic Red Lentil Sedanini and are using the Organic Black Bean Rotini (which boasts an impressive 15 grams of fiber per serving) in the Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls.

Consider a plant-based protein

Double down on the health benefits by opting for plant-based proteins, like tofu, which will add both fiber and protein to your lunch, keeping you full all afternoon. We recommend Trader Joe's baked tofu varieties for a quick no-cook bowl topper, but you can't go wrong with their steamed French Lentils or frozen Fully Cooked Falafel, which reheat in a mere 60 seconds. The falafel contribute both fiber and protein to the 10-minute Falafel Tabbouleh Bowls with Tzatziki.

Add an easy topper to boost flavor

Take advantage of the convenience of Trader Joe's premade dips, unique sauces and fresh dressings to add big flavor to meal-prep lunches without a lot of fuss. Whether it's a unique new salad dressing, tzatziki to top greens and falafel, or a flavorful Asian dipping sauce to jazz up vegetables, TJ's has everything you need to elevate your lunch bowl.

How to Meal-Prep High-Fiber Lunches from Trader Joe's

Follow these meal-prep lunch plans to prepare a week's worth of lunches using only four or five products from Trader Joe's. These assembly-style high-fiber recipes require little to no cooking, which means you can have lunches for the week packed up in as little as 10 minutes!

Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls

Get the Recipe

We're using black-bean-based pasta in these meal-prep pasta salad bowls, bumping up the fiber per serving to an impressive 14 grams. Top these bowls with the Cilantro Salad Dressing and Pico de Gallo Salsa just before serving to keep the flavors bright and fresh.

Step 1: Heat corn

Prepare 1 package frozen Trader Joe's Mexican Style Roasted Corn with Cotija Cheese according to package directions (this cooks in about 4 minutes); set aside to cool.

Step 2: Cook pasta

Cook 2 cups Trader Joe's Organic Black Bean Rotini according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again and toss with the corn; set aside.

Step 3: Slice chicken

Slice 1 (12-ounce) package Trader Joe's Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Strips (from the refrigerated section); set aside.

Step 4: Portion out salsa and dressing

Divide ½ cup Trader Joe's Mild Pico de Gallo Salsa into 4 small lidded single-serve containers and refrigerate. Measure 2 tablespoons Trader Joe's Cilantro Salad Dressing (found near the bagged salads in the refrigerated section) into 4 small lidded single-serve containers and refrigerate. (Timesaving tip: You can also carry the bottle of salad dressing in your lunch bag and dress on demand.)

Step 5: Assemble lunch containers

Divide the corn and pasta mixture among 4 single-serving containers, then top each with one-fourth of the chicken. Seal and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Toss together with the salad dressing before serving and top with the salsa.

Falafel Tabbouleh Bowls with Tzatziki

Get the Recipe

Trader Joe's Fully Cooked Falafel is the star in these Greek-inspired meal-prep bowls. Ready in just 60 seconds, each serving of falafel contains 6 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein to keep you full through the afternoon.

Step 1: Portion out tzatziki

Measure 2 tablespoons Trader Joe's Tzatziki into each of 4 small lidded single-serve containers and refrigerate.

Step 2: Assemble bowls

Divide 1 (7-ounce) container Trader Joe's Tabbouli among 4 single-serving containers. Top each container with one-fourth bag Trader Joe's Power to the Greens salad mix (about 1 cup per container) and 3 Trader Joe's Fully Cooked Falafel. Seal and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Before serving, transfer the falafel to a microwave-safe container and heat until steaming. Return the hot falafel to the original container and serve with tzatziki.

Teriyaki Tofu Rice Bowls

Get the Recipe

We're using precooked Rice Medley, which you can find in the freezer section of Trader Joe's. It's a good source of fiber and each pouch of cooked rice heats in 3 minutes. Topping these bowls with TJ's baked Teriyaki Tofu also cuts down on prep time.

Step 1: Heat rice

Follow package directions to prepare two pouches (each box contains 3 pouches) of Trader Joe's frozen Rice Medley, which will take approximately 3 minutes. Once heated, remove the rice from the pouches and transfer to a shallow bowl to cool.

Step 2: Stir-fry vegetables

While the rice cools, cook the vegetables. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 package Trader Joe's Asian Vegetable Stir Fry (found in the produce section) and sauté until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup Trader Joe's Island Soyaki sauce and toss well to coat the vegetables. Remove from heat; set aside.

Step 3: Cut tofu

Using one (7-ounce) package of Trader Joe's Organic Baked Tofu - Teriyaki Flavor, cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes; set aside.

Step 4: Assemble lunch containers

Divide the cooled rice among 4 single-serving containers. Top each with one-fourth of the vegetables and the tofu. Seal and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Vent and heat to steaming in the microwave before serving.