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5 Simple Plant-Based Recipes That'll Switch Up Your Weekly Work Lunches

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You haven't made lunch for the week ahead again, so you go out and grab a fancy salad, but what might be the occasional treat can easily turn into a bad habit. Learning how to get to grips with vegan weekly lunch prep will save you so much money and means you'll actually have something you want to eat for lunch.

Eating out for lunch every day can get pretty expensive pretty quickly. It starts out as fun and all, but soon you realise that the options for plant-based eaters are super limited still. Before you know it you're eating a pot of hummus and bread for the fourth time that week. But, also, bringing in the same boring lunch every day can become tedious especially for vegans.

Yes food prep does take a bit of forward planning, you're going to have to bulk buy ingredients, make sure you have enough containers for the week ahead, and plan your shopping list strategically — but it will be totally worth it! Not only will weekly vegan lunch prep save you time and money in the long run, but you know exactly what's in your food. Here are five delicious, cheap, and simple dishes to make for the week ahead:

Butternut squash soup

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Soups are always a perfect idea for food prep. Especially in the colder months and there's nothing better than a hearty root veg soup. This simple butternut squash recipe by Mary Berry is great for the work week and served with a slice of crusty bread.

Vegan chilli

Vegan chilli is a classic – it's quick, it's tasty, and it can be dressed up however you like. Have it with rice on Monday, in soft tacos on Tuesday, on a jacket potato Wednesday, and in a burrito bowl on Thursday. Find the delicious recipe here.

Tarka dal

Dal should be a recipe in every vegan's go-to catalogue. There's loads of variations of this lentil curry, but this recipe calls for chana dal lentils which are a great pulse to keep stocked up in your cupboard. This dish freezes pretty well making it ideal for lunch.

Red pea soup

A Jamaican ital classic, this is more of a stew than a soup. It's made with red kidney beans, carrots and of course delicious soft dumplings. You can find the super simple recipe here.

Veggie lasagna

Everyone loves a wholesome lasagna, and this recipe even comes with a creamy vegan white sauce. It's packed full of veggies and because it's a one dish bake, it's ideal for lunches for the week ahead.

Spicy falafels

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Of course you can buy premade falafels, but nothing tastes quite as delicious as fresh homemade ones. Put some time aside on a lazy Sunday and make up a big batch from this recipe for the week ahead. Have them in a juicy pita sandwich, or as part of a crunchy salad bowl.

Courgette noodles & crispy tofu

This mouth-watering courgette noodle and spicy sesame tofu recipe will definitely give your whole office food envy. You can premake the sesame tofu, and then make the courgette noodles the day you need it so it's always at its freshest.

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