A Memorial Day Picnic

These mediterranean-inspired grain bowls are perfect for make-ahead meal prepping. Hearty and filled with various flavors and textures, this is the kind of packed lunch you’ll be satisfied with all week long. 

Bookmark this one for your weekend meal prepping session, folks. Loaded with a variety of vibrant veggies and finished with a zippy chipotle-lime vinaigrette, these vegetarian-friendly rice bowls are the perfect make-ahead meal for packed lunches. We opted to go with brown rice for the base of our bowls, but feel free to use white rice or whatever grain you have on hand.

These deliciously flavored meatballs served on hoagie rolls or French baguette rolls will be the new favorite at your weeknight dinner table or your neighborhood football party. The sauce makes plenty for cooking the meatballs, and there's even enough to spoon over the sandwiches for a boost of flavor.

Haven’t made it to the grocery store in a minute? That doesn’t mean you can’t whip up an impressive dish. This lovely, snackable take on a salad Niçoise is composed largely from pantry items, like canned tuna and roasted red peppers, plus a couple of common refrigerator staples—frozen green beans and eggs. We use packaged gnocchi, shelf-stable gnocchi as a creative swap  for the fresh potatoes typically found in a salad Niçoise.  Dressed up with a super simple vinaigrette this “throw-together” salad could easily pass for a well-planned. In other words, keep this one in your back pocket for the next time you need a last-minute appetizer for entertaining. 

Neptune Oyster in Boston and Red's Eats in Maine, on which this recipe is based, are Mary-Frances Heck's two favorite lobster rolls, and both give the option of butter or mayo. Offering that choice means they can't hide anything about the quality of their lobster.

With potatoes, pancetta, eggs, and cheese...what's not to love about this Spaghetti Carbonara turned potato salad? Try this served alongside barbecue chicken or pork and slaw. If you don't want to make the homemade aioli (which is really worth it), use 1/2 cup of store-bought mayo. You can also use bacon instead of pancetta, if you like. 

Crunch rules in this fall salad. Cut the celery on a diagonal for long, thin slices that will match the shape of the apple slices. We like a tart-sweet Pink Lady or Fuji apple here.

Nutty, creamy, and of course, topped with greens, tomatoes, and onions, this hearty, easy-to-prep chicken salad sandwich is the perfect, packable lunch. Eat it immediately, or wrap it up and allow the rich, deep flavors of the tahini run into your hearty, toasted bread.