Lunch tips with Lee Jones

Store cupboard staple

I always break meals down into your protein, your carbohydrates and your fruit or veg. A good go-to for lunches is rice – you can add whatever you want on top of that as your base. It’s simple, it’s quick and you can do it in a number of different ways. Add your salad, your protein, whatever you like – when I’m cooking at home that’s always a good option for lunch.”

Put in the prep

It can seem like a bit of a hassle to think about your lunch the night before, but when it comes down to it it’s a five-minute job. Preparation the day before can make things so much easier the next day. If I know I’m going to be up early for training the next morning and I’m not going to have time for a proper breakfast, I know I can prepare something the night before. Something like overnight oats where you mix all your ingredients together, throw it in the fridge and then it’s ready in the morning is ideal. You’ll do it, realise it’s so easy and then wonder why you didn’t do it before!

Think ahead

If you’re making something from scratch, I always think it’s a bit of a waste to spend all that time cooking for the sake of just one meal. I’d suggest multiplying your recipe by four, for example – it can get a bit extreme, but then you’ve got lunches for the entire week. It adds a bit of time to your preparation, but it massively reduces your preparation time over the course of the week.

Snack hacks

Healthy snacks are always good to keep you going if you’re pressed for time. Something like mixed nuts are a great, easy snack to have – you’ve got a decent amount of calories, it’s easy to grab a handful and they keep your energy levels topped up. Nuts and a piece of fruit are a handy couple of things to have to hand when you’re on the go.

Take your time

On a day off, I like to just take my time on a bit of a late breakfast/early lunch. When you’ve got days during the week where you’re having a protein shake on the go or overnight oats, it’s nice to just be able to spend a bit of time relaxing and making something. I’ll maybe do a baked eggs-type of thing – everything in one pan, some tomatoes and herbs, crack the eggs in, cook them and then have them with some decent bread. That, or something like an omelette – those are both good go-to options when I’ve got that extra time on my hands.