In case you missed it last week, I’m starting a new “Sunday Meal Prep” series where I pair old recipes together and show how to prep them ahead for a few days worth of meals. I asked last week what you’d like to see and a couple of the most common answers were vegetarian/vegan and cold lunches. This week I’m hitting two of those topics with my Falafel and Hummus Box.
This box idea started with my want to make my Homemade Falafel recipe again. This super simple recipes is so insanely flavorful and easy, and it had been way too long since I’d had them. I added some Homemade Hummus, because that’s also really easy, and a side of my Super Fresh Cucumber Salad. I included a few wedges of pita for each box to fill it out and to make sure I had something to scoop up every drop of that hummus! Scroll down to grab tips on how to pack this box so to keep all the ingredients at their best! (And yes, I do eat this box cold, including the falafel.)
To make this box vegan, simply skip the feta cheese in the Super Fresh Salad.
For more information about meal prepping, how it works, and why I do it, check out Meal Prep 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Prepping and Portioning Meals, or check out my entire Budget-Friendly Meal Prep Archive.
Falafel and Hummus Box Meal Prep
THIS WEEK’S MEAL PREP INCLUDES:
8 Homemade Falafel $1.72
1 batch Homemade Hummus $2.24
1/2 recipe Super Fresh Salad $3.65
2 whole wheat pita (1/2 pita per box) $0.86
Total Cost: $8.47
Cost Per Box: $2.12
Tips:
- I added everything into one box for the photos, but IRL I’d wrap the pita separately in a small sandwich bag, or at least lay a piece of parchment over the rest of the contents and place the pita on top to separate it from the wet stuff.
- I’m a “a little bit of everything on one forkful” type of person, so it doesn’t bother me to have all these items crammed into one box. If touching food bothers you, consider investing in divided meal prep containers, like these. There are also divided meal prep containers made out of glass, like these.
- The original recipe for the Super Fresh Salad is quite large, so if you don’t want left overs I suggest cutting the recipe in half to make just enough for the four boxes.
- The recipe for Falafel makes more than eight pieces as well, but those can be frozen for cooking later.
- You’ll likely have some leftover red onion after making these two recipes, so I suggest making a quick batch of Pickled Red Onions! They’re the best!
- I think the only other leftover ingredient you should have would be some cilantro. If you wanted, you could actually do a jalapeño cilantro flavored hummus to use up some of that cilantro.
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Any idea of the cals in this box?
I made this and a few other meal preps this week since my husband is out of town and I LOVE it. I used your homemade naan recipe but bought the hummus. 5 starts.
This recipe made me toot like noboy’s business.
Hahah, yes, garlic tastes great, but you definitely pay for it. ;)
This is AWESOME!!! to stretch the recipe even more, I added quinoa from the previous night’s dinner as well. Thank you for this!!! These falafels are our favorites! And they cook faster than pancakes. love them.
I’ve been away from reading blogs for a bit and I’m delighted to find that you started a meal prep series. SO soooo happy!! I use a ton of your recipes for lunches already but I love seeing how you combine things. Thanks!! Keep them coming.
I cooked mine in a waffle iron to avoid any kind of frying and got a great crispy crust!! We loved them!!
Great idea!!
How long did you cook them for? I’m definitely going to try that!!
This was terrific! I added kalamari olives to the salad, but otherwise followed the directions closely.
Yum! I thought it would be good but had underestimated just how good! I went with the roasted red pepper hummus and was glad I did. Almost looking forward to work tomorrow just to have it again. ;)
This was so delicious! Thank you! These lunch ideas are so helpful!!
Wow, Its looking delicious. I love grilled chicken. I would try it for sure. Thanks for sharing.
This was a great prep! I did sub out babaganosh for the hummus since the falafel already had chickpeas, but it was a super satisfying lunch. The salad is so good!
These look like such great lunches! I’m lucky that I have a microwave where I work, but it’s nice not to have to use it.
Thanks especially for the tips on how to pack the containers and what to do with the leftovers.
Beth, you’re my queen and leader! I downloaded your app not to use it but as a THANK YOU, same as buying your book. I would love for an option to donate.
Thank you, Abby!! That is so kind! :D Trust me when I say that continuing to visit the website regularly is a great way to support this project. :)
This has become my all-time favorite food blog! I’m a wanna be thrifty gal (I try) and food is such a huge expense. I love your tips and ideas here about preventing food waste.
I’ve always wanted to be a meal prepper but have yet to make it habit. Going to give it another go this Sunday after getting some renewed inspiration. Thanks, Beth! My only hang up is eating the same thing everyday. Any ideas on that? Maybe that’s just part of the meal prep process…
Yeah, it’s definitely just part of the meal prep process. I find meal prep is best for people whose desire to eat healthy/low-cost/low-effort overrides their issues with eating the same thing a few days in a row.
One of the biggest things I do (Because I’m the same way) Is make several boxes, then make another them with them. And freeze half of them for later.
So I might have, 2 of the 4 boxes of the above, then 2 more cilantro lime chicken boxes.
I love love love this new series!!! Thank you for making it easy!!
I love this idea! Is there any way you would consider adding in a single shopping list for all of the recipes, so that we can print and go?
Great idea!
Thanks so much for the fantastic website, and for this great idea – I’m really struggling at the moment with busy weekday evenings, and trying to get as much as I can done ahead at the weekend. Just wondering how those boxes look by day 3 or 4 though, especially the salad – today is Wednesday, and the bean salad I boxed up on Sunday is looking a bit yuck this morning…
The salad does get softer each day. I enjoy it for about four days before it’s too soft for my liking, but that’s going to be largely up to personal preference.
I love these posts and I’m looking forward to others in this series. Beth you are a prep genius, you’re tips are awsome. I always wander what to do with the leftovers so I really like that you can help me with that. Thank you and keep up the good work!
YUM!! Absolutely perfect.
First time commenting here just to say your website is absolutely awesome! Made this today for the rest of the week and everything tastes great. Flavors go great together, thank you for the idea! I went vegetarian recently and ideas like this are sent from the Gods above. Can’t wait for the next meal prep.
Oh my oh my, this is right up my allee!
Will add this to my lunch plan next week :)
I love this new series!! I need this in my life so bad. Dinners I have down, but lunches are so difficult for me!
This is a great new series, thank you for starting it! I’m pretty sure this will be next week’s lunches.
I’m SO glad you linked to the hummus recipe, because I inherited a can of chickpeas and was thinking of trying to make my own. Have you ever frozen hummus? My husband is so so on it, so even a small recipe will likely make way more than needed. Google seems to indicate that it CAN be done, but was wondering if you’ve tried it/how the texture is when you defrost it.
I freeze hummus all the time! It freezes fine. I usually make a big batch and then freeze in smaller portions.
This is really good to know. I’m single and I’ve hesitated to make hummus because I wouldn’t be able to eat all of a batch before it spoils. Because of the calories, I can’t eat lots of it at once. This is making me think it might be worthwhile to try freezing other bean dips and spreads as well. It is so much cheaper to make my own than to buy small amounts at a time.
Thanks!!
I’m already loving this series, I seriously am lacking lunch ideas/inspiration recently. And I love you taking the time to go over leftover ingredient ideas!!
This is an awesome idea! And I love the look of those glass divided containers, how neat!
Those comments with suggestions for the leftover ingredients are perfect. You are seriously the best.
I just wanted to thank you for this series. I do a lot of meal prep for the week on Sundays and I’m really looking forward to it. This looks like a great one, I’m excited to try it.
I was just going to say the same thing! That’s my kind of lunch!
OMG. That’s my kind of falafel and hummus box!!! It’s perfect to bring to lunch to work!!! :-)
Oh my goodness this is perfect! Beth – you are the best!