5 Dinner Recipes that Make Great Lunch Leftovers

Save time and money with our Dinner to Lunch download, and make every tomorrow a breeze with great sack lunch ideas for kids and adults!

  • By Brittany Yamamoto-Taylor
  • August 13, 2019

It’s that back-to-school time of year again and we know it can be a challenge to get into a good groove after summer. Which is why we’re excited to take one integral part of every school day and make it easy for you – lunch!

Whether you have kids in school, are a student yourself, or are a full-time worker, you have probably struggled over what to pack for lunch. We are a huge fan of enjoying dinner leftovers for next-day lunches because it’s not only less expensive and healthier than eating out, it’s also one less thing to think about!

However, it’s important to note that not all dinners make the best leftovers. Some ingredients get really soggy, other dishes don’t reheat well, and seafood being microwaved in a communal space isn’t a terrific way to make new friends. This is why we’ve selected 5 simple dinner recipes that transform into delicious lunches, and you can download them all for free right here:

Free Download

From Dinner to Lunch

Get 5 simple dinners that make delicious lunch leftovers, plus simple snack bag ideas.

Included in this Dinner to Lunch Download are 5 of our favorite dinner recipes that are great for lunch leftovers:

  1. Panko-Crusted Chicken Tenders
  2. Balsamic Chicken Kebabs
  3. Cashew & Pineapple Curried Fried Rice
  4. Mediterranean Pitas with Meatballs
  5. Taco Soup

If some of these have you wondering how well they will travel, don’t worry – in this free printable download, we also cover pro lunch packing tips for each recipe!

Along with links to great packing containers, did we mention that snack grab bag combo ideas are included? Well, they are and they’re awesome. Empowered with over 3 dozen easy and healthy snack ideas for how to supplement your lunch leftovers, this handy chart will keep you and your family energized all day long!


If this all sounds like a thoroughly good idea, then you’ll also want to check out our free Guide to Repurposing Leftovers. It will help you learn how to transform leftover ingredients into something deliciously new so you are never without healthy lunch ideas that are still super easy.

We hope these meals and tips make every tomorrow a bit less stressful so you can focus on the fun things in life, like practicing your retro dance moves or you know, just watching your favorite show on Netflix or Hulu. 😉

If you have loved ones who could really use some help with lunch, spread the love by sending them this article so they can also be on their way to saving time, money, and reducing food waste!


A little note:

This blog post was originally published in April 2014 and has been updated with new and helpful resources.


As always, we strive to provide you with the best cooking resources, so if you haven’t already, sign up for our newsletter below. Every week, you’ll receive cooking tips and smarts to help you gain more confidence in the kitchen and raise your cooking IQ.

5 Dinner Recipes that Make Great Lunch Leftovers | Cook Smarts5 Dinner Recipes that Make Great Lunch Leftovers | Cook Smarts

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