Tara Mitchell

Tara Mitchell
Tara Mitchell
Make-Ahead Lunches & Protein-Rich Snacks

Tara Mitchell, lunch and snack curator – make-ahead lunches, protein snacks and batch-friendly meals.

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Tara Mitchell's recipes center on the midday meal and the snack in between: grain and pasta salads, tuna and chicken salad sandwiches, protein bistro boxes, cottage cheese bowls and soups made in the slow cooker and portioned for the week. Most of her work sits in Lunch and Snacks, with a few lighter dinners such as lemon herb tilapia and a low carb tilapia recipe.

What sets her recipes apart is the make-ahead angle. Dishes are built so a single batch covers several meals, with dressings, sauces and toppings that keep components from going soggy. Many lean on protein-forward ingredients like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tuna, chicken and eggs, and she includes lower-carb and keto-leaning options such as a high protein lemon cheesecake and no-bake bars for those who want them.

Her recipes tend to be short on steps and flexible on ingredients, which makes them easy to adapt to what is already in your fridge. If you pack lunches for yourself or your kids, or just want snacks that hold you over until dinner, browse her latest recipes below and pick one to prep this week.

Latest recipes:

Velvety High Protein Tomato Soup

High Protein Tomato Soup

4.80 (5 Ratings)

Want a High Protein Tomato Soup for meal prep? This recipe uses blended cottage cheese for a creamy finish and includes a quick recipe specs section.

Apple and Peanut Butter Sandwich Bento in 10 Minutes

Apple Peanut Butter Bento

4.50 (4 Ratings)

A crisp, salty-sweet treat for kids is this Apple and Peanut Butter Sandwich Bento. Follow the step-by-step instructions to keep apples crunchy until lunch.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Bento Box

Chickpea Salad Bento Box Meal Prep

4.80 (5 Ratings)

Desk lunches often get soggy or require a microwave. This Chickpea Salad Bento Box stays fresh via a zesty marinade; see the making the salad section.

Easy Boiled Egg Lunch Box in 22 Minutes

Easy Boiled Egg Lunch

5.00 (3 Ratings)

Ready in 22 minutes, this Easy Boiled Egg Lunch is high protein. It includes a guide on lunch box logistics to stop afternoon energy crashes at work.

High-Protein Boiled Egg Snack Box

Boiled Egg Snack Box Meal Prep

4.83 (6 Ratings)

Looking for a Boiled Egg Snack Box for work? This balanced prep takes 25 minutes and includes a helpful ingredient substitution table for variety.

Tuna Salad Bento Box with Greek Yogurt

Tuna Salad Bento Box

4.67 (3 Ratings)

Ready in 10 minutes, this Tuna Salad Bento Box is a fresh lunch option. Check the What You'll Need section for the Greek yogurt swap to keep it light.

Rice Ball Bento with Salmon

Rice Ball Bento with Salmon

4.33 (3 Ratings)

Wondering how to pack a Rice Ball Bento for work? These salmon treats stay fresh all day, and the guide includes a table on ingredient roles.

Protein Bistro Box with Hard-Boiled Eggs

Protein Bistro Box

4.83 (6 Ratings)

Want a Protein Bistro Box for your workday? Assemble this no-heat lunch with eggs and turkey; it includes a table with component substitute notes.

Easy Chicken Salad Sandwich in 20 Minutes

Easy Chicken Salad Sandwich

4.00 (5 Ratings)

A crisp, refreshing lunch starts with this Easy Chicken Salad Sandwich. Check our equipment needed list and start prepping these fresh sandwiches today.

Turkey Cheese RollUps in 10 Minutes

Turkey Cheese RollUps

4.67 (6 Ratings)

Protein-packed bites for busy days are these Turkey Cheese RollUps. Learn what makes them hold in our guide to keep school lunches fresh and tidy.

Protein-Packed Boiled Egg Sandwich

Boiled Egg Sandwich for Meal Prep

4.60 (5 Ratings)

Looking for a Boiled Egg Sandwich that stays fresh? This protein-packed version is ideal for work and includes a serving size and mayo amount table.

Smoked Summer Sausage: German Style

Easy Smoked Summer Sausage Prep

4.33 (3 Ratings)

Tangy, mahogany-hued Smoked Summer Sausage with a firm snap. Includes a guide on why the meat binds. This is a great addition to party platters.

Old Fashioned Smoked Summer Sausage: No Casing

Smoked Summer Sausage: No Casing

4.67 (6 Ratings)

Tangy and firm Smoked Summer Sausage made without a shell. This guide includes detailed steps for the smoke. Ideal for your next party platter.

Homemade Smoked Summer Sausage with Beef

Smoked Summer Sausage Meal Prep

4.50 (2 Ratings)

Want to make your own Smoked Summer Sausage? This version uses a cold chain method to prevent greasiness and includes a helpful problem and fix table.

Smoked Beef Summer Sausage with a Snappy Bite

Beef Summer Sausage for a Crowd

3.75 (4 Ratings)

Want a snappy Beef Summer Sausage? This smoked summer sausage recipe uses a temperature ramp for juice and explains what actually makes it work.

German Style Homemade Elk Summer Sausage

Elk Summer Sausage

5.00 (5 Ratings)

Want a lean way to make Elk Summer Sausage? This German-style charcuterie uses a cold chain method and includes a detailed ingredient swap table.

Old Fashioned Homemade Summer Sausage

Summer Sausage for Meal Prep

5.00 (1 Ratings)

Smoky and firm Summer Sausage. This oven-baked version includes a quick specs overview for easy timing. Great for high-protein weekly snacks.

Old Fashioned Beef Summer Sausage

Beef Summer Sausage

4.50 (6 Ratings)

This Beef Summer Sausage is savory and firm. Try this Homemade Beef Summer Sausage from Scratch with our temperature chart. Great for protein meal prep.

Baked Lemon Herb Tilapia

Lemon Herb Tilapia

4.33 (3 Ratings)

Lemon Herb Tilapia is a top choice for Healthy Tilapia Recipes. Use our budget swap table to find best herbs and spices for tilapia in oven. Ready in 24 min.