Tuna is a classic budget protein option for a high-protein healthy lunch. I love this tuna meal prep box often because it’s cheap, quick to make, and tasty!
I like to prepare my tuna in many different ways, but I make this version with chopped celery, green onions, white pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. It’s full of flavor and tastes great by itself – good news for those of us cutting carbs!
For the sides, I keep it simple with mixed grapes and a light version of the classic carrot & raisin salad. I buy matchstick carrots so it only takes a few minutes to put together. You can shred full carrots using the large holes of a cheese grater if you’d prefer.
Other good side dish ideas for this tuna meal prep would be raw veggies with greek ranch dipping sauce, cottage cheese, or almonds.
If you need more calories or more protein, feel free to add an extra scoop or two of tuna.
If you aren’t worried about carbs, you can add crackers or pita to eat the tuna with.
Canned Tuna Nutrition
In the average 12 oz can of tuna (packed in water), there is:
- 66 grams of protein
- 450 mg of potassium
- 12% of your daily Iron intake
- and only 300 calories
Canned Tuna FAQs
Can you meal prep canned tuna?
Yes! It’s one of the most budget-friendly high-protein meal prep options.
Is canned tuna good for you?
Yes, canned tuna is good for you. It is an inexpensive source of lean, low-calorie protein with significant amounts of iron and potassium.
What canned tuna to buy?
There are many canned tuna options at the store nowadays and choosing one that is high-quality and caught in a humane/sustainable way can be overwhelming.
I like to look for cans of tuna that say they were “pole and line caught” or “troll caught”, meaning the tuna was caught one at a time on a fishing line.
I prefer to buy albacore white canned tuna that is packed in water instead of oil.
Can tuna salad be frozen?
Freezing anything with mayo is not advisable as the ingredients in it separate when frozen.
Other Healthy Meal Prep Recipes:
- Chicken Apple Brie Salad
- Healthy Greek Chicken Bowl
- Grilled Chicken Tenders & Hummus Box
- Blackened Salmon Kale Caesar Salad
Healthy Canned Tuna Meal Prep Box
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
Tuna Salad
12 oz Canned Tuna (I use Albacore White packed in water)
1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
1-2 Green Onion, sliced
1/8 Tsp White Pepper
Dash of Salt
Squeeze of lemon
Carrot & Raisin Salad
10oz Matchstick Carrots
3 Tablespoons Mayo
8oz Canned Crushed Pineapple
1/4 Cup Raisins
Other
Butter lettuce
Grapes
Instructions
Tuna Salad
Drain tuna and add to a medium bowl. Add all of the other ingredients and stir to combine.
Carrot & Raisin Salad
Add carrots, canned pineapple, mayo, and raisins to a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.
Tuna Meal Prep Box
Place 2-3 pieces of butter lettuce in your meal prep container. Place a scoop of tuna on top. Fill another compartment with the carrot & raisin salad, and the last empty compartment with grapes.
Seal with the lid and place in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 281
- Sugar: 27.7g
- Sodium: 380mg
- Fat: 11.2g
- Carbohydrates: 37.6g
- Fiber: 3.6g
- Protein: 12.4g
- Cholesterol: 25.1mg