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Indian Lunch menu – Weekly Lunch Meal Plan

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There is a famous quote saying, ‘ Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper’. Let’s learn how to make an Indian Lunch menu for a week like smarty pants.

Do not miss my Indian Breakfast meal plan for a week.

Table Of Contents
  1. WHAT IS MEAL PLANNING?
  2. HOW TO PRE-PLAN FOR THE INDIAN LUNCH MEAL PLAN?
  3. Equipment required for preparation
  4. Indian Lunch Menu Ideas
  5. Pin Indian Lunch Menu

WHAT IS MEAL PLANNING?

Cooking all three meals daily from scratch is time-consuming and can be tiring sometimes for working individuals. To make things easier, we just need some pre-planning. I prefer home cooking rather than store-bought for 2 reasons.

  1. Cooking is my stress buster
  2. I prefer fresh foods for my family. 

So here I give you some pre-planning things I do to make cooking easier for the rest of the week. I learned this over the years of cooking and you can adapt it as per your requirements.

HOW TO PRE-PLAN FOR THE INDIAN LUNCH MEAL PLAN?

Keep the below things ready during the weekend. So the cooking for the rest of the week will be less chaotic and easier.

  1. Ginger Garlic Paste – Homemade ginger garlic paste comes in handy when you make some curries.
  2. Garlic – Peel garlic when you are free at the weekend or watch TV and store it in an airtight box in the refrigerator. It comes in handy when you make chutneys. It stays good for many days.
  3. Shallots – You can peel shallots and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It stays good for many days that way we save food wastage. 
  4. Curry leaves – If you are like me purchasing curry leaves from the store, then once you buy, clean and air dry them by spreading them in a kitchen towel or tissue. Once dry store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  5. Chopped veggies – You can chop vegetables like carrots, beans, pumpkin, and bottle gourd, and store them in freezer-safe zip locks or boxes for future use.
Indian Lunch menu chart.

Equipment required for preparation

Mixer grinder – It is another important piece of equipment in any kitchen. In Indian Kitchen, we use this to grind chutneys to spice powders. 

Food Processor – You may need this to chop or grate vegetables within minutes without hurting your hands.

Saute Pan – we need a saute pan in need to saute for stir fry.

Storage boxes ( freezer friendly) – You will need this to divide the batter and freeze it for later use.

For more curry recipes, check out 42 best Indian curry recipes.

Indian Lunch Menu Ideas

Here is the lunch menu idea I followed for my family for a week. You can mix and match them as per your needs and preferences.

Monday

I like to keep it simple on Mondays with rice and dal alongside some spicy side dishes.

Main – Rice

Instant pot rice
You’re probably here because you’re looking for the perfect Instant Pot rice recipe, right? Rice is one of those foods that should be really, really simple to make, but things can go really, really wrong when you do.
Check out this recipe

Curry – Paruppu podi, Dal, Pineapple rasam

Paruppu Podi for Idli/ Rice
Paruppu Podi| Paruppu podi for Idli is an easy, gluten-free, vegan accompaniment to have along with rice, Idli or dosa. Let’s see how to make this spice powder.
Check out this recipe
Jar of Paruppu podi.
Simple Dal – A Comfort Food
What ever heavy meals we eat, a simple dal with a hot rice and a dollop of ghee can be the most comforting dish in the world. Rich in protein and mild spices can be soothing for your tummy any given day.
Check out this recipe
Bowl of simple dal with dal scattered on side along garlic pods.
South Indian Pineapple Rasam
Check out this recipe

Side dish – Baby Potato Roast 

Baby Potato Roast
This Baby Potato Roast is a simple, easy but delicious recipe. You need just a handful of ingredients from your pantry. This is Indian style of roasting potatoes
Check out this recipe

Tuesday

Main – Rice 

Curry – Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu, Curd

Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu
There are many variations of making Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu. The Recipe which I share here is our family favorite. We have to grind a special masala for this Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu. The masala comprises of many ingredients which are easily available at home.
Check out this recipe
Plate of rice with brinjal curry.

Side dish – Crispy kovaika fry/ Ivy gourd fry 

Crispy Kovakkai fry /Ivy gourd fry
This kovakkai fry is crispy, easy and so addictive accompaniment. You need few ingredients to make this. It's vegan and gluten free.
Check out this recipe

Wednesday

Main – Instant pot Paneer Pulao

Instant pot paneer biriyani
This vegetarian Pulao recipe comes together very fast, under 30 minutes and is perfect to please everyone at the dinner table.
Check out this recipe

Side dish – Carrot Raita, Tandoori Lamb Cutlets

Carrot Raita
This Carrot Raita makes a great accompaniment for various Biriyanis. Try this out today.
Check out this recipe
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Thursday

Main – Sweet potato roti

Sweet Potato Roti / Sweet Potato Indian Flat Bread
Sweet Potato Roti / Sweet Potato Indian Flat Bread is an easy, fuss free, vegan flat bread.I made these as my way of making my kids to eat Sweet Potato.
Check out this recipe
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Side dish – Instant pot aloo gobi curry or Instant pot Chettinad chicken curry

Instant pot Aloo Gobi Curry
Instant Pot Aloo Gobi is an easy and versatile curry to make for a quick dinner. This curry is vegan, gluten-free and loaded with the goodness of vegetables. It is best paired with hot rotis or simple jeera rice.
Check out this recipe
A bowl of Aloo gobi.
Instant pot Chettinad Chicken curry
Chettinad Cuisine is the most renowned and popular cuisine of Tamil Nadu, South India. Making this Chettinad chicken curry in Instant pot makes the whole process a lot easier. When the curry is ready, serve with roti, chapati or rice. 
Check out this recipe
Bowl of Chettinad Chicken Curry.

Friday 

Main – Rice 

Curry – Varutharacha Sambar/ Sambar with roasted coconut, Kollu Rasam

Varutharacha sambar
This is one of my favorite sambars. This is Palakkad style( Kerala, India) sambar with roasted coconut. Usually, this is a must on any special occasion. This sambar is had along with cooked rice but I love to have with idli or dosa.
Check out this recipe
Bowl of Kerala Sambar with jeera seeds on side.
Kollu Rasam / Horse gram Soup
Kollu or Horse gram is a legume which has a lot of health benefit. It is full of vitamins and proteins. It has been traditionally had during winters to keep the body warm and to cure cold
Check out this recipe
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Side dish – Stuffed Okra

Stuffed okra fry
Stuffed okra fry is a delicious Indian dish that features okra (also known as ladyfingers) that are stuffed with a spicy filling and then fried until crispy. This goes well with any rice or even roti.
Check out this recipe
Stuffed okra on a plate.

Saturday

Main – Rice

Curry – Dal Makhani

Dal Makhani
Instant Pot Dal Makhani or Kali dal is made with Whole Urad Dal, Rajma and Channa Dal in instant pot or pressure cooker methods. This authentic dal makhani recipe is Vegetarian, Gluten-Free & can easily be made dairy-free.
Check out this recipe
Bowl of Dal makhani.

Side dish – Cauliflower pepper fry

Cauliflower pepper fry-Air fry method included
Cauliflower pepper fry is a delicious dish made by frying cauliflower florets with a blend of aromatic spices and black pepper powder. The dish is vegan, gluten-free, and can be served as a side dish or a main course. Air fry method is included for healthier options.
Check out this recipe

Sunday

Main – Fried Chicken Biriyani for chicken lovers or Mushroom Biriyani for vegetarians

Fried Chicken Biriyani
The Christmas is here and all of you will be planning to make special dishes for a get together.I recommend you to try  Fried Chicken Biriyani – Dum Style. 
Check out this recipe
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Mushroom biryani – Instant pot and stovetop
Mushroom Biryani is an easy, one-pot flavorful meal. You just need simple raita to enjoy this wholesome dish.
Check out this recipe

Side dish – Cucumber raita, masala fish fry 

Cucumber Raita
Cucumber raita is a refreshing and creamy yogurt-based side dish popular in Indian cuisine. Made with grated or finely chopped cucumber, whisked yogurt, and a blend of aromatic spices.
Check out this recipe

Pin Indian Lunch Menu

Filed Under: Lunch - Post originally published - Post last modified

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Comments

  2. Nasreen says

    Hi! Lathiya, I used to visit your blog since 2017. At that time, I still remember I was a budding blog. But now it’s different and transformed a lot! congrats Lathiya, for your hard work and dedication. I’m so happy to see this growth in blogosphere. By the way.. this weekly meal plan is amazing as usual! definitely this is going into my Indian meal planing board. keep going Lathiya!
    Happy blogging

    Reply

  11. Beth says

    This meal plan is so organized and well laid out, with photos, too. And I like how you have included tips about what to prepare in advance, like the garlic. I would LOVE to be this organized in a week!!

    Reply

  12. Angela says

    I love meal planning. Being a mom of 3 little kids with a full time job, it is a life saver! I love finding new plans, thanks for sharing!

    Reply

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