Food52’s cookbooks editor, Ali Slagle, helped us develop a weeklong, bring-from-home lunch program that’s so quick, easy, affordable, and satisfying you’ll have no excuse not to follow it. For more great weekday meal plans that go all the way through the evening, check out Food52’s upcoming cookbook, A New Way to Dinner, out on Oct. 18 (Ten Speed Press, $35).

Shopping List:

Meat and Seafood

• 5 oz. chicken breast
• 4 oz. shrimp
• Can of tuna (Oil-packed is more luxurious, but water-packed works, too)

Pantry Items

• Capers
• Dijon mustard
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Superfine sugar
• Mayo (If you like)
• Grain of your choice
• Pack of pitas
• Loaf of crusty bread

Produce and Herbs

• 6 lemons
• 2 shallots
• 8 oz. mushrooms
• Rosemary, thyme, oregano
• 1 avocado
• 8 oz. salad greens
• Assorted vegetables (Celery, cucumbers, fennel, or others that taste good raw)
• 4 oz. new potatoes
• 4 oz. string beans

Dairy and Eggs

• 6 oz. yogurt
• Half-dozen eggs

SUNDAY PREP
Make 3 batches of the dressing recipe.

April Bloomfield’s lemon-caper dressing
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients

• 2 medium lemons
• 3 tbsp. finely chopped shallot
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard (Choose one that has a flavor you like on its own; Food52 uses Maille)
• 2 tbsp. capers, drained and finely chopped
• ½ tsp. Maldon or other flaky sea salt
• ½ tsp. superfine sugar
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• 1. Segment the lemons: Use a sharp knife to cut off just enough of the peel on the top and bottom to expose a full circle of flesh on both ends. Stand the lemon on one end, place the knife point at the seam where the fruit meets the pith, and use a gentle back-and-forth motion to cut away a wide strip of pith and peel, following the curve of the fruit from top to bottom. Repeat the process until you’ve removed all of the peel; if you’ve missed any pith, trim it off. Holding the fruit over a bowl to catch the dripping juices, use the knife to separate each segment from the inner membrane and gently pry it out. Flick out any seeds and set the segments aside for the last step, reserving the juicy membrane.
• 2. Squeeze the remaining juice from the membrane into the bowl, add the rest of the ingredients, and stir well.
• 3. Add the lemon segments and toss gently to coat them without breaking them up.

Prep your chicken
Marinate it in some dressing for a few hours in the fridge, then throw it on the grill outside (or in a grill pan on your stove).

Prep your shrimp
Because of all the lemon, this dressing isn’t far from a pickling liquid. Blanch the shrimp in boiling water, then dunk them immediately in an ice water bath. Transfer the shrimp to a big jar and cover them with dressing. Add other ingredients—chili flakes, sliced onions or fennel, celery seed, or fennel seed—for a more classic pickle flavor, or just keep it simple and leave as is.

Prep your mushrooms
Sauté them in a dry pan until they start to give off liquid. Add dressing and a few sprigs of herbs (however much looks right) and continue cooking until the liquid has reduced just a bit.

Cook the rest
Cook a cup of grains, boil your potatoes, and hard-boil the eggs.

MONDAY
Chicken Pita

Before work
Pack up a jar of dressing for your work fridge, plus the yogurt, the chicken, some salad greens, and a pita.

At lunchtime
Mix the dressing with yogurt, slather it inside the pita pocket, and layer in the chicken and salad greens.

TUESDAY
Shrimp, Mushroom & Avocado Toast

Before work
Grab some marinated mushrooms, the pickled shrimp, avocado, 3 slices of bread, and more salad greens.

At lunchtime
Toast the bread slices if you can, then spread on a little dressing. (You already have it at work, right?) Top one with mushrooms, one with shrimp, and one with avocado, then scatter some greens over all. Alternatively, because you marinated the shrimp and mushrooms in the same dressing, you can mix them and make a sandwich.

WEDNESDAY
Egg Salad Sandwich

Before work
Chop up 4 of the hard-boiled eggs and mix in some dressing—add mayo or diced celery and fennel if you want. Bring along 2 slices of bread, too.

At lunchtime
Egg salad sandwich! If you’re looking for more, bring salad greens and drizzle on dressing from your work supply.

THURSDAY
Salade Niçoise

Before work
Quickly steam the green beans and cut up the potatoes, then layer them in a container with the tuna and 2 quartered hard-boiled eggs.

At lunchtime
Salade niçoise is almost ready for you—just drizzle on some of your work dressing.

FRIDAY
Shortcut Mushroom Risotto

Before work
Throw your cooked grains into a bowl with the rest of the marinated mushrooms and whatever vegetables you have left, then mix in the last of your home dressing. Pack up the rest of the salad greens separately, if they’re still looking good.

At lunchtime
Add a little water to your and warm in the microwave to create a creamy, risottolike porridge. Dress the greens and eat them alongside.