I don’t think lunch needs a complicated meal plan.

What it needs is a little help.

When you’ve got work to finish, children to organise or a garden calling your name, it’s very easy to put lunch off until you’re absolutely starving.

And that’s when whatever is quickest suddenly becomes the most appealing option.

But there are a few small things you can do earlier in the day, or even the night before, that make lunch much easier.

1. Put a potato in the oven

If the oven is already on, add a potato.

Later, you’ve got the foundation for a lovely lunch.

Fill it with tuna, cheese, beans, leftover vegetables or cottage cheese.

Cool and refrigerate it promptly if you’re saving it for later, and reheat thoroughly.

2. Take soup or leftovers out of the freezer

This takes about thirty seconds, but it’s easy to forget.

Move a portion of soup, curry or another prepared meal from the freezer into the fridge to thaw safely.

By lunchtime tomorrow, you’ve already done most of the work.

3. Cook some rice or another grain

A little cooked rice, quinoa or another grain can become a salad, bowl or stir-fry.

Add leftover vegetables, beans, eggs, chicken or fish.

If you’re preparing rice ahead, cool it quickly, refrigerate immediately and use within 24 hours.

4. Boil a couple of eggs

Boiled eggs are useful little things to have ready.

Add them to a salad, sandwich, rice bowl or Bitsa plate.

For eggs being prepared ahead, cook them until both white and yolk are firm, cool promptly and refrigerate.

5. Move leftovers to the front of the fridge

This sounds almost too simple, but it works.

If you can’t see your leftovers, you’re much less likely to use them.

Put the food that needs eating first somewhere obvious.

Yesterday’s roast vegetables might become today’s omelette. Leftover chicken could become a wrap. A small amount of pasta might be enough with a salad.

6. Chop a few vegetables

Carrots, capsicum, cucumber and other crunchy vegetables are easy to prepare ahead.

Keep them covered in the fridge so they’re ready for sandwiches, wraps, salads or a quick plate with hummus.

You don’t need to prepare everything

The point isn’t to turn lunch into another chore.

It’s to make one useful decision before you’re hungry.

Some days that means putting a potato in the oven. Other days it means remembering there’s soup in the freezer.

And sometimes it means moving yesterday’s leftovers to the front of the fridge so someone actually eats them.

Small things make a difference.

That’s why the Get Lunch Ready section in EAT by Mrs E asks you to do just one thing now.

Future You will thank you.