Cook Like a Celebrity: Build a Weekly Lunch Menu from Tesco’s New Cooking Series

Beat the weekday lunch scramble: Cook like a celebrity with Tesco Kitchen

If you’re juggling hybrid workdays, after-school activities and the eternal question “what’s for lunch?”, you’re not alone. The biggest pain points for busy home cooks in 2026 are the same: limited time, a desire for variety that kids will eat, and the need to keep costs and waste down. What if you could turn Tesco’s new celebrity cooking series—Tesco Kitchen—into a week of inspired, make-ahead lunches that save time and actually excite everyone at the table?

The evolution of Tesco Kitchen and why it matters in 2026

Tesco launched its eight-part celebrity cooking series, Tesco Kitchen, to bring approachable, flavorful recipes to shoppers. Hosted by Seema Pankhania and Greg James, the series spotlights chefs and food writers cooking meaningful dishes alongside the hosts. The result is a bank of celebrity recipes that translate easily into practical, everyday cooking.

In late 2025 and into 2026, food trends have shifted toward plant-forward plates, flexible proteins, and sustainable shopping. Consumers want inspiration—but they also want workflows. That’s where a themed weekly menu built from Tesco Kitchen recipes becomes a game changer: it delivers variety, celebrity-level flavor and a clear meal-prep system you can follow every Sunday.

What you’ll get from this guide

• A five-day weekly menu inspired by dishes featured on Tesco Kitchen
• Complete consolidated shopping list and pantry staples
• Make-ahead, time-saving steps and reheating tips for every lunch
• A Sunday batch-cook timeline and a real-world case study
• Dietary swaps, kid-friendly adjustments and 2026 trends to keep you future-ready

How to use this plan (two quick rules)

1. Batch smart: Cook grains, proteins and dressings once, then mix-and-match.
2. Pack early: Portion lunches the night before or in the morning—reheating should take under 5 minutes.

Themed Weekly Menu: Cook Like a Celebrity (Mon–Fri)

Each recipe below is inspired by a dish featured on Tesco Kitchen. The descriptions include make-ahead steps, storage windows and quick swaps to suit kids or dietary needs.

Monday — Spiced Chickpea & Lemon Rice Bowl (Tesco Kitchen classic)

Why it works: Protein-rich, bright and vegetarian-friendly—this bowl is a brilliant Monday reset.

• Main components: spiced roasted chickpeas, lemon basmati rice, shredded spinach, toasted almonds, tahini-yogurt drizzle.
• Make-ahead steps (Sunday): Roast chickpeas (30 min) and cook basmati rice (20 min). Store separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
• Pack & serve: Layer rice, spinach and chickpeas. Keep drizzle in a small jar. Reheat rice/chickpeas (microwave 90–120s) and add cold spinach and dressing.
• Kid swap: Replace toasted almonds with mild cheddar cubes or sunflower seeds for nut-free school lunches.
• Dietary swap: Use coconut yogurt to make drizzle vegan.

Tuesday — Smoky Harissa Chicken Wrap

Why it works: Inspired by a Tesco Kitchen episode where guests turned up the heat, this wrap is portable and packs well.

• Main components: harissa-marinated chicken thighs, charred peppers, baby gem lettuce, cooling cucumber-yogurt sauce, flatbreads.
• Make-ahead steps (Sunday): Marinate and pre-roast chicken (30–40 min) and slice peppers. Chicken keeps 3–4 days in the fridge; slice and store in its juices to retain moisture.
• Pack & serve: Warm slices briefly and build wraps in the morning. Or pack components separately and assemble at lunch for maximum freshness.
• Kid swap: Use mild paprika instead of harissa; add grated carrot for sweetness.
• Dietary swap: Swap chicken for roasted cauliflower steaks and use vegan flatbreads.

Wednesday — Mediterranean Salmon Kedgeree Salad

Why it works: A Tesco Kitchen twist on kedgeree makes it salad-friendly—smoky flaked salmon, herby grains and soft-boiled eggs keep you full.

• Main components: flaked roast salmon, turmeric-laced brown rice, soft-boiled eggs, peas, dill & lemon vinaigrette.
• Make-ahead steps (Sunday): Cook brown rice (45 min) and roast a large salmon fillet (20–25 min). Boil eggs to jammy (7 min), cool and peel. Store refrigerated for up to 3 days.
• Pack & serve: Combine rice and peas cold, top with salmon and egg. Dress just before eating.
• Kid swap: Flake salmon into smaller pieces and add a lemon-mayo for dipping.
• Dietary swap: Replace salmon with smoked tofu for a vegetarian option.

Thursday — Balsamic Roast Veg & Halloumi Grain Bowl

Why it works: Roasted vegetables and crispy halloumi are a universal crowd-pleaser—great for meatless days.

• Main components: roast aubergine, courgette, cherry tomatoes, quinoa, crispy halloumi, basil-pesto drizzle.
• Make-ahead steps (Sunday): Roast all veg (35–45 min) and cook quinoa (15 min). Keep halloumi separate and pan-fry quickly on the day to keep it crunchy, or fry and reheat in a skillet for 2–3 min.
• Pack & serve: Assemble cold or warm. Pesto keeps in the fridge for a week; portion into small pots.
• Kid swap: Swap pesto for a sweet honey-lemon yogurt dip; cube halloumi for easy bites.
• Dietary swap: Replace halloumi with grilled tempeh for a plant-based protein.

Friday — Coronation Chicken Pitta with Pickled Slaw

Why it works: A nod to classic British flavours reimagined by Tesco Kitchen chefs—creamy, mildly spiced and easy to eat on the go.

• Main components: shredded curried chicken with mango chutney mayo, pickled red cabbage & carrot slaw, wholegrain pittas.
• Make-ahead steps (Sunday): Poach chicken breasts or use leftover roast chicken; shred and mix with sauce. Make slaw and let it pickle for a few hours for extra flavour—keeps 4–5 days.
• Pack & serve: Fill pittas in the morning. For workplaces with limited microwaves, keep components separate to avoid sogginess.
• Kid swap: Reduce curry powder and add apple chunks for sweetness.
• Dietary swap: Use chickpeas mashed with a bit of vegan mayo for a vegetarian pitta filling.

Consolidated Shopping List (store by section)

Print or paste this into your Tesco online basket to speed up the click-and-collect process.

• Fresh produce: spinach, baby gem lettuce, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, aubergine, courgette, red cabbage, carrots, lemons, fresh dill, basil
• Proteins: chicken thighs/breasts (or tofu), salmon fillet, halloumi, canned chickpeas, eggs
• Grains & pantry: basmati & brown rice, quinoa, flatbreads/pittas, harissa paste, tahini, mango chutney, brown sugar, olive oil, balsamic vinegar
• Dairy & alternatives: yogurt (or plant-based yogurt), butter or oil, grated cheddar (optional)
• Pantry staples: sea salt, black pepper, turmeric, smoked paprika, curry powder, cumin, almonds/sunflower seeds

Sunday Batch-Cook Timeline: Finish in 90–120 minutes

Follow this step-by-step workflow to prepare the week’s bases. It’s designed to fit into a typical Sunday afternoon while keeping the kitchen sane.

1. Start rice and quinoa: brown rice takes the longest—start first (45 min including rest).
2. While grains cook: preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Drain and season chickpeas; roast for 30 minutes.
3. Roast veg: chop aubergine, courgette and cherry tomatoes; roast alongside chickpeas or in the next oven slot for 35–45 minutes.
4. Roast salmon: consult packet instructions—generally 20–25 minutes at 180°C. Rest and flake once cooled.
5. Prepare proteins: pan-fry halloumi, roast or poach chicken. Let rest in their cooking juices to stay moist and slice or shred before storing.
6. Make dressings & sauces: tahini-yogurt drizzle, lemon vinaigrette and mango-chutney mayo—jar and label.
7. Cool quickly and portion: use shallow containers to chill within 90 minutes; label with date and contents.

Make-Ahead Containers & Kitchen Tools (time-saving gear)

• Bento-style lunch boxes with dividers to prevent soggy components — see picks in our 2026 curated gift guide.
• Glass storage jars for dressings and layered salads
• Vacuum-seal bags (optional) to extend freshness of proteins — a portable preservation lab guide covers vacuum sealing and on-site storage techniques.
• Microplane zester, good chef’s knife and a digital kitchen scale or probe thermometer for accuracy
• Label maker or masking tape & marker for dates and reheating instructions — if you need low-cost labeling solutions, check a guide to sticker printers.

Reheating & Food Safety Tips

• Reheat proteins to 75°C when possible; use a probe thermometer for accuracy.
• Keep dressings separate until serving to maintain texture.
• Consume seafood-based lunches within 48–72 hours for best quality.
• Freeze portions you won’t eat within 3–4 days—many of these components freeze well (rice, cooked chicken, chickpeas). For better freezing and preservation workflows see our preservation lab guide.

2026 Food & Grocery Trends to Leverage

Use these trends to make your weekly menu more relevant and future-proof.

• Hybrid work fuels flexible lunches: With more people splitting time between home and office, portable, assemble-at-desk lunches are in demand.
• Plant-forward menus: Celebrity chefs on Tesco Kitchen often showcase vegetarian twists—make vegetables the star at least two days a week.
• Zero-waste shopping: Tesco’s refill and sustainable ranges expanded in 2025. Buy loose produce items and use scraps (e.g., carrot tops in pesto) to reduce waste. Learn how discount and refill models are evolving in discount shop micro-bundle strategies.
• AI recipe personalization: In 2026, grocery apps will suggest swaps based on dietary profiles—future connectivity and low-latency services (5G/XR) will make personalization snappier; see future network predictions for context.

Dietary Swaps & Kid-Friendly Tricks

• Gluten-free: swap pittas/flatbreads with corn tortillas or gluten-free wraps; ensure soy sauces and condiments are certified GF.
• Vegetarian/vegan: swap proteins for smoked tofu, tempeh or pulses; use plant-based yogurts and mayo.
• Picky eaters: separate preferred foods, offer dipping sauces, and add familiar textures (cheese, bread) to help new flavors land.

Real-world case study: Family of three (two adults, one child)

Meet the Walters: both parents work hybrid hours and their 7-year-old is at school. They followed the Tesco Kitchen week for four weeks in a row in late 2025 and reported:

• Time saved: Sunday prep took 90–110 minutes; weekday mornings reduced to 10 minutes for packing lunches.
• Waste reduction: Using flexible ingredients and freezing extras cut their weekly food waste by an estimated 35%.
• Budget impact: Buying items in bulk and using Tesco click-and-collect deals reduced weekly grocery spend by ~10%.

Sample Sunday plan from the Walters:

1. 08:00 — start brown rice
2. 08:20 — roast chickpeas & veg
3. 09:00 — roast & flake salmon; pan-fry halloumi
4. 09:30 — assemble dressings and pack components

By Monday the parents had five ready-to-go lunches and a couple of extra portions frozen for busy nights.

Quick Win Hacks (time-saving moves you can do today)

• Use leftover Sunday rice to make fried rice for dinner—cuts next week’s prep time.
• Portion dressings into silicone condiment cups that fit inside lunchboxes.
• Pre-chop salad veg and store in water-filled jars to keep crisp.
• Link this menu to Tesco’s online basket: create a recurring order for pantry staples.

“A little Sunday prep goes a long way—celebrity-level flavour without the weekday stress.”

Putting it all together: Your action checklist

1. Review the consolidated shopping list and add to your Tesco basket.
2. Reserve 90–120 minutes on Sunday—use the batch-cook timeline above.
3. Label containers with contents and dates (and reheating notes).
4. Plan for two meatless days to embrace plant-forward trends and save budget.
5. Use leftover components to reduce waste—transform tonight’s dinner into tomorrow’s lunch base.

Final thoughts and future predictions

Tesco Kitchen’s celebrity recipes give home cooks permission to be bold. In 2026, weekly menus need both inspiration and structure—and this celebrity-inspired plan delivers both. Expect grocery retailers to further integrate AI meal planning and same-day pick-up options throughout 2026, making these weekly workflows even easier.

Start with one week and iterate—swap proteins, try a vegetarian day, or scale portions for two-week prep sessions. The goal is consistent: save time, reduce waste, and enjoy lunches that don’t feel like leftovers.

Ready to Cook Like a Celebrity?

Download the printable shopping list, drag this menu into your Tesco online basket and reserve your Sunday prep slot. Turn Tesco Kitchen inspiration into a lasting weekly routine—and reclaim weekday lunchtimes.

CTA: Click to add the consolidated shopping list to your Tesco basket and get the printable Sunday prep checklist—your first celebrity-inspired week is waiting.

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