Grill a large flank steak one night for your family to enjoy, and serve simple sides to round out the meal—perhaps roasted potatoes and a green salad, or mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. And with the leftover beef, you have the beginnings of extraordinary take-to-work lunches. The smoky grilled steak can be chopped and incorporated into subsequent dishes with Asian, Italian, and Greek flavors.

The salads hold up well and can be prepared and chilled the night before. The sandwiches are best assembled in the morning before work—which means the bread (or tortilla) will stay fresh for lunch.