50 Healthier Lunch Ideas for Seriously Delicious Midday Fuel
These meals are oh-so easy to pack for school and work!
At its best, lunch feels like a hard-earned respite from a hectic work day, a moment of peace after hours of firing on all cylinders. Ideally, it’s also the perfect chance to fuel our bodies with complex carbs, proteins, and other nutrient-dense foods for the second half of the day.
Of course, for the average busy person, the idea of eating lunch *period* —let alone a lunch that’s actually good for you—can feel like just another task on an endless to-do list. That’s why we included quick or at least meal prep-friendly recipes like Avocado and Tuna Salad Wraps and Mason Jar Instant Noodle Soup. Not only does having a good meal to look forward to help keep you motivated, but we’ve also found that the fewer excuses we have to “sub in” a protein bar and potato chips for lunch, the better—and the less likely we are to crash by 3pm.
So grab your grocery list, set aside an hour or two on a Sunday (or fifteen minutes on a weeknight) and get prepping: you’ll be thanking yourself Wednesday morning at 11am.
Green Goddess Chicken and Bean Salad
You’ll feel like a green goddess yourself after finishing this hearty, protein-filled lunch. With crunchy vegetables and beans, this one will stay crisp and fresh for hours until lunchtime.
Cottage Cheese Wrap Pinwheels
For a protein-packed lunch, try these wraps made with low-fat cottage cheese, chicken breast, and hummus. Pesto, chives, and baby arugula add a fresh, herb-forward flavor.
Get the Cottage Cheese Wrap Pinwheels recipe.
Herby Lentil and Burrata Salad
There's a lot to love about this salad: It has plenty of protein but comes in at less than 300 calories per serving. It can easily be made ahead of time. It's made with lentils, which are a generally affordable ingredient. And it tastes great! Need we say more?
Mason Jar Instant Noodle Soup
This creative lunch is endlessly customizable. Use whatever vegetables you have in the fridge—we opted for kimchi, edamame, spinach, and mushrooms—bouillon, and rice vermicelli noodles for a dish that's cozy and healthy.
Get the Mason Jar Instant Noodle Soup recipe.
Gobi Biryani
This dish, which is popular in Indian and Pakistani cultures, is made with cauliflower, basmati rice, fresh ginger, plum tomatoes, and plenty of spices. Make a big batch on Sunday to enjoy for low-calorie lunches all week long.
Get the Gobi Biryani recipe.
Fully-Loaded Veggie Sandwiches
Trust us, you won't even miss the meat in these sandwiches. Hummus, mashed avocado, cucumber, sprouts, and eggplants or mushrooms are piled high on toasty bread for a satisfying bite, every time.
Salmon Salad Tartines
Think beyond tuna — canned salmon is a tasty toast topper and comes with a hit of omega-3 fatty acids.
Get the Salmon Salad Tartines recipe.
RELATED: The Best Canned Foods To Keep In Your Pantry, According to a Nutritionist
Snap Pea and Chicken Salad
This one-step recipe combines snap peas, shredded rotisserie chicken and onion with a lemony dressing.
Get the Snap Pea and Chicken Salad recipe.
Sweet Potato Breakfast Burritos
Brunch for lunch? We wouldn't say no, especially when you can make these ahead of time and freeze up to two months.
Lentil Soup with Kale
Soothing, hearty, and deeply satisfying, lentil soup is the ultimate cold weather lunch. This one is made using marinara sauce for a genius flavor-boosting shortcut.
Get the Lentil Soup with Kale recipe.
Vegetarian Antipasto Salad
This bright, crowd-pleasing salad is loaded with everything good — tomatoes, chickpeas, cukes and yes, those extra-small, extra-fun mozzarella balls — and as a bonus, can easily be made ahead.
Get the Vegetarian Antipasto Salad recipe.
Creamy Kale Pasta
Who knew a creamy pasta could be this healthy? The secret is protein-packed cottage cheese, blended with plenty of kale and scallions to create a decadent but nutritious sauce.
Get the Creamy Kale Pasta recipe.
Green Goddess Sandwiches
Eggs aren't just for breakfast. The tasty orbs are the perfect way to pack protein into a vegetarian sandwich.
Get the Green Goddess Sandwiches recipe.
Poblano and Black Bean Loaded Baked Potato
Microwaving spuds before roasting cuts the cooking time in half so these can be ready by lunchtime.
Air Fryer Salmon Flatbreads
Cut into bite-size pieces, one pound of salmon takes just six minutes to cook in the air fryer. Lunch is ready!
Get the Air Fryer Salmon Flatbreads recipe.
Roasted Eggplant Veggie Burgers
To have homemade veggie burgers ready for lunch, prep them ahead of time, let cool, then wrap individually and freeze. When you're ready to eat, just roast 'em until warm.
Greek Salad
We love this classic salad recipe. Briny capers, crumbly feta, fresh tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers come together in a crunchy, flavorful salad that never disappoints.
Get the Greek Salad recipe.
Soba Noodle Salad with Shrimp and Ginger Vinaigrette
No one wants a soggy salad. This make-ahead recipe stays crunchy all day, right up until you drench it in a ginger vinaigrette, toss and enjoy.
Get the Soba Noodle Salad with Shrimp and Ginger Vinaigrette recipe.
Avocado and Tuna Salad Wrap
Avocado subs in for creamy mayo in this lightened-up take on a tuna salad sandwich. Throw some extra mixed greens into the equation and everyone will be happy.
Get the Avocado and Tuna Salad Wrap recipe.
Waldorf Chicken Salad
A power lunch mainstay, this all-time American favorite combines fresh produce with a creamy mustard-based dressing. It's ready from scratch in under 20 minutes.
Get the Waldorf Chicken Salad recipe.
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